A sermon for the congregation of St. Stephen, SummerlandSunday, September 15, 2024The Very Rev. Ken Gray [I must first note the passing of Lois Wilson, long serving justice advocate and onetime moderator of the United Church of Canada and of the World Council of Churches. She died Friday at the age of 97 in Fredericton,... Continue Reading →
Radio Station – Extending our imagination, by listening
Another in our “Little Town of Summerland” series As a teenager growing up in Victoria I remember walking home with a friend who always knew what songs were popular. As a geeky kid with strange coloured hair and wobbly eyes, I needed help integrating with student and teenage culture. I asked him how he found... Continue Reading →
Building for sale – Re-purposing the Chamber of Commerce information centre
Another in our series “Life in our little Town of Summerland” The rumours are true; the Summerland Chamber of Commerce has put up its roadside information centre for sale. Located on Highway 97 at Thompson Road the site has outlived its usefulness. For many decades, alert and weary travelers would stop in for maps and... Continue Reading →
Hilltop Paradise — An August afternoon at Summerland Ornamental Gardens
It was a warm and lovely, late-August afternoon when I asked Kathie to drop me off at the Summerland Ornamental Gardens to photograph flowers. I visit the gardens several times each year and find ample subject material through all seasons. Readers of this blog will already know how I love photographing flowers in all their... Continue Reading →
The Case of the Disappearing Salad — A Summer-Land Mystery
It was a beautiful kitchen creation; a summer salad; a mix of spinach, chicken, avocado, strawberries, almonds, and cucumber topped off with a poppy seed dressing. And it’s gone . . . On a warm, breezy, summer evening in 2024 Ken and Kathie Gray drove to Sunoka Beach Park, a provincial park just outside the... Continue Reading →
This is Juno’s world — We just live in it
My son sent the above photograph with caption to Kathie and me while we vacationed in Nova Scotia recently. He was caring for our house and for Juno in our absence. He always enjoys Juno’s company and looks forward to the day when he can have his own dog. That day will come, but not... Continue Reading →
Bread for the journey
Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost, Sunday, August 4th, 2024A sermon for the congregation of St. Saviour, Penticton BCThe Very Rev. Ken Gray Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father... Continue Reading →
What I did on my summer vacation — AKA There’s no place like home
A sermon for the Anglican Congregation in Summerland, BCSunday, July 21, 2024 // The Very Rev. Ken Gray The idea was so simple. In exchange for presiding and preaching at Holy Eucharist for just two Sundays at the Church of the Nativity, Sandy Cove, Nova Scotia we would receive rectory accommodation at no cost to... Continue Reading →
Musical Chairs messed with my mojo
I loved playing musical chairs in my early years. Whether it was the running around, the competitiveness, or the music that created the delight I cannot recall. I just loved playing the game and can still picture one or two in my mind. You likely remember the drill. Chairs are set up inside a circle... Continue Reading →
Juno’s day at the dog park – a party proposal
Image from Summerland Dog Owners Association and Castanet Juno is a popular dog blogger who has been active in local community campaigning around dog rights, privileges, and pleasantries. Summer is here at last, so it’s time to head to the beach and to the dog park. For various reasons it’s been a long time coming... Continue Reading →