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 →
Notes by Ken Gray: I am Looking forward to Sunday’s Pentecost service shared between St. Stephen’s Anglican Church and Summerland United Church. We share costs and facilities between us at our historic 1910 location in downtown Summerland. Now a few years into a very special relationship between our congregations, we occasionally gather together for shared... Continue Reading →
Originally published as “Christianity isn’t just in decline — it’s become obsolete, says sociologist -- The problem isn’t simply about belief. ‘[Traditional religion] doesn’t fit ordinary life,’ says Christian Smith.” by Julie McGonegal - Feb. 6, 2026 on Broadview Christian Smith says that traditional religion hasn’t merely lost adherents — it’s become culturally obsolete. That’s... Continue Reading →
VIGIL IN A SMALL TOWN, by Betty-Ann Xenis, Summerland, BC The second time we met, it was windy and our candles kept blowing out. It seemed symbolic somehow. Candles, a light in the darkness, being blown out by a force beyond our control. We finally stopped trying to relight them but just stood in the... Continue Reading →
My son, Cameron, suggested I reach out to Jim as someone also interested and experienced in justice advocacy, knowledgeable in politics, fervent in faith, and a Toronto Blue Jays baseball fan. The two met years ago at a United Nations climate conference (UNFCCC) in Cancún, Mexico. Learning that Jim had retired from global relations work... Continue Reading →
A sermon for the combined congregations of St. Stephen Anglican Church and Summerland United Church at the Stone Church in Summerland -- Thanksgiving Sunday, October 12, 2025 -- The Very Rev. Ken Gray It’s a familiar scenario to all of us. We walk into a grocery store, or a car dealership, or into one of... Continue Reading →
I did not attend the Vancouver School of Theology so never studied with the late, Dr. Terry Anderson. I did meet him however in the early 2000s as he travelled to Summerland for a weekend event with local ecumenical clergy and our congregations. Summerland Christian community leaders were a diverse lot in those days, ranging... Continue Reading →
UPDATE: No decision yet on some Western Canada concerts including West Kelowna. TYEE article here. Thanks friends from Summerland United Church for the share below. With the support and encouragment of "Christian" churches who should know better, steadily far right ideology is now creeping into Canadian public spaces. Kelowna, BC - Advocacy Canada is expressing... Continue Reading →
Since October 2024 Summerland United Church (SUC) has shared costs and facilities with the congregation of St. Stephen Anglican Church on our site at 9311 Prairie Road in our beautiful little town of Summerland in the BC interior. The move has enabled SUC to make their former property available for an innovative affordable housing project.... Continue Reading →
Posted by James Morgan | May 11, 2025 | TheReview.ca -- UPDATED [Ken Gray] Many have found the spiritual discipline of pilgrimage helpful as a way to integrate physical exercise with respect for creation and as a way to advocate for a healthy world. In other posts I have focused on these themes, not less... Continue Reading →
Take Note - Reflections on life, music, politics, retirement and more by Ken Gray 