A sermon for the congregation of St. Stephen, SummerlandSunday, July 12, 2026 -- The Very Rev. Ken Gray Thou visitest the earth, and blessest it:thou makest it very plenteousThou crownest the year with thy goodness:and thy clouds drop fatness-- Anthem by Maurice Greene (1696-1755) I used to sing this anthem by Maurice Greene as a... Continue Reading →
By Prof. Dr. Mathew Koshy Punnackadu, Kerala, India This post is edited for length. The full post with additional context is here A centuries-old assumption was dramatically challenged on 9 June 2026, when the municipal council of Terrasse-Vaudreuil, a small town west of Montreal in Quebec, Canada, unanimously adopted a resolution endorsing the Universal... Continue Reading →
The Honourable Tom Siddon, PC (1941–2026) – Obituary on Castanet [First, from Tom’s family] It is with heavy hearts, but with heads full of happy memories and passed down knowledge, that we must announce the passing of The Honourable Thomas Edward Siddon, P.C., on June 28, 2026. Tom was surrounded by family when he peacefully... Continue Reading →
The Rev. John Jackman, a man with a white beard and hair, and a boy of about 9 in a Scout uniform are shown at the altar of a church, with colorful confetti floating around them. Heard on US National Public Radio, June 28, 2026Noam Levey for KFF Health News WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Some issues,... Continue Reading →
A sermon for the congregation of St. Saviour, Penticton, Sunday, July 5th, 2026 by the Very Rev. Ken Gray Did you know that the Bible was written for the benefit of psychotherapists? Probably not; but given St. Paul’s confessional language in Romans chapter 7 such a case can be made. For example: I do not... Continue Reading →
The third in a series of Pilgrimages sponsored by the Ecclesiastical Province of BC/Yukon in collaboration with the Parish of Kokanee in the Anglican Diocese of Kootenay From September 14th to 18th 2026 St. Mark’s in Kaslo will host a week-long gathering of pilgrims from across the province for prayer and worship, shared meals, fellowship,... Continue Reading →
A retired bishop told me recently that “when you retire, the church forgets you.” While blunt, I think they may have a point. Writing in UK Church Times: “Retirement: The Church of England depends on retired clergy, 19 June 2026, Bishop Colin Fletcher argues that “much more needs to be done to nurture clergy retirees.”... Continue Reading →
Author, composer and professor Fr. Michael Joncas holding a June 2024 letter from former U.S. president Joe Biden by the bookcase where he framed and displayed the original 1976 score of "On Eagle's Wings," in his apartment in St. Paul, Minnesota, May 2026. (NCR photo/Camillo Barone) by Camillo Barone, NCR staff reporter By the mid-1970s, Fr.... Continue Reading →
On Saturday, June 13, 2026 Summerland United Church with St. Stephen Anglican Church hosted the first ever PRIDE parade in our little town. Sure, such events have been a regular feature on the coast since the 1990s. They have also become a staple event in larger centres in the BC interior such as Kamloops and... Continue Reading →
From the Sabeel online newsletter Confrontations between Israel and Hezbollah continue despite the U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement, with Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon killing so far 3,613 people, including UNIFIL peacekeepers, and injuring 11,072 others. The violence has expanded regionally, with Iran and Yemen launching missiles toward Israel and Israel responding with strikes on Iran. God... Continue Reading →
Take Note - Reflections on life, music, politics, retirement and more by Ken Gray 