A message from the Sabeel community As we celebrate this Christmas season, we give thanks for your gifts of friendship and solidarity with the people of Palestine. Your support, prayers, and commitment to justice and peace sustain us and encourage our work every day. We especially honor those who are willing to take risks to... Continue Reading →
My favourite poetic Christmas tradition it to read this very Canadian piece written by John Terpstra, the Little Towns of Bethlehem. If God arrived in Christ in Bethlehem Christ arrives in the places and spaces of our nation, places familiar and unknown to us, though I am privileged to have lived in, or passed through... Continue Reading →
It is indeed ages since I have read or heard this poem. A marvellous presentation by Louis Armstrong (Sachmo). Not sure of the piano accompanist but might have been Marian McPartland. Brilliant and sensitive playing. Other great seasonal links in the Youtube comments and description. Happy Christmas to all. https://youtu.be/cmt2TZWGoO8
“NOEL” by J.R.R. Tolkien was written in 1936, amidst the gathering gloom of national socialism in Germany. At the time, it provided an antidote to social and political anxiety. May it provide some relief for us now. Grim was the world and grey last night:The moon and stars were fled,The hall was dark without song... Continue Reading →
Internationally known dog-blogger, Juno, a six year-old Labradoodle, lives with her humans in Summerland in the BC interior. Meet Sesame (pictured above), a cherished former member of the Gray family household who left them years before my arrival. I am told that in those days, one returned home to two dogs and two cats, a... Continue Reading →
[Ken Gray] With many others I was shocked to learn of the termination of the position of National Animator for Youth Ministries a few days ago. While I fully support restructuring initiatives at the national, General Synod level, I am puzzled why the first position to go directly affects the welcoming and support of... Continue Reading →
It’s Carol Service at church this morning. Typically the 4th Sunday of Advent focuses specially on Mary, the “Mary of the Annunciation.” Church today will pay homage mostly to “Mary of the Nativity,” including her pondering of what happened on Christmas Day and afterward. In this space today, I return to Mary of the Annunciation,... Continue Reading →
“Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered” HEATHER COX RICHARDSON - December 18, 2025 NOTE: Exclusive language retained “These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and... Continue Reading →
From SALT, an Emmy Award winning, not-for-profit production company dedicated to the craft of visual storytelling. The article below was first published here. There can be a gauzy, candlelit coziness to Christmas Eve and Day — and that’s all well and good, as far as it goes. Coziness in the midst of December is a fine... Continue Reading →
The politics of humiliation and the God who listened to Mary Many thanks to Betty-Ann Xenis for this suggestion. Derek Penwell on Substack - Dec 12, 2025 Mary asked, “How can this be?” but heaven didn’t call her nasty. Quiet, piggy. Ugly inside and out. Stupid and nasty. Can you hear the beat? Say the... Continue Reading →
Take Note - Reflections on life, music, politics, retirement and more by Ken Gray 