Spiritual Life
A6
Thursday, May 5, 2022
SPIRITUAL LIFE HIGHLIGHTS
Worship includes tribute
to mothers
LA GRANDE — The La
Grande First Christian Church
(Disciples of Christ) will cel-
ebrate and honor mothers on
Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 8.
Pastor Archie Hook’s message,
“A Mother’s Love — Willing
to Let Go,” will be taken from
Exodus 2:1-4. All women will
be gifted with a fl ower, and a
tribute to mothers will be read
during worship.
Teaching focuses on the
Lord’s Prayer
ENTERPRISE — The Enter-
prise Community Congrega-
tional Church on Sunday, May
8, off ers Bible study at 9:30 a.m.
and worship at 11 a.m. This
week the focus will be on Mat-
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).
thew 6:9-13, as the congregation
continues its series studying
the Lord’s Prayer. Rev. Dr.
Craig Pesti-Strobel is taking
an in-depth look at the prayer
that Jesus taught his disciples,
focusing this week on the line
“who art in Heaven.”
Wards will plan individual
Mother’s Day activities
NORTHEASTERN
OREGON — On Sunday, May 8,
mothers will be honored and cel-
ebrated during worship services
of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints, with wards
planning their own individual
activities, which may include
the primary children singing the
intermediate hymn. Members
of the congregation will speak
during Sacrament Service, fol-
lowed by Relief Society, Priest-
hood and youth groups during
the second hour.
The “Come, Follow Me”
lesson for the week of May 9
is based on Numbers 11-14 and
20-24, which covers a time when
the children of Israel are pre-
paring to enter the promised land
and the Lord continues to teach
them to follow his chosen ser-
vants and to trust in him, even in
the most diffi cult times.
Study of John begins this
week after worship
LA GRANDE — A Moth-
er’s Day Morning Prayer service
begins at 10 a.m. at St. Peter’s
Episcopal Church, followed by a
time of fellowship. A study of the
Book of John begins this week
after worship, and the “Mostly
Social Book Club” will meet at
6 p.m. Sunday in the church hall.
Those who attend are asked to
bring a dish to share.
Services held in Union and
Wallowa counties
NORTHEASTERN
OREGON — On Sunday, May
8, Faith Lutheran Church will
hold a worship service at 10 a.m.
in La Grande and at 2 p.m. in
Enterprise. The sermon at both
services will be based on John
10:22-30, which immediately fol-
lows Jesus explaining that he is
the Good Shepherd. In verse 27
Jesus assures us: “My sheep hear
My voice, and I know them, and
they follow Me.”
Message is titled
‘Being Still’
LA GRANDE — Zion
Lutheran Church meets for
worship on Sunday, May 8,
at 9 a.m. The sermon, “Being
Still,” is based on Psalm 23 and
John 10:22-30. The service will
include Holy Communion, and
fellowship time will follow. The
service will be streamed live to
YouTube, and the link will be
posted on Zion’s Facebook page
and website on May 7.
— The Observer
Celebrate yourself on Mother’s Day
WORDS OF THE BUDDHA
With all one’s attachments cut, with the heart’s pining
subdued, calm and serene and happy is one, for one
has attained peace of mind.
— Samyutta Nikaya 1.242
ROBERTA
SMYTHE
WALKING WITH
THE SHEPHERD
One who, while oneself seeking happiness, does not
oppress with violence other beings who also desire
happiness, will fi nd happiness hereafter.
— Dhammapada 10.132
his Sunday is Moth-
er’s Day. And with
it can come mixed
emotions.
Some, if not many, of
us have complex relation-
ships with our mothers.
Although I have come to
believe that my mother did
the best she could under the
circumstances, life with her
was far from perfect. There
were hurts and misunder-
standings on all sides, even
late in her life.
As my mom died rather
suddenly a few years ago,
there’s no longer any oppor-
tunity to talk with her about
these things. Those of you
whose mothers have died
may feel similarly. Others
who’ve lost their mothers
may feel that loss more
deeply this weekend due
to all the various Mother’s
Day events and promotions
T
Who is energetic and not indolent, in misfortune
unshaken, fl awless in manner and intelligent, such a
one to honor may attain.
— Digha Nikaya 3.273
Those to whom the Dhamma is clear are not led into
other doctrines; perfectly enlightened with perfect
knowledge, they walk evenly over the uneven.
— Samyutta Nikaya 1.8
Let one guard oneself against irritability in thought;
let one be controlled in mind. Abandoning mental
misconduct, let one practice good conduct in thought.
— Dhammapada 17.233
—www.pariyatti.org
going on all around them.
There may be others
who didn’t just have a com-
plex relationship with their
moms, but didn’t have a
relationship at all. Perhaps
they had a mom who was
absent, or sick, or an addict
or abusive.
There are also mothers
who’ve experienced loss
that can be intensifi ed this
weekend: the death of a
child, a miscarriage, or a
child who’s distanced them-
selves. Then there are also
those who wanted to be
mothers but were never able
to have a child.
In the midst of all the
joyous celebrations about
motherhood this weekend,
one also needs to be
mindful of those for whom
this weekend is painful, for
whatever reason.
Perhaps instead of just
celebrating mothers, grand-
mothers and those who
provide “motherly” care,
we should celebrate and
honor all women. Single
women, childless women,
daughters who may or may
not become mothers, the
woman who lives next door,
the women who walk by
your home every morning,
the waitress at your favorite
restaurant, etc.
After all, women come in
all types: physically, men-
tally, emotionally, intellec-
tually, and in their desire,
or lack thereof, for children.
Not every woman wants
to be a mom. Not every
woman wants to be mar-
ried or partnered. Neither of
those should make her lesser
in anyone’s eyes.
If you have a mom you
love (or someone who’s the
mother of your children),
of course you should call
her, send her a card, get her
a gift or take her out to eat
this weekend. If you don’t
have a mom like that, and
that causes you grief, allow
yourself to feel that grief.
It’s OK to not feel celebra-
tory this weekend. Alterna-
tively, consider taking your-
self to dinner, or getting
yourself a gift for being a
mother to yourself.
It’s OK to do what you
need to do to take care of
yourself, as well as taking
care of those around you.
█
Roberta Smythe is the
pastor of La Grande’s Zion
Lutheran Church.
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Celebration
43 N. 8th Elgin, OR 541-437-2054
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)
901 Penn Avenue 963-2623
lgdisciples@gmail.com
Bible Study
9:00 a.m.
Worship
10:30 a.m.
~Join us at The Lord’s Table~
Imbler
Christian
Church
www.imblercc@gmail.com
Sunday Services
9:00 a.m.
10:00 a.m.
Sunday School
Worship Service
Phone: 541-568-4230
grace.lutherancove@gmail.com
La Grande Seventh-day
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
Sunday School for all ages - 9:00 am
Sunday Worship 10:00 am
Adventist Church
“OPEN HEARTS, OPEN MINDS, OPEN DOORS”
For service information go to
The Place
62848 Philynda Loop in Island City
440 Ruckman, Imbler 534-2201 “We are called to Serve”
LA GRANDE UNITED
METHODIST CHURCH
Pastor Taylor Gould
GRACE COMMUNITY
LUTHERAN 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