A Memory from Jim Palmer on Facebook About eighteen years ago a young woman named Rachel Held Evans contacted me because she was beginning to see Christianity differently and wanted to write about it. She sent me her manuscript, and we worked on her book together. She published four books in total. I got to... Continue Reading →
Leadership
A reflection by the Revโd Jon Swales [Extracts] Every church has leaders.Every church has a culture.Even if nobody names it,something is shapingthe life of that community. Culture is the feel of a place. Itโs how people are treated when nobody is watching. Itโs what gets celebrated, what gets ignored, who gets heard, and who slowly... Continue Reading →
Another well deserved prize for Maggie Helwig and her homeless community โ Encampment: Resistance, Grace, and an Unhoused Community
A video of her acceptance speech at the Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing is here A transcript is below. (Check against delivery.) [Maggie Helwig] This is not my book. This book belongs to a community. I am cognizant that I am in the kind of room which I am not in very often, and... Continue Reading →
Seeds of peaceful possibility
A sermon for the congregation of St. Saviour, Penticton, the Fifth Sunday of Easter, Sunday, May 3rd, 2026, by the Very Rev. Ken Gray JOHN 14:1-14 A few weeks ago, on the 5th Sunday in Lent, I preached on the text from Johnโs Gospel: โI am the resurrection and the life.โ At the time I... Continue Reading →
Finally, someone now says what I have been thinking
Calvin Sandborn Apr 25, 2026 Victoria Times Colonist - Thanks M for the suggestion A commentary by an Anglican, retired law professor, Kingโs Counsel and author of Becoming the Kind Father, a book about men and anger. He lives in Brentwood Bay near Victoria, BC โOpen the Fโ-nโ Strait, you crazy bastards, or youโll be... Continue Reading →
โIf we stay silent, no one will hear usโ Palestinian creative non-violent resistance
Reposted from Aljazeera [Introduction by Sylvia Keesmaat] โThis is what creative non-violent resistance looks like: Holding a Freedom school in the face of barbed wire and the hovering threat of violence. One thing that the increasingly tyranny and violence around the world has demonstrated is that those without power know how to band together and... Continue Reading →
Jazz Vespers, again, this Sunday May 3, 2026
Once again, another Jazz Vespers service looms large. Information is on the poster, but allow me to add: Justin Glibbery on pianoStefan Bienz on bassLoni Moger on guitarEric Manuel on drums The announced theme is Joyspring, (I don't expect this to be played as we don't have a trumpeter on this gig), but you never... Continue Reading →
Closing Churches: A response to Mattheew Larkin
Following from my posting of a sermon by Sam Rose, the Anglican Bishop of Central Newfoundland, the very distinguished, brilliant, and thoughtful music Matthew Larkin left a good comment. My response is below: Thanks for your thoughts, Matthew. Allow me to broaden the context somewhat. I am not sure that church leaders celebrate the loss... Continue Reading →
How to close a church well — A sermon
Sermon Notes at the Closing of St.Andrews Trinity East from the Right Rev. John Watton, Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Central Newfoundland My friends, Iโll be honest. Throughout the three dioceses in Newfoundland and across the country, we will face increased Church closings. Itโs hard to talk about, let alone live through it. When... Continue Reading →
Violence begets violence — Some leaders have not learned this yet
Ed Cyzewski Apr 17, 2026 on Substack - With thanks to Norma Hill for the nudge There are a lot of different ways to live your life as a person and to exist as a society. For better or worse, in America, we tend to โliveโ by the economy and market. There are a lot... Continue Reading →