From This Day in Historyโs Post Gary Burghoff stood on the M*A*S*H (henceforth MAS*H) set in October 1979, holding a teddy bear that had become as famous as he was, and told the producers he was done. Not for more money. Not for better storylines. He was leaving because playing Radar O'Reillyโthe role that made... Continue Reading →
At the movies, with Emma Thompson
Kathie and I are working our way Emma Thompsonโs new four-part suspense series on Apple-TV, described by Wenlei Ma on THE NIGHTLY as โa great show with an unusual tone that, like Slow Horses, generously peppers wry humour between the drama and thriller elements. It keeps things moving along without ever getting bogged down in... Continue Reading →
John Schneider gets my vote for the Manager of the Year
Final Blue Jays post for a while; I promise! But I canโt resist calling out John Schneider for his management of this yearโs team. Still a newbie baseball fan myself I donโt know the great managers of the past. But I have admired John Schneiderโs direction of our rags-to-riches Jays this season. โThey went about... Continue Reading →
A cavalcade of incompetence or deceit? โ You decide
The indictment of former FBI director, James Comey continues to raise eyebrows and tempers. For good reason. A formal charge of a serious crime by a US grand jury is no trifling matter. That said, the speed with which the clumsy and manipulative process is a story that needs to be told. First, here is... Continue Reading →
Is the Wild Goose part of my congregational future?
On Sundays when I do not preach or preside locally I try to include something relevant to โfuture-churchโ themes. While my typical Sunday morning worship experience occurs in traditionally built and appointed historic buildings, utilizing a familiar liturgy with mostly traditional music, I gotta say that I often donโt feel nourished. For many reasons, I... Continue Reading →
No long sermon from me today
Amongst other gifts and duties, deacons preach in congregations as they connect us with the wider community In fact, no sermon at all today. As I now only preach on the first and third Sundays of each month today is truly a day of rest. Instead I share a reflection on sermons as an art... Continue Reading →
Itโs no laughing matter โ Or is it?
Years ago I suggested to a justice-seeking colleague that we should investigate the role of humour in our social and ecological justice advocacy. We can be awfully serious, I said. Off-putting even. She replied that the context โ human rights abuse; the climate crisis; avaricious market hegemony โ didnโt lend itself well to comedic treatment.... Continue Reading →
Timothy Snyder one week after marching in Philadelphia
This is a repost from Timothy Snyder's Substack post published Thursday June 19, 2025 It was a thrill to march at the No Kings Rally in Philadelphia on Saturday with friends and about a hundred thousand people. On the stage, I led a chant of "no kings -- freedom," and I tried to explain three... Continue Reading →
Reconnecting with Aboriginal Neighbours in the Anglican Diocese of Islands and Inlets (BC)
[Ken Gray] Our extended visit to Victoria continues to serve up delightful surprises, none more exciting than a reunion with Aboriginal Neighbours friends. While never a member of the organization myself, our ministries intersected especially during my time as rector (priest) of the Church of the Advent in Colwood from 2005-2016. A summary of their... Continue Reading →
Memorizing a poem is like taking a work of art that you love and letting it live and bloom inside of you
Poems are part of me, when I can remember them. As I age I find it harder to remember texts whether longer or shorter. Some years ago I used to proclaim the Christmas Gospel (John 1:1-14) while processing through the church, reciting from memory. It was an excellent discipline with a particular dramatic effect. Canโt... Continue Reading →