Spiritual Life
A6
Thursday, April 28, 2022
SPIRITUAL LIFE HIGHLIGHTS
Service of Morning Prayer
held May 1
LA GRANDE — St. Peter’s
Episcopal Church will meet
for Morning Prayer at 10 a.m.
Sunday, May 1, followed by
fellowship time. This week’s
Gospel reading comes from John
21:1-19. Masks and social dis-
tancing are required.
SUBMISSIONS
Churches and faith-based groups are
encouraged to submit Highlights for the
Spiritual Life page by noon Tuesday for
publication Thursday. Submit by email
to news@lagrandeobserver.com (with
Highlights in the subject line).
Weekly lesson focuses on
off erings and forgiveness
Study of Lord’s Prayer
continues
ENTERPRISE — The Enter-
prise Community Congrega-
tional Church continues its series
studying the Lord’s Prayer. Rev.
Dr. Craig Pesti-Strobel will
use scripture from Matthew to
look in depth at the prayer Jesus
taught his disciples, so that we
may truly understand what Jesus
was teaching. The “big, brown
church” off ers Bible study at
9:30 a.m. and worship at 11 a.m.
NORTHEASTERN OREGON
— May 1 is Fast Sunday for
members of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Members are encouraged to
fast for two meals and to donate
the value of those meals to sup-
port the less fortunate. Mem-
bers are also encouraged to share
personal testimonies with one
another during the Sacrament
Service and/or in their homes or
other meetings. Sunday school
classes will be held the second
hour of services.
The “Come, Follow Me”
lesson for the week of May 2
is based on Exodus 35-40 and
Leviticus 1,16 and 19 with a
focus on how the Lord wants us
to make off erings with a willing
heart and how we can be for-
given of our sins through the
atonement of Jesus Christ.
First Sunday potluck
follows worship
LA GRANDE — The sermon
at Faith Lutheran Church’s
10 a.m. service on Sunday, May
1, will expound on Jesus Christ
showing himself to people in his
resurrected body. John 21 says,
“Jesus revealed Himself again to
the disciples by the Sea of Tibe-
rias” (verse 1). The disciples
were doing what was the profes-
sion of some of them previously
Do you have a Mary
Magdalene in your life?
DANNY
TYREE
OTHER VIEWS
f you could be the pro-
verbial “fl y on the
wall,” what biblical
event would you most like
to witness?
I realize some of you
don’t accept the Bible in
the fi rst place. But if you
do believe it, what scene
would you love to see
unfold before your eyes?
I imagine most people
would go the Cecil B.
DeMille route. They would
choose something spec-
tacular, such as the Isra-
elites passing through the
Red Sea, Noah’s ark riding
out the Flood or Daniel
remaining faithful in the
lions’ den.
Me? I would love to
see the early-morning
encounter between Jesus
Christ and Mary Mag-
dalene on Resurrection
Sunday.
I can think of lots of
words to describe the
mood of Mary Magdalene
and the other friends/fol-
lowers of Jesus immedi-
ately following his arrest,
mock trial and crucifi xion:
blindsided, dejected, disil-
lusioned, heartbroken, anx-
ious, fearful, rudderless.
Two days after the cru-
cifi xion, when Mary Mag-
dalene discovered the
empty tomb, it was not yet
the symbol of hope that
has inspired millions of
Easter sermons throughout
I
the centuries. The rock
rolled away from the tomb
left her confused and dis-
traught. She implored
the man whom she mis-
took for the gardener to
tell her where her beloved
teacher’s body had been
relocated.
The “gardener” — in an
action reminiscent of the
Almighty God speaking
to the prophet Elijah in
a “still small voice” —
needed to utter only one
word: “Mary.”
Lost pets may wander
home after 10 years. Loved
ones feared drowned at
sea may fi nd refuge on
a remote island before
achieving contact with civ-
ilization. But has there
ever been such a transcen-
dent moment in human his-
tory as the “late” Jesus of
Nazareth revealing himself
to one of his inner circle?
Suddenly, Mary Magda-
lene’s earlier negative emo-
tions gave way to relief,
elation, comfort, joy and
unprecedented zeal.
Is there a Mary Mag-
dalene in your life —
someone who needs a little
unexpected reassurance
and inspiration?
Perhaps there is a
friend, relative or business
partner whom you haven’t
spoken to in years because
of some long-forgotten dis-
agreement. True, some
relationships are beyond
repair, but you never know
the emotional impact of
an olive branch until you
try. You may fi nd yourself
lifting a dark cloud and
making up for lost time.
Are your children or
grandchildren enablers
of bullies? Instead of let-
ting them cheer the bul-
lies or give tacit approval
of the bullies, nudge them
to show support for the
underdog. Encourage them
to defend the new kid in
town, the weird kid. It
could be life-changing for
an entire classroom.
Are there shut-ins on
your street (or in the local
nursing home) who face
long, dreary days because
of physical impairment
and the fact that their chil-
dren live thousands of
miles away? Drop in for
a chat. Off er to do some
chores. Let them know
they matter.
Human beings do not
have to be rudderless,
purposeless and hope-
less. They do not have to
live lives of quiet desper-
ation — if someone cares
enough to give them a
sense of self-worth and
brighter tomorrows.
Whether you embrace
the Gospel or consider it a
fairy tale, the possibilities
for uplifting, “out-of-the-
blue” attitude adjustments
are endless.
Whether you cherish
the cross of Calvary or not,
you can still be the cav-
alry riding to the rescue of
fellow humans who have
given up hope.
█
Danny Tyree welcomes email
responses at tyreetyrades@aol.
com and visits to his “Tyree’s
Tyrades” Facebook page.
The most valuable and respected
source of local news, advertising and
information for our communities.
— fi shing, “but that night they
caught nothing” (verse 3). Jesus
provided some direction on how
to fi sh and they caught a large
quantity. Jesus then invited them
to eat food he had prepared. Jesus
continues to give humankind
direction on how to do things and
invites us to be with him.
Following the Divine Service
will be the monthly First Sunday
potluck, Junior Confi rmation
class and a meeting of the elders.
Service includes baptism,
reception of new members
and Communion
LA GRANDE — Zion
Lutheran Church meets for wor-
ship on Sunday, May 1, at 9 a.m.
The sermon is titled “What
Next?” and is based on the
Gospel of John 21:1-19. The ser-
vice will include a baptism and
reception of new members as well
as Holy Communion. Fellowship
time will follow the service.
The service will be streamed
live to YouTube, and the link for
that stream will be posted on
Zion’s Facebook page and web-
site on April 30.
How do you experience
spirituality?
LA GRANDE — The
Observer welcomes thoughts
and comments from community
members on spiritual matters. If
you would like to share how you
experience spirituality, email
lkelly@lagrandeobserver.com
or leave a message at 541-624-
6019. Ongoing monthly columns
and one-time submissions will be
considered. Columns are gener-
ally 500-600 words and include a
photo of the writer.
—The Observer
WORDS OF THE BUDDHA
Good are friends when need arises; good is contentment with just what one has;
good is merit when life is at an end, and good is the abandoning of all suff ering.
—Dhammapada 23.331
With good will for the entire cosmos, cultivate a limitless heart: Above, below and
all around, unobstructed, without hostility or hate.
—Sutta Nipata 1.150
The friend who is a helpmate, the friend in happiness and woe, the friend who gives
good counsel, the friend who sympathizes too — these four as friends the wise behold
and cherish them devotedly as does a mother her own child.
—Digha Nikaya 3.265
Easy to do are things that are bad and harmful to oneself. But exceedingly diffi cult
to do are things that are good and benefi cial.
—Dhammapada 12.163
No mother nor father nor any other kin can do greater good for oneself than a mind
directed well.
—Dhammapada 3.43
One should fi rst establish oneself in what is proper and only then try to instruct
others. Doing this, the wise one will not be criticized.
—Dhammapada 12.158
— Source: www.pariyatti.org
2022
I
Northeast Oregon
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Northeast Oregon Directory of Churches
Cove United
Methodist Church
1708 Jasper St., Cove, OR
North Powder
United
Methodist Church
390 E. St., North Powder, OR
JOIN US... Catch the Spirit!
Worship: 9:00 a.m. Cove
Worship: 10:00 a.m. N. Powder
SUMMERVILLE
BAPTIST CHURCH
Sunday Services:
Sunday School & Adult Bible Classes
9:45AM
Children’s Church & Worship Service
11:00AM
Family Worship Service
6:00PM
Wednesday:
Prayer Mtg, Children’s Bible Club, Youth
Group 7:00PM
A church for your whole family
Visit us at summervillebaptistchurch.org
First Christian
Church
(Disciples of Christ)
GRACE COMMUNITY
LUTHERAN CHURCH
The Place
901 Penn Avenue 963-2623 62848 Philynda Loop in Island City
lgdisciples@gmail.com
“We are called to Serve”
Bible Study
Sunday School for all ages - 9:00 am
9:00 a.m.
Sunday Worship 10:00 am
Worship
Phone: 541-568-4230
10:30 a.m.
grace.lutherancove@gmail.com
~Join us at The Lord’s Table~
Sunday Services
9:00 a.m.
10:00 a.m.
Sunday School
Worship Service
A Place where hope is found in Jesus
Join us in Fellowship & Worship
Saturday all age classes 9:30 am
Saturday Worship 11:00 am
1612 4th Street – 963-2498
www.lagrandeumc.org
www.imblercc@gmail.com
Adventist Church
“OPEN HEARTS, OPEN MINDS, OPEN DOORS”
For service information go to
440 Ruckman, Imbler 534-2201
La Grande Seventh-day
LA GRANDE UNITED
METHODIST CHURCH
Pastor Taylor Gould
Imbler
Christian
Church
2702 Adams Avenue, La Grande
963-4018
109 18th Street • 963-3402
Sunday School 9:15 a.m.
Sunday Worship 10:30 a.m.
lagrandeor.adventistchurch.org
Learning for Today and Eternity
Little Friends
Christian Preschool/Childcare 963-6390
La Grande Adventist Christian School
K-8th Grade 963-6203
FIRST LANDMARK
MISSIONARY BAPTIST
CHURCH
1812 1st St. La Grande
Pastor Dave Tierce • 541-605-0215
We use the King James Version Bible
Sunday School - 10:00 am
Worship 11:00 am
Sunday Evening Bible Study - 3:00 pm (Effective June 10)
Wednesday Evening - 6:30 pm
“Where you can find TRUTH according to the scriptures”
www.flmbclagrande.com
Services
This
Week