Spiritual Life
A6
Thursday, May 12, 2022
SPIRITUAL LIFE HIGHLIGHTS
Study series continues in-depth
look at the Lord’s Prayer
ENTERPRISE — The Enterprise Com-
munity Congregational Church offers Bible
study at 9:30 a.m. and worship at 11 a.m. on
Sundays. The message on May 15 continues
the study of the Lord’s Prayer, which Jesus
taught his disciples in Matthew 6:9-13. Rev.
Dr. Craig this week will talk about the line
“Hallowed be thy name.”
Council to discuss facility upgrades
LA GRANDE — On Sunday, May 15,
the sermon at Faith Lutheran Church’s
10 a.m. service will expound on John
16:12-22 in which Jesus assures his disciples
that the Holy Spirit will be sent to them. The
Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity
who verse 13 says is “the Spirit of truth”
who “will guide you into all the truth.” May
humankind continue to receive the Holy
Spirit’s guidance to live in everlasting truth.
Following the Divine Service will be the
monthly council meeting to deal with busi-
ness concerns. There will be a committee
established to consider upgrades on facilities.
Bible study follows coffee hour
LA GRANDE— St. Peter’s Epis-
copal Church will celebrate Communion
this Sunday, May 15, with Mary Lujan at
10 a.m. The coffee hour after the service
is followed by a study of John 1:1-18 in the
church library.
Worldwide devotional broadcast
addresses young adults May 15
NORTHEASTERN OREGON —
Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints congregations will speak
during Sacrament Service on Sunday, May
15, and Sunday school classes will be held
during the second hour.
Also on May 15, young adults ages
18-30 are invited to join a worldwide devo-
tional broadcast beginning at 5 p.m., led by
The war was on the train today
COLLIN
RYMER
OTHER VIEWS
By COLLIN RYMER
learned a very
important lesson in
humility recently and
am still shaken by the
experience. Perhaps this
was the closest, God forbid,
I’ll ever come to war. And
it wasn’t that close at all,
if I’m keeping things in
perspective.
However, the train car
full of people I shared
my trip back from Slo-
vakia with cannot, unfor-
tunately, say the same. As
I got on the train, after it
had arrived an hour late, I
grumbled my way down the
aisle, tired after a day and a
half of snowboarding and a
couple days of traveling.
I kicked my way around
a bunch of huge bags in
the aisle, towing my large
snowboard bag through,
still grumbling.
Then I came to my seat,
and someone was in it. I
told the woman sitting there
that she was in my seat. She
told me she had the same
reservation and showed me
her ticket. It was the same,
indeed.
I didn’t get upset with
her, it wasn’t her fault, of
course. Then, in the kindest
and sweetest way, she said,
“Well, with the Ukrainian
situation, they gave out a
lot of free tickets and had
to process a lot of people,
so they may have made
some mistakes with the
reservations.”
Then it hit me. All of
these annoying people who
had been blocking the way
and stealing seats were
Ukrainian refugees fleeing
a war. Their homeland was
on fire, under bombard-
ment, taken from them,
stolen by a madman, and
they were fleeing, leaving
everything behind.
I
She, Olya from Odessa,
had already been traveling
for four days, sleeping in
subway stations, in schools,
“whatever they could find”
as she’d told me; she was
poised to travel the rest
of the night and into the
morning when we parted.
So I took the empty seat
across from her, feeling
petty and pitiful, and we
talked.
The sadness in her eyes
I’ll never forget, as she told
me of the atrocities she’d
seen or stories she’d heard
through friends’ experi-
ences — like what we hear
about in the news every
day, but lived. At the same
time, I’ve never in my life
witnessed such persever-
ance, strength, spirit, pos-
itivity, and the relentless
will to carry on as I did
today. And it wasn’t just
her.
Olya had met a trav-
eling companion days ear-
lier down in a subway
where they’d slept. She was
a young woman of only
about 20 years old, likely
younger, traveling with her
elderly mother. They com-
forted each other along
the way, former strangers,
seemingly very different
people back home, now a
tight-knit family on a train.
I asked what I could do
to help — after all, they
were changing trains at the
Ostrava-Svinov train sta-
tion where I was getting
off. Olya only asked that
I help her with her heavy
suitcase, which I gladly did.
It didn’t feel like enough.
When the group got to
the station, I helped with
the luggage and made sure
they found their train all
right.
As we said our fare-
wells, I wished Olya and
her traveling companions
a safe journey, loaded her
big yellow suitcase onto
the train and gave them all
hugs.
They were back on
another train, to another
station, to another
unknown place on another
cold, snowy night. I headed
home to a hot shower and a
warm bed and my own roof
above my head.
We take things for
granted — every day, even
the mundane. We take our
seat on a train as a given,
our freedom to come and
go as we please. But noth-
ing’s a given. It’s all pre-
cious and fleeting, and it
could all end tomorrow.
Be humble. Be kind.
Love people. Live your
life like it was your last
day, because you never
know when you’ll have
to leave with just a suit-
case; because Olya loved
the sea — the sea was her
home; because, well, all we
are saying, is give peace
a chance — yes, this was
the song I heard playing
that morning on the loud-
speakers outside the ski
shop as I put my goggles on
and sipped my coffee, and
admired the snowflakes
falling from the sky.
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President Russell M. Nelson and Wendy
W. Nelson. For the livestream connection
information, visit www.churchofjesus-
christ.org. After the event, the broadcast
will be available in 39 languages through
the Gospel Library app.
The “Come, Follow Me” lesson for
the week of May 16 covers eight chapters
of Deuteronomy that tell of Moses’ final
days with the children of Israel. Lesson
materials are provided via the free Gospel
Library app.
During the May 21-22 Stake Conference,
a new Stake Presidency will be called.
Keeping the unity of the Spirit
through the bond of peace
LA GRANDE — On Sunday, May 15,
First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
will celebrate Pastor Archie and Vicqui
Hook’s first anniversary with them. The
message during the 10:30 a.m. service will
be “Let’s Keep Ourselves United in Spirit,”
referencing Ephesians 4:3, which teaches
that unity can be kept through the bond of
peace. Sunday School for adults is at 9 a.m.
—The Observer
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LA GRANDE — Zion Lutheran Church
meets for worship this Sunday, May 15,
at 9 a.m. Leo Smith will lead worship and
share a sermon based on Acts 11:1-18 and
John 13:31-35. A time of fellowship will
follow the service. The service will not be
streamed live this week.
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).
Collin Rymer, a Bend native, teaches
English in Ostrava, Czech Republic.
Blazing Fast
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Guest speaker to lead in-person
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Call Devi 541-624-6007 or email
dmathson@lagrandeobserver.com
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 9:30 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
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