Excellent thoughts from Bob Rae on substack - Jan 10, 2026 Dedicated to those who are continuing the fight against tyranny around the world, and those who have died in the struggle [Bob Rae] The French philosopher Blaise Pascal is famous for his sharp aphorisms. One of my favourites is this: “Justice without force is... Continue Reading →
Another in the series: Stories from Somewhere by me, Ken GrayAn index to other stories is here “God be with you.” “Oh Lord, not again. ‘God’ is so archaic. Surely ‘source of all being’ is better, more relevant, inclusive, and pleasing to the Divine.” “But you just said ‘Lord.’ There’s a problem there pal. Pate-ree-ark-al.”... Continue Reading →
A sermon for the congregation of St. Saviour, Penticton on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, Sunday, January 11, 2026 by the Very Rev. Ken Gray Let’s start with three questions. Last week we had the Three Kings; this week, Three Questions: 1) Since the new year, how many times have you written... Continue Reading →
Keith Lacey, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for the Penticton Herald [Keith Lacey] Several of the region’s most accomplished jazz musicians have once again teamed up to release a new recording featuring their favourite vocal jazz compositions. The Crawford/Crossley Group has been performing and recording together since 2015. At the heart of the ensemble’s work are... Continue Reading →
Thanks Victoria Laine for the Facebook post [Sylvia Olsen] Increasingly British Columbians are becoming inflamed about "the land issue." Meaning court cases involving First Nations land. Since before BC was established there was a "land issue." It has never been settled and it has never been forgotten. Not by First Nations people. Not by government.... Continue Reading →
Recently published in The Guardian [Ken Gray] Many of us organ students in the 1970s worked for Victoria BC Organ Builder, Hugo Spilker. Part of our duties involved visiting local churches with Hugo to hold console keys as he tuned the organ pipes in the loft. While some pipes are built of wood, a majority... Continue Reading →
Elizabeth White, from Facebook — Sen. Mark Kelly is responding after the Department of Defense initiated a formal retirement grade determination and issued a Letter of Censure to reduce his retired military rank and corresponding pension. The move came after Kelly publicly criticized the Trump administration. Here is Mark Kelly’s full statement, shared verbatim: (Senator... Continue Reading →
Center for Action and Contemplation faculty member Brian McLaren introduces the 2026 Daily Meditations theme: “Good News for a Fractured World” — Sunday, January 4, 2026 [Brian McLaren] Our world is deeply fractured. We see the symptoms all around us. We see it in politics. We see it in social media. We see it in... Continue Reading →
Another in a series of short personal fictional stories about a mystery church with a quirky minister in an unnamed community, though not in a galaxy far away. Enjoy. A face stares up at me from a large bowl of Bouillabaisse, a French seafood stew -- the version before me with a wonderful west coast... Continue Reading →
Photo credit: Michael Shapcott A sermon for the congregation of St. Stephen, Summerland, Epiphany 2025 – The Very Rev. Ken Gray Before one sets off on an Epiphany journey it’s important to know which star to follow. There must have been dozens of bright lights in the Middle Eastern sky, many visible to the ancient... Continue Reading →
Take Note - Reflections on life, music, politics, retirement and more by Ken Gray 