Ken Gray

Who’s on first? “Knock knock,” someone calls from outside my office door. “Who’s there?” I laugh.. “Actually, Minister, it’s not a joke, sadly. It’s Marie here. May I come in?” Marie oversees our little community …

Death disorganized? Another "Story from Somewhere" take-note.ca/2026/03/02/w... #writing #shortstory #smalltown #cemetery

Drinking from our own well: How a Salt Spring Island experiment recovered Christian contemplation Published February 23, 2026 by By Nicholas Fournie in the Anglican Journal When the parish of All Saints by the Sea consecrated its new church in 1994, it did something unusual: it placed meditatio…

The start of something very special, and enduring take-note.ca/2026/03/01/d... #contemplative #prayer #contemplativesociety #saltspringisland #cynthiabourgeault

Building for a new future – A New House for UVIC Indigenous Law I so enjoyed walking the corridors and some of the public spaces of the UVIC law building a few days ago. I was interested in the Indigenous program space, in part as a family member is a recent gr…

More amazing architecture - UVIC Indigeous law building take-note.ca/2026/02/28/b... #architecture #UVIC #Indigenous #law #reconciliation

Music selection and the Wilderness of Love [Ken Gray] So here’s a lovely reflection on worship music selection presented in the context of the Gospel reading for the First Sunday of Lent: Jesus in the Wilderness. As one who have lived and w…

To the leader of music, who sometimes need to deal with their own control issues take-note.ca/2026/02/26/m...

An Urgent Action Request regarding Cuba by Jim Hodgson, Unwrapping Development Canada must condemn the ongoing U.S. embargo against Cuba, say two coalitions of Canadian non-governmental organizations (including churches, trade unions, ai…

Please support Cubans through this petition to the parliament of Canada take-note.ca/2026/02/25/a... #cuba #petition

“Together we can do much better. Let UNDRIP do its job” Six years ago BC led the world in addressing harms to First Nations. Why put that progress at risk? Judith Sayers in The Tyee – Judith Sayers, Cloy-e-iis, is from the Hupacasath First Nation …

A challenge to BC MLAs from Judith Sayers take-note.ca/2026/02/24/t... #judithsayers #UNDRIP #britishcolumbia

If in doubt, make a plan Another chapter in the series Stories from Somewhere, fictional reflections of an unidentified place at an unknown time. Other chapters are listed here. Our paths have not crossed for a couple of w…

The plot thickens - Another "Story from somewhere" take-note.ca/2026/02/23/i... My fictional improvisations on a former life continue to unfold.

Traditional Religion meets evolving contemporary needs Originally published as “Christianity isn’t just in decline — it’s become obsolete, says sociologist — The problem isn’t simply about belief. ‘[Traditional religion] doesn’t fit ordinary life…

Read this before you attend, or don't attend, church this morning. take-note.ca/2026/02/22/t... #church #obselete #christiansmith #broadview

Empathy or Cruelty? — The choice is yours — J B Pritzger, Governor of Illinois Previously published on Substack by Heather Cox Richardson on Feb 18, 2026 Long, but worth a careful read “I’ve been thinking a lot lately about love—about loving people and loving your country and…

Thank You J B Pritzker fro reminding us of the value and benefits of love take-note.ca/2026/02/21/e... #jbpritzker #illinois #governor #love

Lenten discipline — Pope Leo XIV on Lent [Pope Leo XIV] I would like to invite you to a very practical and frequently unappreciated form of abstinence: that of refraining from words that offend and hurt our neighbour. Let us begin by disa…

Leo XIV My kind of pope take-note.ca/2026/02/20/l... #lent #discipline #popeleoXIV

Tailpipe standards, Trump, and your next vehicle By Marianne Lavelle, Dan Gearino – February 13, 2026 – This article originally appeared on Inside Climate News, a nonprofit, non-partisan news organization that covers climate, energy a…

Cough, cough take-note.ca/2026/02/18/t... #climate #denial #epa

Virginia Theological Seminary awards Stephen Colbert, Evelyn McGee-Colbert Dean’s Cross for Servant Leadership Virginia Theological Seminary awarded the Dean’s Cross for Servant Leadership to comedian Stephen Colbert and his wife, film producer Evelyn McGee-Colbert, on Feb. 6 at General Theological Seminary…

Congratulations to the Colberts take-note.ca/2026/02/17/v... @virginiatheologicalseminary @stephencolbert @award

Waxing elegant What to do with leftover stubs from altar candles? While some churches have abandoned beeswax or other real wax candles, some parishes continue to use them in worship. They look and smell lovely; b…

Stubbing for Peace take-note.ca/2026/02/15/w... #anglican #candles #recycling

On the very edge of Lent mailchi.mp/cfc60f6ace8b... #lent #anglicancommunion #creation #ACEN

A Winter’s Tale, NOT Juno, 2022, Kamloops BC Six year old Labradoodle, Juno, lives with her humans in Summerland in the BC Okanagan. This year they have had almost no winter at all. She is not impressed. See below. I a…

Winter, snow, Olympics, hills, tunnels, and baseball. Juno brings it all together for her Saturday blog take-note.ca/2026/02/14/a... #dog #blog #snow #recreation

Violence is always the act of an individual – Safety is always the work of everyone From Trans Army on Facebook Trans Army is building a supportive community for trans individuals, providing a safe and welcoming space to connect, share, and find support. Updated reporting confirms…

Let's all do our part in promoting kindness, empathy, and healing of our world take-note.ca/2026/02/13/v... #trans #tumblerridge

Love your neighbour — ICE out Josephine Walker on AXIOS Christian clergy are deploying spiritual infrastructure — from organizing prayer circles to acting as human shields — to resist the Trump administration’s immigratio…

Clergy (must?) take a stand take-note.ca/2026/02/12/l... #non-violence #resistance #iceout #clergy #humanrights #faith

Seeing the long arc of history — Heather Cox Richardson’s gift to us all From Facebook Every night, a history professor in Maine writes a newsletter explaining American politics. Over 2.6 million people read it daily. For many, her words feel like rescue from chaos. Mid…

The story of a storyteller - Heather Cox Richardson take-note.ca/2026/02/11/s... #heathercoxrichardson #history #historian #uspolitics #story #storyteller

Primate of Canadian Anglican Church writes to presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church (USA) Published on February 6, 2026 The Most Reverend Sean RowePresiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church Dear Bishop Sean and friends in Christ in The Episcopal Church, It has been heartbreaking for us, y…

From one primate to another, and from our church to yours take-note.ca/2026/02/10/p... #anglican #episcopalian #primate #courage

String music Another in the series: Stories from Somewhere, by Ken Gray “I will trust, I will trust, I will trust in him”—Stuart Townend Walking downhill towards the church on a crisp autumn evening, the retrea…

Another in my series "Stories from Somewhere" take-note.ca/2026/02/09/s... #smalltown #stories #fiction #writing #music #violin #antonindvorak

Prepare . . . Welcome . . . Greet: Discoveries, at the Vatican A sermon for the congregation of St. Saviour, Penticton, Sunday Feb 8, 2026 by the Very Rev. Ken Gray Writing in Vatican News Tiziana Campisi describes a most unusual Papal event: “An unusual Sunda…

Your Sunday sermon read take-note.ca/2026/02/08/p... #anglican #epiphany #popeleo14

No place for Residential School Denialism in our Church or our Community February 2026 To the People of the Diocese of New Westminster (and elsewhere in the Province of British Columbia) Grace and peace to you. In the Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Co…

Here we go again. As Murray Sinclair said, "education got us into the mess. Education will get us out." Tell the story, truthfully take-note.ca/2026/02/07/n... #denialism #residentialschool #anglican #Indigenous #justice

What Costco, Ikea, and Walmart can teach the church No questions asked This is what I hear when I return something to my local big box stores. For whatever reason the item I purchased does not work out for my needs or wants. I would like my money ba…

So you don't like the Sunday morning church service. Now you have options for your complaint. Your money back, no questions asked take-note.ca/2026/02/05/w... #church #christianity #shipoffools #bigboxstore #returnpolicy

Good hearts and troubled minds and sore feet  — More from Anne Lamott [Ken Gray] So here’s an idea. Let’s invite Anne Lamott up to Vancouver to visit with supportive and faithful Canadians. What a great event that would be. My secret agenda would be to welcome her he…

Can we convince Anne Lamott to move to Canada? Time will tell. take-note.ca/2026/02/04/g... #annelamott #writers #midterms

Songs in Season — Lady Gaga and Bruce Springsteen The music says it all. Enjoy, and please share. Visit the takenote.ca HOME page for a colourful display of hundreds of other blogs which may interest or inspire you

Time for some truly great music take-note.ca/2026/02/03/s... These are music to my ears, and hopefully also to yours. Thanks Bruce and Lady Gaga #protest #brucespringsteen #ladygaga #music #misterrogers #minneapolis

First date Love is blind? Or is it blue? —Anonymous proverb I want to make a good impression; to get our first date right. We had met in other ways — by happenstance, at church events, at choir practice, and …

Love is blind? Or blue? take-note.ca/2026/02/02/f... #fiction #shortstory #writing #smaltown #love #romance #food #restaurant

The deafening bells of justice A sermon for the congregation of St. Saviour Anglican Church, Penticton BC Sunday, February 1st, 2026 – Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany – The Very Rev. Ken Gray Based on MATTHEW 5:1-12…

Beatitudes on the streets of Minneapolis take-note.ca/2026/02/01/t... #anglican #sermon #beatitudes #jesuschrist #minneapolis #protest #justice

The true value of creation and the hidden cost of its destruction Michelle Cyca, The Narwhal — Via BC Assembly of First Nations [Michelle Cyca] “The latest power struggle over the future of the Canadian economy — a hypothetical new pipeline from Alberta to …

How much is creation worth? And what is the value in destroying it? take-note.ca/2026/01/31/t... #creation #value #destruction #thenarwahl #michellecyca

The man behind the music — A hymn reflection A few days late, but a great history from Matthew Larkin, with thanks And today, I’m thinking of this guy, who died 150 years ago this date (January 22). John Bacchus Dykes: priest, organist, compo…

Many thanks to Matthew Larkin - Concert Organist and Conductor for this post. take-note.ca/2026/01/30/t... #johndykes #music #hymns

Advice to ICE Maria J. Stephan speaks with Stephen Colbert about the role faith communities can play as communities across the country look to protect their neighbors from ICE On Facebook, or YouTube As one cath…

Non-violent resistance in a comedic setting -- Brilliant take-note.ca/2026/01/29/a... #mariaStephan #non-violence #resistance #ICE #minneapolis