Image from Summerland Dog Owners Association and Castanet Juno is a popular dog blogger who has been active in local community campaigning around dog rights, privileges, and pleasantries. Summer is here at last, so it’s time to head to the beach and to the dog park. For various reasons it’s been a long time coming... Continue Reading →
STORMY WEATHER — A rough weather memoir
A sermon for the congregation of St. Stephen, SummerlandSunday, June 23, 2024The Very Rev Ken Gray Once the decision was made, that Kathie and I would move to Summerland for me to take up the post of Rector of St. Stephen’s in 1994 we came up a few weeks prior to moving in order to... Continue Reading →
What’s in the Murse
First, let’s get a few things out of the way. A “murse” is a man’s purse. Typically (no woke welcome here) women carry a purse and men, a murse. Years ago in response to my frustration at constantly losing my personal belongings Kathie gave me a murse, a carry-all of a size somewhere between a... Continue Reading →
International Albinism Awareness Day, June 13th 2024 – a very personal story
Welcome friends once again to International Albinism Awareness Day. As a person who lives the albino life since birth, I continue to support the work of Under the Same Sun, a Canada-based charity with albino leadership that supports albinos living at risk or who require assistance in meeting their life goals in Southern Africa, especially... Continue Reading →
Happy Birthday Richard Howard — A lesson in forgiveness
Today is Provost Richard Howard's birthday (born 12 June 1884). Provost Richard Howard, led the ministry at Coventry Cathedral (UK) during WW2, and during the Coventry Blitz was one of four firefighters who went on the roof to try save the cathedral. The very next day, he stood in the ruins, still smouldering, and said... Continue Reading →
Queer
It’s a word I use advisedly. As a cis-gender male it feels uncomfortable for me to use the word as I have only encountered it used pejoratively. Many in the Queer community welcome it with, yes, PRIDE. In conversation with a couple of clergy colleagues recently, I asked if we had read any Queer theology.... Continue Reading →
Finally something truly important to write about
In Finland they are called ostoskori. In New Zealand they are called trundlers. Here in Canada the shopping cart or grocery buggy rules the long and straight aisles of store parking lots. The ubiquitous emblem of homeless persons, who carry jaw-dropping heaps of life possessions along city streets, grocery store shopping carts allow shoppers to... Continue Reading →
Beacons of hope in a time of climate crisis
From an interview with Vatican News and the World Council of Churches In light of the recent data from Copernicus, the European Union's climate monitoring service, the video statement below from the World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev Prof Dr Jerry Pillay (World Environment Day, 5 June, 2024) is timely and concerning. In... Continue Reading →
Juno’s bad hair day
Another reflection from Juno, Summerland’s 4 year-old Labradoodle blogger. Help me, please; I am having a bad hair day. In fact for the last week or so it has become evident to me and my MaPaw that I need grooming. The problem is that my former groomer has moved away. Despite MaPaw’s best efforts, a... Continue Reading →
THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT
A sermon for the Second Sunday of Pentecost SeasonSunday, June 2, 2024 St. Saviour Church, Penticton BCThe Very Rev. Ken Gray [Singing]1 Hushed was the evening hymn,the temple courts were dark;the lamp was burning dimbefore the sacred ark;when suddenly a Voice Divinerang through the silence of the shrine. [Spoken]2 The old man, meek and mild,the... Continue Reading →