FAITH
Friday, October 23, 2015
East Oregonian
PENDLETON
As clockmaking boy leaves,
Muslims feel ‘under siege’
IRVING, Texas (AP) —
The decision by the family of
a Texas teenager to move to
Qatar is not surprising in light
of lingering anti-Muslim
sentiment that makes many
U.S. followers of Islam feel
as if they are “under siege,”
a spokesman for a national
Muslim-American
group
said Wednesday.
The
teen,
Ahmed
Mohamed, shot to national
prominence last month after
he was arrested for bringing
a homemade digital clock to
school that a teacher mistook
for a possible bomb.
On Tuesday, the family
announced that they would
soon leave their modest
home in the Dallas suburb
of Irving and move to Qatar,
a wealthy oil nation on
the Persian Gulf. There, a
foundation has offered to pay
for Ahmed’s high school and
college education in Doha.
Yaser Birjas, imam of the
Valley Ranch Islamic Center
in Irving, said he wishes the
14-year-old well but worries
about the stress that can
come with celebrity.
“I hope that he does
not get overwhelmed and
consumed with that because
now the expectation of him
is so high,” Birjas said. “And
he’s just a kid.”
Birjas cautioned that
people who move from
America to Muslim countries
are often disappointed when
they discover restrictions they
never experienced in the U.S.
“Here in America, you
have much more freedom
practicing the faith,” he said.
For others, the family
move to the Middle East sends
an unfortunate message.
Yousuf Fahimuddin, a
Muslim journalist in the San
Francisco Bay area, believes
the family’s departure will only
perpetuate the idea that Muslims
are not loyal to the U.S.
“I don’t think moving to
Qatar, a country with its own
share of problems, construc-
tively helps ¿ght prejudice,”
Fahimuddin said in an email.
Instead, he said, “Muslims
should try to share their
common humanity with
others to demonstrate that
they are regular people.”
Ibrahim
Hooper,
spokesman for the Council
on American-Islamic Rela-
tions, said the U.S. has seen
a signi¿cant rise in the level
of anti-Muslim sentiment
— feelings he said were
reÀected by the political
attacks of GOP presidential
candidates such as Donald
Trump and Ben Carson.
“The Muslim-American
community feels under siege
by all this,” Hooper said.
Ahmed’s father, Mohamed
Elhassan Mohamed, told The
Dallas Morning News that
the family was moving “to
a place where my kids can
study and learn and all of
them being accepted by that
country.”
BRIEFLY
Baptist church
welcomes Walker
PENDLETON —
Christian country musician
Charlie Walker will perform
at Pendleton Baptist Church.
Walker, who formed
the band Country¿ed with
a friend, has performed
at fairs, conventions and
concerts across the Paci¿c
Northwest.
The free performance is
Sunday at 11 a.m. at 3202
S.W. Nye Ave., Pendleton.
For more information,
call the church at
541-276-7590. For more
about Walker, visit www.
charliewalkermusic.com.
Liberty Quartet
to perform area
concerts
STANFIELD — A
popular southern gospel
quartet will perform in
Stan¿eld and Pendleton
Liberty Quartet will play
Friday, Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. at
Stan¿eld Baptist Church,
310 N.E. Wheeler Ave.,
and Saturday, Oct. 31 at 6
p.m. at the Pendleton Free
Methodist Church, 1711
S.W. 44th St. There’s no
admission charge for either
performance, but freewill
offerings will be taken.
Based in Idaho, the group
has a full-time concert
ministry, performing for
church services, nursing
homes, prisons and music
festivals.
For more information
about the group, visit www.
libertyquartet.com.
Ione church offers
J.a.M. session
IONE — Children in
kindergarten though ¿fth
grades are invited to attend
J.a.M. session.
For the next four weeks,
students are invited each
Wednesday after school to
enjoy snacks, music, Bible
stories, games, crafts and
science projects at the Ione
Community Church, 375 E.
Main St. The program runs
until 5:30 p.m.
For more information,
contact 541-422-7530 or
stacy.shelton@gmail.com.
Nazarene church
plans fall festival
HERMISTON — The
Fall Fest hosted by the
Hermiston Church of the
Nazarene offers family fun.
The event includes hay
rides, s’mores, games and
candy. In addition, people
are invited to decorate their
vehicles for a trunk of treat.
Also, a $2 meal is available
for purchase.
The Fall Fest is Saturday,
Oct. 31 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
at 1520 W. Orchard Ave.,
Hermiston.
For more information, call
541-567-3677 or visit www.
hermistonnazarene.org.
Todd Tennant
Business
Health
Farm
Life
Todd Tennant
541/276-2302 • 800/225-2521
The Stratton Agency
Photo contributed
by Gloria Larson
Berean Baptist turns 35
By TAMMY MALGESINI
East Oregonian
A Pendleton church with a building
rich in history is celebrating 35 years
of ministry.
The sanctuary portion of Berean
Baptist Church is the original military
chapel that housed Doolittle’s Raiders
before their bombing of Japan during
World War II. The chapel originally
resided on the Pendleton Army Air
Base near the present Eastern Oregon
Regional Airport. It was moved in
1948 to its present location at 8 N.W.
Ninth St., Pendleton.
The church invites the community
to join the Sunday celebration. The
schedule includes Sunday school at
10 a.m., followed by the anniver-
sary service at 11 a.m. Four of the
church’s ¿ve pastors who have served
during Berean’s history will share.
Each family attending will receive a
commemorative gift.
An anniversary meal will be served
at 12:30 p.m.; although there’s no
charge, a freewill offering will be
accepted. Due to limited space, people
Looking for
a home away
from home?
Wheatland Village offers a flexible Seasonal Stay Program
designed for people who are looking for a temporary home!
Whether it’s a home renovation , or perhaps the prospect of a
long winter season, go ahead … Relax, Enjoy and Live Your
Life your way with Wheatland Village’s Seasonal Stay program:
• No fuss or stress of moving • Fully furnished apartments
• Prices that won’t pinch your pocketbook
Limited availability. Call today for more information:
509-527-9600 or toll free at 888-373-6016.
Redefining Retirement
55+ Senior Living Community promotions are limited. Restrictions may
apply. Talk with Wheatland Village management for details.
are asked to RSVP for the meal.
Founded in 1980 as Berean Baptist
Temple by Pastor Clifton Cooley,
Berean is taken from the book of
Acts, regarding a group of people who
eagerly examined the scriptures. The
church was originally housed in what
is now G&R Sari-Sari Store.
In 1985, Pastor James Jobe became
the church’s leader and moved the
ministry to an old church building at
624 S.W. Second St. He remained until
1992.
Charles Bray then became the
pastor, changing the name to Berean
Baptist Church. Under Bray’s lead-
ership, the church entered a period
of sustained growth, which included
outreach, prison and radio ministry.
Having ¿lled the small church
building to capacity, Berean Baptist
purchased its current church building
in 2004. Pastor Carl Loturco came
on board in 2006, presiding over the
mortgage debt retirement and the
construction of an ADA accessible
ramp in front of the building.
The current pastor, Mark Watkins,
arrived in summer 2014. Watkins, a
native Oregonian, has ministered in
the Willamette Valley, Montana and
Washington.
On Feb. 1, 2015, Watkins and
Loturco conducted a service for the
burning of the mortgage, representing
full payment of the building.
With regular attendance of about
50-60 people, the ministry is committed
to reaching Pendleton with the gospel
of Jesus Christ, Watkins said.
Regular outreach ministries include
providing
weekly
transportation
for children to have a way to attend
Sunday school and church. Also, each
year during the Main Street Cowboys
Dress-Up Parade, members of the
church hand out “Get out of hell free”
cards.
“It’s a little tract that looks like a
Monopoly card,” Watkins said.
For more information about the
church’s ministries or to RSVP for the
anniversary meal, contact 541-276-
5239 or bbcpendleton@hotmail.com.
———
Contact Community Editor Tammy
Malgesini at tmalgesini@eastoregonian.
com or 541-564-4539
Church
Directory
s h i
r
o
W
p w i t h u s !
OPEN HEARTS – OPEN DOOR
www.graceandmercylutheran.org
585 SW Birch, Pilot Rock, OR 97868
(541) 443-2500
prbconline.blogspot.com
Sunday School: 9:30 am
Worship Service: 10:45 am
Wednesday Services:
Kids’ Club: 6:00 pm
Youth Group: 7:00 pm
Sunday Worship 9:00 a.m.
Sunday School 10:00 a.m. (Nursery Provided)
Fellowship, Refreshments & Sunday School
Check Out our Facebook Page or Website for
More Information
541-289-4535
Gladys Ave & 7th Hermiston
Fr. Dan Lediard, Priest. PH: 567-6672
Family service 9am Sunday
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH
“Proclaiming God’s word,
growing in God’s grace”
FIRST SERVICE 8:30 AM
SECOND SERVICE 10:30 AM
712 SW 27 TH ST.
541-276-1894
www.fcogpendleton.com
FAITH LUTHERAN
CHURCH
Living Word
Christian Center
in Mission for Christ LCMC
Sunday Worship Service
10:00 AM
Wednesday Bible Study 7:00 PM
-Presbyterian Church (USA)-
201 SW Dorion Ave.
Pendleton
Service of Worship - 10:00 am
Children’s Sunday School - 10:20 am
Fellowship - 11:00 am
www.pendletonpresbyterian.com
Open Hearted...Open Minded
401 Northgate • Pendleton
278-8082
www.faithpendleton.org
www.livingwordcc.com
241 SE Second St. Pendleton
(541)276-3809
www.pendletonepiscopal.org
Sunday Morning Worship 9:00 a.m.
Wednesday Worship Noon
Wednesday Evening Prayer
and Pot Luck 6:00 p.m.
All Are Welcome
Come meet Jesus at
PENDLETON BAPTIST
CHURCH
3202 SW Nye Ave Pendleton, OR
541-276-7590
Sunday Morning Worship 11:00 AM
Sunday Bible Classes 9:45 AM
Sunday Youth Group 6:00 PM
Mon. Community Women’s Study
9:30 AM & 6 PM
Awana Kids Club (K-6th grade)
Wed Men’s Study 6 PM
MOPS meeting the 1st Thur of the Month
6 PM
P eace L utheran C hurch
210 NW 9th, Pendleton ELCA
Join us Sundays
9:30
Sunday
Worship
9:30 am am
Sunday
Worship
10:30 am Fellowship
11:00 am Sunday School & Adult Class
Sharon Miller, Pastor
( Oregon Trail Room )
Red Lion Hotel
All People
Are Welcome
Tom Inch, Pastor
Grace and Mercy Lutheran Church, ELCA
164 E. Main St. / P.O. Box 1108
Hermiston, Oregon 97838
555 SW 11th, Hermiston
567-9497
Nursery provided for all services
Sunday School - 9:30 AM
Worship - 10:45 AM
6:00 pm
Wed Prayer & Worship - 7:00 PM
St. Johns
Episcopal Church
Scripture, Tradition
and Reason
Grace Baptist Church
Community
Presbyterian Churc h
Pendleton / Hermiston • stratton-insurance.com
Wheatland Village | 1500 Catherine Street
Walla Walla, WA 99362
www.wheatlandvillage.com
Members
of Berean
Baptist
Church
celebrate
during a
burning of
the
mortgage
service
Feb. 1,
2015. The
Pendleton
church will
celebrate
35 years in
ministry
this
Sunday.
Bible Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:00 AM
Sunday Worship . . . . . . . . . . . 10:30 AM
One Responsible Source Agent
Page 7A
~Come and be at Peace~
on 1290 KUMA noon each Sunday
Faith Center Church
NEW HOPE
COMMUNITY CHURCH
Worshiping God • Loving People
108 S. Main • 276-9569
1350 S. Highway 395, Hermiston
Sunday Worship Services
English- Pastor Dave Andrus
9:00 & 10:45 am
Spanish- Pastor Genaro Loredo
9:00 & 10:15 am
Classes for kids during all services
For more information call
Sunday Worship
10:30 am
14 Martin Drive,
Umatilla, OR
922-3250
Praise, Prophecy & Prayer
Worship: 10 AM Sunday
School at 11:30
pendletonfaithcenter.org
Sr. Pastor, Ray O’Grady
541-567-8441
T HE C OUNTRY C HURCH
Seventh-Day
Pastor James Becker
Adventist Churc h
32742 Diagonal RD
Saturday Services
Pendleton
1401 SW Goodwin Place
276-0882
Sabbath School 9:20 am
Worship Service 10:45 am
Hermiston OR 97838
Sunday School 10 am
Worship 7 am
Evening Service 7 pm
Bible Study Wednesdays 7 pm
Firestarter Youth Ministry
(Ages 12-17)
Monday @ 6 pm
St. Paul Anglican Church, APA
Currently Located at 119 SW Quinney Pl.,
Home Church in Pendleton @ Sunridge Estates
541-215-3316
Holy Communion - 1st & 3rd Sunday
Morning Prayer - 2nd, 4th & 5th Sunday
All Services - 10:00am Sundays
The Rev. Fr. Vincent Varnas
facebook.com/stpaulanglicanchurchapa
First United
Methodist
Church
352 SE 2nd Street
Pendleton, OR
541-276-2616
Sunday Worship 9am
Open Hearts, Open Hands, Open Doors
Facebook: www.facebook.com/
FUMCPendleton
Services are broadcast every Sunday
on KUMA-1290 AM @ 11am
Rev. Dr. Jim Pierce, pastor
To share your
worship times
call
Amanda Jacobs
541-278-2683