Opinion Archives - Faith Tides

Welcoming everyone to the table

Anna Greenwood-Lee — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 00:11:37 +0000

Perhaps this is an inappropriate topic for Lent, a season of fasting, but as bishop I am pleased to see that many of our parishes have recently or will soon undertake kitchen renovations. In the past few years, St. Mary Magdalene, Mayne Island and the Parish of Salt Spring Islands have both significantly upgraded their […]

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The stories we tell ourselves

Lisa Alexander — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 00:04:36 +0000

I have a vivid imagination and one of the things I do to entertain myself when I’m waiting is make up stories about people using clues from what they are wearing, their body language, how they are interacting with those around them and whatever else my imagination can grab hold of. These harmless stories entertain […]

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How a Salt Spring Island experiment recovered Christian contemplation

Nicholas Fournie — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 00:02:32 +0000

This article originally appeared in the Anglican Journal and is republished here with the permission of the Journal and the author. When the parish of All Saints by the Sea consecrated its new church in 1994, it did something unusual: it placed meditation and silent prayer at the very centre of the celebration. That choice, […]

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The proper order of things

Anna Greenwood-Lee — Thu, 05 Feb 2026 17:15:14 +0000

On Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, at an evening prayer service at the cathedral, Jenny Replogle was collated as executive archdeacon. “Collating” is a very funny word that most of us associate with photocopying. It means to put things in their proper order. As part of the service, we sang “The Canticle of The Turning,” a […]

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Getting curious when conflicts arise at parish AGMs

Lisa Alexander — Thu, 05 Feb 2026 17:12:29 +0000

It’s the season of spring buds, early cherry blossoms, new daffodils, longer days and …. parish vestry meetings. Depending on your personal preferences, some of these things might be more exciting than others. I know we all love a good meeting but if you’re anticipating a slightly bumpy ride at your parish AGM, read on. […]

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Walking home by another road

Anna Greenwood-Lee — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 20:20:36 +0000

Dr. Gordon Smith was one of the speakers at our incredible 2025 We Together conference. He shared a story of how when he retired from his role as the president of a university, a mentor gave him succinct and wise advice: “No accumulated grievances.” As someone whose daily prayers include “forgive us our trespasses as we […]

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Learning to be curious

Lisa Alexander — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 20:19:06 +0000

Recently, Jo, one of my neighbours stopped me in the parking lot. “Do you hear the hammering every evening around 6 p.m. from Rick’s apartment?” (Rick is my downstairs neighbour and her upstairs neighbour.) When I told her I didn’t hear any regular hammering, she went on: “Every. Single. Evening! It’s so loud! It’s been […]

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The church and the culture of addiction

John J. Thatamanil — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 20:16:08 +0000

Facebook knows me (almost) better than God knows me In capitalism’s latest phase, we are the products being bought and sold. If we think we are getting something for free — Facebook, for example — then we’ve been had. Our attention has been hijacked and monetized. We offer invaluable assistance to marketers by informing them […]

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Responding to the rising tide of homelessness in our communities

Anna Greenwood-Lee — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 22:28:51 +0000

In Montreal in October, I had the privilege of participating in and being on a panel at the national conference of the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness. Over 2,300 people participated in this conference and it was fascinating to see the breadth and depth of experience and knowledge among people working to turn the tide […]

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Love must come before believing

John J. Thatamanil — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 22:14:45 +0000

In a recent conversation with a young first-time attendee at church, I attempted to establish common ground for a vital conversation by referring to the parable of the prodigal son, surely one of the best-known Bible stories: “Remember how Jesus tells the story of the young man who squandered his inheritance on prostitutes and lived with […]

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