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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 16, 2014)
14 in other words january16 2014 Things to Ponder By Grant Williams Have you ever wondered why your religious experiences resemble a boring roller coaster ride? Here’s another question. Do you believe Jesus was religious or spiritual? Your answers will help you understand where you are in your spiritual journey. Do you remember why Jesus submitted to John’s baptism? Matthew 3:15 says it was to “fulfill all righteousness.” Jesus didn’t consider baptism, synagogue attendance and holy day observances as religious duties or responsibilities, but as acts of worship and obedience. Israel’s searching for and not finding God has the same reason why the modern church finds many of its people empty, unchanged, and bored. Numerous people aren’t seeking God, but a religious experience. God is searching for people who want to know Him personally. God is seeking people who crave to worship Him alone, unencumbered with the trappings of religion. Around the world there are thousands of churches bursting with people seeking God. There are polished praise bands that will dazzle you with powerful and inspirational music. Well trained preachers who fill your head with knowledge and the truth from God’s Word. However, as notable as these things are, they are only tools God can use to build His “True Church” if the worshipers come to Him on His terms. The seeds of the Word of God must fall on an open, repentant, and willing heart before genuine spiritual growth can begin. Resisting His will leads to frustration causing a person to remain unmoved from their own selfish desires. Knowing about and being exposed to spiritual truth without a sincere turning from sin will only produce empty religious floundering that leads to disobedience, selfishness and idolatry. Reading the Old Testament prophets will confirm these facts. The “True Church” is faced with the same dilemma. Will we choose to protect our own small piece of the pie, like ancient Israel, or will we heed His call and submit to His design for the Kingdom? The Lord knew we would struggle with obeying His will for our lives. I believe that’s why He streamlined His commandments down to “love the Lord your God …and your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:34-40). Not long ago I received a phone call from a friend who asked me to forgive him for laughing at something I had said in a meeting. After thinking about what I had said he realized I had made a good point. My friend told me he wanted to be more like Jesus and he felt compelled to rectify the wrong. I was so encouraged it was hard to hold back the tears. My faith was bolstered by this man’s humility and willingness to listen to the Holy Spirit. Is there someone you need to make things right with? Are you willing to take a step of faith and prove to yourself that the God of the Word knows what is best for you and His Church? It will take courage, but you won’t be sorry once your friendship is healed. God bless you in your quest to be more like Jesus. The Sounding Board: Communication Counts By Jack Phillips Robert and Martha VanNatta attended Power of One’s monthly 7pm meeting at the Learning Center on Thursday, January 2nd. Mr. VanNatta presented his views. He believes there is no room for lower rates; nor that WOEC operations and management can be made to work better. He restated reasons of having to deal with a large territory and FEMA events. It appears to me, Bob sees the Cooperative as a neutral conduit, or pipeline, for the purchase of power from BPA and for the transmission of that power to members. He believes costs are what they are and that’s how it is! This is in spite of being presented a researched, fact based chart showing WOEC with the highest 2012 rates in Oregon, no one else even a close 2 nd ! We pay managers a high six figure income to run this little co-op and this is what we get? He feels his hands are tied; that member input, while heart-felt, is mostly uninformed and misguided; that looking to other means of sustainable power is not work- able, now or for the intermediate future. You can talk to your district director; go to meetings, get a copy of the agenda and make remarks, but not participate to any greater extent in the full content of the meeting other than observing. (There is procedure for recall and/or changing the bylaws and/or dissolution. I will discuss that at another time). In contrast to Bob’s statements, Power of One members expressed their belief that WOEC can lower rates, im- prove its management, operations, in- vestments, loans, finances and hands-on contact with, and participation of, the membership through-out WOEC’s terri- tory. With this in mind, questions were asked to Mr. VanNatta on what plans the IT’S TAX TIME Call your LOCAL tax preparer R Y O A LL PL P US LLC Edi Sheldon 503-429-1819 edisheldon@gmail.com Licensed tax consultant • Full service payroll Personal & small business bookkeeping • QuickBooks assistance CORPS, S-CORPS, LLC, Partnerships • Personal one-on-one service LTC #29629 - Oregon licensed tax consultant RTRP #P00448199 - designated as a registered tax return preparer by the Internal Revenue Service The IRS does not endorse any particular individual tax return preparer. For more information on tax return preparers, go to www.IRS.gov. Schedule as of April 1, 2013 Nehalem Valley Fixed Route Mon, Wed, Fri Leaves Vernonia 6:15am & 4:30pm Dial-a-ride Service Available Tue & Thr for 5 hours per day 503-366-0159 Please visit the website for fare schedule http://www.columbiacountyrider.com board had to actually reply to the strongly expressed high-rate concerns of WOEC members? There were 100+ members at the rate change meeting that voted unan- imously to lower rates! Or what was go- ing to be done about adjusting punitive charges for multiple meters on a single location? Or why hasn’t high speed fiber optic come to Vernonia thru WOEC’s $1.5+ million investment into fiber op- tic? Or why is it code-tabbed binders are distributed to Directors at meetings and not members? Bob’s answers: Rates cannot be lowered, period!; and, it ap- pears, that includes multiple meters on a single member’s account; for fiber op- tic, cable is here for the medical clinic, paid for by a grant. It is not for single users unless someone wants to start a business and connect to LSN; he hoped the investment in LSN will blossom into something bigger and better and produce good results, even though, to date, it has not. As to the tabbed binders being given only to Directors and staff, Bob said it was Marc Farmer who estab- lished the procedure and kept members from seeing copies by reason of pos- sible occurrence of proprietary and/or private information. Really? A policy like that appears, to me, to be taking and slipping-away member rights and the ability to contribute or participate. Unchallenged, it becomes how things are done, set in concrete, not changed and members being told “nothing else can be done”. How easily freedom is “disappeared.” Our reaction? We asked for meeting binder copies to be supplied to members plus a current, complete copy of the Policy Statements. Bob said he would provide the Policy Statement Copy to us immediately and put it on- line. Plus, he said, with a new manager, the withheld binder policy may change. Interestingly Bob added that in all his years at WOEC, no one asked for, or was given, a copy of the Policy Statements, except recently. A copy was given to Jim Buxton. Amazing. Why not any other members? Over the past months, this is what I have learned: Policy Statements are important. They are the manifesta- tion, and enforcement mechanism, of the board’s decision(s) about the bylaws. You want to know why a certain thing was done? Look in the Policy State- ments. The fact that the Policy State- ments have been number coded and not offered to members asking for the origi- nal documents, amendments, bylaws and service regulations begs the ques- tion. If the current membership is fully informed, changes will follow. That is a lot of bother to some folks. So there you have it, the latest on our electric cooperative. If you, dear reader, feel the same way as Pwr/1, are upset with the highest electric rates in Oregon, have gotten yourself this far, want to say something and be heard; and you are, or know, a WOEC member, Pwr/1 wants to hear from you. Things are going to change. We are on the move. Now is the time to get your boots on the ground, to talk with your neighbors and the rest of us. You do not have to move mountains. Everybody helps. Meet new folks. Get in touch: email: woec.unitedmembers@yahoo. com and/or jphillips5295@gmail.com snail-mail: P.O. Box 51, Vernonia, OR 97064 WEB: www.powerofonevernonia. site88.net Tel: (503) 804-6997 Tel: (503) 429- 0248 Please have exact fare ready. Drivers do not give change. Columbia County Rider General Public FIXED ROUTES RATES (All fares are one way) Per boarding within a Boarding Zone $5.00 Per Additional Zone (add) - per boarding $1.00 MONTHLY PASS RATES - Scheduled Routes Only 1 Zone $75.00 2 Zones $130.00 All Zones $150.00 Seniors, Disabled, Students & Children Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. $4.00 $1.00 $60.00 $110.00 $130.00
