A sermon for the congregation of St. Stephen, SummerlandSunday, July 12, 2026 -- The Very Rev. Ken Gray Thou visitest the earth, and blessest it:thou makest it very plenteousThou crownest the year with thy goodness:and thy clouds drop fatness-- Anthem by Maurice Greene (1696-1755) I used to sing this anthem by Maurice Greene as a... Continue Reading →
When Trees Receive Rights โ What Can Churches Learn?
By Prof. Dr. Mathew Koshy Punnackadu, Kerala, India This post is edited for length. The full post with additional context is here A centuries-old assumption was dramatically challenged on 9 June 2026, when the municipal council of Terrasse-Vaudreuil, a small town west of Montreal in Quebec, Canada, unanimously adopted a resolution endorsing the Universal... Continue Reading →
Remembering Tom
The Honourable Tom Siddon, PC (1941โ2026) โ Obituary on Castanet [First, from Tomโs family] It is with heavy hearts, but with heads full of happy memories and passed down knowledge, that we must announce the passing of The Honourable Thomas Edward Siddon, P.C., on June 28, 2026. Tom was surrounded by family when he peacefully... Continue Reading →
Thanks Moravians – So much Good News here
The Rev. John Jackman, a man with a white beard and hair, and a boy of about 9 in a Scout uniform are shown at the altar of a church, with colorful confetti floating around them. Heard on US National Public Radio, June 28, 2026Noam Levey for KFF Health News WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. โ Some issues,... Continue Reading →
Grace: Beauty out of ugly things
A sermon for the congregation of St. Saviour, Penticton, Sunday, July 5th, 2026 by the Very Rev. Ken Gray Did you know that the Bible was written for the benefit of psychotherapists? Probably not; but given St. Paulโs confessional language in Romans chapter 7 such a case can be made. For example: I do not... Continue Reading →
Ecojustice Pilgrimage โ An invitation to pilgrims
The third in a series of Pilgrimages sponsored by the Ecclesiastical Province of BC/Yukon in collaboration with the Parish of Kokanee in the Anglican Diocese of Kootenay From September 14th to 18th 2026 St. Markโs in Kaslo will host a week-long gathering of pilgrims from across the province for prayer and worship, shared meals, fellowship,... Continue Reading →
Where do I fit around here? โ An Anglican clergy retirement experience
A retired bishop told me recently that โwhen you retire, the church forgets you.โ While blunt, I think they may have a point. Writing in UK Church Times: โRetirement: The Church of England depends on retired clergy, 19 June 2026, Bishop Colin Fletcher argues that โmuch more needs to be done to nurture clergy retirees.โ... Continue Reading →
Finally, PRIDE in Summerland
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 →
Students and academic institutions in the occupied West Bank targeted — Let us pray with Sabeel
From the Sabeel online newsletter Confrontations between Israel and Hezbollah continue despite the U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement, with Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon killing so far 3,613 people, including UNIFIL peacekeepers, and injuring 11,072 others. The violence has expanded regionally, with Iran and Yemen launching missiles toward Israel and Israel responding with strikes on Iran. God... Continue Reading →
Hey Canada! Just say NO to U.S. threats against Cuba
by Jim Hodgson at Unwrapping Development โThe U.S. government is going crazy with its shameful war on Cuba,โ writes Medea Benjamin of CodePink. โEvery week, thereโs a new sanction, a new restriction, a new way to punish the Cuban people.โ She goes on to describe measures directed against U.S. travellers and solidarity groups. Here, I want to... Continue Reading →