Spiritual Life
A6
Thursday, July 14, 2022
SPIRITUAL LIFE HIGHLIGHTS
Morning prayer services
held on summer Sundays at
Wallowa Lake
study continues with the Book of
John 5:9-47.
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).
WALLOWA LAKE VILLAGE
— The Wallowa Lake Chapel
announced that all are welcome to
“worship in the beauty of God’s
holiness” each Sunday in July
and August at 8 a.m. The chapel
is at the Wallowa County Park on
the north end of Wallowa Lake.
Morning prayer services are
led by members of the Wallowa
County Ecumenical Ministry
Society.
Message looks at meaning
of ‘service’ in Joshua 24
10:38-40). Christians are to strive
to put aside distractions as the
Lord teaches. Mary received a
wonderful compliment for doing
this.
Following the Divine service,
Faith’s church council will have
its monthly meeting.
Put aside distractions and
listen to the Lord’s message
LA GRANDE — The sermon
at Faith Lutheran Church’s 10 a.m.
service on Sunday, July 17, will
consider Martha, who “welcomed
(Jesus) into her house” but “ was
distracted with much serving.”
Meanwhile, her sister Mary “lis-
tened to (Jesus’) teaching” (Luke
Bible study continues
examining the Book of John
LA GRANDE — Morning
Prayer at St. Peter’s Epis-
copal Church begins at 10 a.m.
Sunday, Juy 17, with fellowship
immediately following in the
church hall. This week’s Bible
LA GRANDE — First Chris-
tian Church (Disciples of Christ)
will gather for worship on
Sunday, July 17, at 10:30 a.m.
This week, Pastor Archie Hook’s
message — “Limit Our Ser-
vice?” — will focus on Joshua
24:14-15: “But as for me and my
household, we will serve the
Lord” (verse 15b).
Bring friends to Pioneer Day
on July 16 in Island City
NORTHEASTERN OREGON
— The members of the La
Grande stake of the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints will celebrate their her-
itage during Pioneer Day, Sat-
urday, July 16. Games, activ-
ities and a potluck will take
place from 5-8 p.m. at the Island
City church’s pavilion and ball
fi eld. Families with last names
starting with A-M are encour-
aged to bring a salad, and those
with N-Z to bring a desert. All
are encouraged to invite friends
to the event.
On Sunday, July 17, during
the Sacrament service mem-
bers of the High Council will
speak on the April 2022 Gen-
eral Conference opening talks
about missionary work by Pres-
ident Russel M. Nelson and M.
Russell Ballard. Sunday school
meetings will be held during the
second hour of services.
The “Come, Follow Me”
lesson for the week of July 18 is
based on select chapters from the
Books of Ezra and Nehemiah in
the Old Testament, with a focus
on what we can learn from those
who rebuilt the Lord’s temple
and the walls around Jerusalem.
Potluck picnic follows joint
service at Riverside Park
LA GRANDE — Zion
Lutheran and La Grande United
Methodist churches will meet for
a joint outdoor worship service
on Sunday, July 17, at 10 a.m. at
the Riverside Park Pavilion. The
sermon, based on Luke 10:38-
42, is titled “Being Mary in a
Martha World.” A potluck picnic
will follow the service.
All invited to weekly
outdoor song circle
PENDLETON — On Tuesday
evenings, Peace Lutheran Church
is holding an outdoor song circle
at 6 p.m. in the church’s out-
door courtyard, accessible from
Carden between Eighth and Ninth
streets. This gathering is for
anyone who would like to sing.
People of any faith and back-
ground are welcome to join, and
are asked to bring a lawn chair.
Don’t assume someone else will call
ROBERTA
SMYTHE
WALKING WITH
THE SHEPHERD
his Sunday, the
assigned scripture
reading includes the
story of the Good Samar-
itan. It’s one of the Bible
stories that has also entered
our secular culture. There
are Good Samaritan hos-
pitals and Good Samaritan
laws. It’s certainly not the
only Bible story or Bible
concept that has made it
into secular culture, but it’s
one I’ve been refl ecting on.
I think most of us who
know the story tend to
assume we would be a
Good Samaritan in such a
situation. That we would
stop to help someone who
was hurt or in need of med-
ical attention. Yet when I
took CPR training, when
being told to have someone
call for help, the instructors
said to ask a specifi c person
to call for help. Just yelling
“someone call 911” isn’t
usually enough: Everyone
tends to assume someone
else is making the call.
Then there are times
T
when we might be reluctant
to help someone directly:
There’s an altercation
between people, or even a
crowd growing violent, and
we’re afraid of being hurt if
we try to stop it. That can
be a legitimate concern,
and it may be that the best
choice is to call 911.
Unfortunately, there can
also be a reluctance to get
involved when someone
cries “rape.” In fact, women
are often told to cry “fi re”
instead of “rape,” because
folks are more likely to
respond.
Most of us have the
best of intentions to help
others, and yet we often
let our schedule, our fears
and sometimes our weari-
ness keep us from helping
one another. Sometimes
we elect to give money to
a good cause rather than
show up in person. It’s just
easier, and there’s less risk.
I know that for myself,
even though I have volun-
teered at homeless shelters
in the past, I’ve been reluc-
tant to do so at the Union
County Warming Station
here in La Grande. At fi rst
it was not knowing this
new community I’d moved
to, and then there was the
fear of catching COVID-19.
I also wonder if I’m getting
too old to stay up all night
like I used to.
We can all fi nd good
excuses and reasons not
to do something. Not to
step up. And sometimes
we need to accept our lim-
itations. If all you’re com-
fortable doing is contrib-
uting fi nancially, that is still
helpful. If you can take on
only one cause at a time,
even though it may not
seem like enough, that’s
better than not helping at
all.
Yet as a pastor, it is
my responsibility to push
myself, my congregants
and even my community to
try to do a little more than
might be comfortable.
There are many worth-
while causes that you can
support fi nancially or with
your time or expertise. Find
the cause and the level of
support that works for you,
and then see if you can
step up your involvement a
little. Every little bit helps
our community, and our
world, be a better place.
█
Roberta Smythe is the pastor of La
Grande’s Zion Lutheran and United
Methodist churches.
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ELGIN ELECTRIC
215 Elm Street, La Grande (541) 963-5440
northwestfurnitureandmattress.com
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 Roberta Smythe
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