Another in our series “Life in our little Town of Summerland” The rumours are true; the Summerland Chamber of Commerce has put up its roadside information centre for sale. Located on Highway 97 at Thompson Road the site has outlived its usefulness. For many decades, alert and weary travelers would stop in for maps and... Continue Reading →
I missed preaching on Ephesians chapter 6, and that’s a shame
I return to these words often: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of... Continue Reading →
Hilltop Paradise — An August afternoon at Summerland Ornamental Gardens
It was a warm and lovely, late-August afternoon when I asked Kathie to drop me off at the Summerland Ornamental Gardens to photograph flowers. I visit the gardens several times each year and find ample subject material through all seasons. Readers of this blog will already know how I love photographing flowers in all their... Continue Reading →
Salsa Garden 2024 – A Summerland tradition is born
With thanks to Jan Carlson I am pleased to share yet another inventive, practical, and ecosocial initiative developed in our little Town of Summerland. Good people, doing good things, for good reasons, with good and great outcomes for each other, for our community and for creation. Jan writes: The idea was to create a sharing... Continue Reading →
Pant suit politics — Thoughts on campaign fashion
Writing in today’s New York Times e-letter Vanessa Friedman gets to the heart of what has been for me, a nagging question. Why does Kamala Harris always appear in pantsuits? Why is Tim Walz suited in rather uninteresting somewhat old-guy clothing? (He is only one year older than Harris but looks older.) In this presidential... Continue Reading →
Campaign life 73 days out
More memes. They speak for themselves. And Socrates enters the fray, and rightly so. Was he a loser? Not. Our banner image today references Robert Kennedy Jr's campaign abandonment and defection to the Trump Camp. Weird just got weirder. AND NOW, some musical encouragement and entertainment. If the youth vote gets out (GOTV) things could... Continue Reading →
Agonizing Anglicans
With other mainline Christian denominations the Anglican Church of Canada increasingly struggles to maintain ministry especially in rural settings though also in some urban centres. Simple truth: Fewer people invest energy and money in parish churches now, saving their financial commitments for special projects or secular organizations like the Sierra Club or Doctors Without Borders... Continue Reading →
Voices from Israel — Mosaic, or Monolith?
My publication of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s recent advisory statement on the need for Israel to heed the decision of the International Criminal Court drew some very helpful thoughts from a longtime and trusted friend, Lance Weisser. Archbishop Justin Welby says the State of Israel has been “denying the Palestinian people dignity, freedom and hope”... Continue Reading →
Tevye’s dilemma
Sunday, August 18th, 2024A sermon for the congregation of St. Stephen Summerland Anglican ChurchThe Very Rev. Ken Gray Remembering the late, great, Canadian Norman Jewison, who produced the 1971 film based on the earlier Broadway musical Fiddler on the Roof, let’s sing Tevye’s song: [TEVYE, spoken]Oh dear Lord, you made many, many poor people. I... Continue Reading →
There will never be another Vera
From a mystery viewer posting on Facebook: Can anyone suggest alternate series to watch? I know there’ll never be another Vera; but I hope there’ll be other series similar (or someone can recommend likewise) which feature a witty, central protagonist like her. Personally, I always thought it’d be interesting to see another series based on... Continue Reading →