Page 8A
FAITH
East Oregonian
Writing the sermon through the week
F
riday is the day I write the
sermon, or message as some like
to call it, for my delicious new
Church at Good Shepherd Lutheran
Church on Locust Road. In reality it is
the culmination of a process that lasts
all week long, often on long car trips,
where I try and edit
my boring bits out so
I don’t over-sedate
the Àock. It is usually
sparked by one or
more of the holy
readings for the week
in combination with
something that the
Colin R.
Holy Spirit gives me
Brown
to see in the week. A
Comment
family theme surfaced
after Easter Day after I
recovered from the chocolate overdose.
A little boy I knew was hurting in a
town away from here. His mother had
remarried and had a new baby boy.
But the paternal grandparents were
excluding the older brother, taking
family pictures but requesting that
the older boy be left out of the family
pictures as well as family events. They
even said that they did not want the
boy’s name to be changed to take the
new surname that his mother had taken.
It was said in a nice way, but it was evil
stuff that broke the new family’s heart. I
got called by the maternal grandparents
to get involved. I am now. It is a story
with a biblical tinge to it, of ownership,
sel¿shness, self-righteousness and
directed pain by people who should
know a lot better.
I had given a sermon a couple
of weeks ago in Newberg, on Jesus
healing the ten lepers. In writing that
piece I realized that, sure, the ten had
been cured of the leprosy, but only
one — the Samaritan — had shown
gratitude. The Pharisee lepers, when
cured, just went on their way as if it
was their right to receive healing. No
Pharisee (the higher class) was made
better on the inside, nor did the Pharisee
ex-lepers reach out to the healed
Samaritan (the lower class) to embrace
and include him in rejoicing. The
healing, when you heard the story with
the right ears, was a story of incomplete
healing — when the healing was
literally only skin-deep! Healing should
be more than that.
What is a family?
The hope is that our church can be a
family of the called, as well as families
who have stayed. That is why, every so
often, a church has to morph its shape,
rewrite its mission and revisit its own
God-given purpose. The only person
who can help us in this holy task is the
Holy Spirit — that busiest divinity,
actively recreating the world forever
when roosting in the trees of our
churches. Hallelujah, we cry out with
great gratitude! Come on, come and
visit us at play in the ¿elds of the Lord!
Let us be a family together!
Ŷ
Colin Brown is pastor of Good
Shepherd Lutheran Church in
Boardman.
Friday, April 8, 2016
Worship
Community
Community
Presbyterian Church
14 Martin Drive,
Umatilla, OR922-3250
Worship: 10 AM Sunday School at 11:30
P eace L utheran C hurch
210 NW 9th, Pendleton
ELCA
Join us Sundays
9:30 am Sunday Worship
9:30
Worship
10:30 am
am Sunday
Fellowship
11:00 am Sunday School
& Adult Class
~Come and be at Peace ~
BRIEFLY
MISSION
Boardman Baptist church
sets movie night
BOARDMAN — The Boardman First
Baptist Church is hosting an upcoming
screening of “The Climb.”
Movie Night @ The Church is
Saturday, April 16 at 6 p.m. at 200
Willow Fork Drive, Boardman. There is
no admission charge. Refreshments and
popcorn will be available for purchase.
A heart-stopping and heart-warming
story, the action/adventure drama is rated
PG.
For more information, call 541-481-
9437.
Got socks?
HERMISTON — Area teenagers are
invited to participate in the Teen Sock
Wars.
The Hermiston Church of the
Nazarene is hosting a youth activity
Sunday from 6-7:30 p.m. at 1520 W.
Orchard Ave. Youths are invited to
come and enjoy ice cream sundaes and
participate in the Teen Sock Wars. Those
attending are encouraged to bring socks
— to add to the epic event, worn socks
are welcome.
For more information, contact
541-567-3677, hermistonnaz@gmail.com
or visit www.hermistonnazarene.org.
Yakima woman rallies
support against violence
By TAMMY MALGESINI
East Oregonian
A member of the Confederated
Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reser-
vation is coordinating an event to
take a stand against violence.
Motivated by the recent shooting
of 27-year-old Tony Jimenez in
Mission, Leanne Frank of Yakima
said youths need better role models.
“Instead of following Kim
Kardashian and people like that, they
should follow Jesus,” she said.
Frank invites those concerned
about increasing violence, drugs,
alcohol abuse and gangs to attend
#FollowJesus. She stresses it’s not a
church-related event, but follows the
basic biblical principle of love your
neighbor.
#FollowJesus is Saturday begin-
ning at 3:30 p.m. at 39 Willow Drive,
Mission, which is down the street
from the site of the March 19 fatal
shooting. Acts 20:24 Ministries, a
nonpro¿t faith-based organization in
Yakima, will be on hand providing
Albany church
celebrates more than
a century of worship
By NEIL ZAWICKI
Albany Democrat-Herald
ALBANY — Immanuel
Lutheran Church in Albany
turns 125 this year. So
does the church’s Steinway
piano. And while the age of
the piano is interesting, it’s
not as much of a feat as the
age of the church, according
to church president Oliver
Anderson.
“The average life span
of a church in America is 75
years,” he said. “So for us
to have survived for 125 is
really remarkable.”
The church was among
the ¿rst Lutheran churches
in the valley, and as Pastor
Larry Oliver explains,
church members would
meet in each others’ homes
from 1891 until 1905, when
the original church was
dedicated. That one was
replaced in 1953, when the
church’s current brick and
mortar address was dedi-
cated just across the street at
154 Madison St. S.E.
And while the original
church is now the parking
lot for the new one, elements
from that one remain: A large
painting of Christ holding a
lamb hangs in the lobby area
behind the chapel, and pews
from the old church line the
walls in the basement.
Church member Dave
Engel was 12 years old
when the current church was
dedicated, and was baptized
in the old church in 1941.
For Engels, the signi¿cance
of Immanuel Lutheran is
explained in two words.
“It’s home,” he said.
To celebrate the church’s
anniversary, in addition to
the regular 10:30 service,
Pastor Oliver has planned
an afternoon service for
Sunday, April 10 at 3 p.m.
At that service, District Pres-
ident Reverend Doctor Paul
Linneman will speak, and
in keeping with Lutheran
tradition, a processional of
10 pastors from throughout
the district will present the
cross. Later on, the more
than 60 attending members
on 1290 KUMA noon each Sunday
of the church will gather for
a celebration meal and cake
in the meeting hall.
In addition to the service
and the meal, Anderson made
sure to bring out a replica
of the old church, built by
a member maybe 40 years
ago. It stands nearly three-
feet tall and carries all the
detail of a professional scale
model, right down to the lap
siding. And there’s another
feature that Anderson makes
sure to show us. Removing
the roof of the parapet, he
reveals a coin bank reservoir,
and points to the coin slot
in the roof, explaining how
they’re funding the celebra-
tion through donations.
“Lutherans are practical
people,” he says with a smile.
Anderson and Oliver
speak as well about the
church’s German heritage.
Anderson shows us the sign
over the door that offers the
German greeting, “Will-
kommen,” as an example.
At the same time, Pastor
Oliver
offers
another
Lutheran nod to heritage,
and it has to do with the
traditional Lutheran potato
bread called Lefse.
“You know how to make
it, right?” he begins. “You
put the dough on a board and
you pound it Àat, and then
you season it, and then you
pound it Àat, and then you
eat the board.”
All three men laugh, and
Anderson explains, with
tongue in cheek, that they
are a “very serious church.”
Finally, Anderson shows
us one last thing on our tour:
The massive pipe organ,
installed in 1978, producing
sound through 2,200 pipes,
played each Sunday by Judy
Stratton. It’s an impressive
piece of gear for the church,
and when Anderson kicks
it on, it makes a sound like
a large aircraft winding up.
Then he hits us with a blast
from one of the keys.
“It’s a loud one,” he says.
“When she gets it really
rockin’, sometimes we start
to worry about our stained
glass windows.”
outreach and DJ music. Also, free
hot dogs, rice, potato salad and water
will be served.
After reaching out to others, Frank
said a number of representatives
from area churches, youth outreach
and social service organizations will
be present.
“I didn’t know it was going to get
this big,” she said. “But if you ignore
the problem, it’s only going to get
worse. It’s an issue that needs to be
addressed by everyone.”
The close proximity of the
shooting to playgrounds, family
homes and the elderly concerns
Frank.
“It’s getting worse — the youth
are getting more violent, there’s more
graf¿ti, and now with this shooting,”
she said. “It affects us all.”
For more information about the
event, contact Frank at 509-367-9941
or leannefrank@outlook.com.
———
Contact
Community
Editor
Tammy Malgesini at tmalgesini@
eastoregonian.com or 541-564-4539
Tennessee bill would allow
counselors to deny services
By SHEILA BURKE
Associated Press
NASHVILLE — A bill
that would allow mental
health counselors to turn
patients away based on the
counselors’ religious beliefs
and personal principles
has passed in the House in
Tennessee, the latest state
to introduce measures that
opponents say legalize
discrimination against gays,
bisexuals and transgender
people.
The Senate, which already
passed the measure, still
would have to approve an
amendment adopted by the
House.
The bill passed 68-22
Wednesday following a
rancorous debate on the
House Àoor. If it is signed
into law, Tennessee would
be the only state to allow
counselors to refuse to treat
patients based on the coun-
selors’ own belief systems,
said Art Terrazas, Director
of Government Affairs for
the American Counseling
Association. The organiza-
tion has called the bill an
“unprecedented attack” on
the counseling profession
and government overreach.
Opponents of the measure
say it would allow therapists
to discriminate against gays
and other people who are at
their most vulnerable and
need therapy. Proponents
say it takes into account the
rights of everyone, including
the therapists.
“We are standing up
for everyone’s right when
we vote for this bill,” Rep.
Matthew Hill, R-Jonesbor-
ough, told members before
the vote.
Rep. John Ray Clem-
mons, D-Nashville, tried
unsuccessfully to attach
several amendments to
the bill, including one that
would
force
therapists
to treat children who are
victims of bullying. He said
that Tennessee would be an
outlier if it passes the legis-
lation.
“It’s intriguing to me
that this body is wanting to
stand in the way of people
seeking help in the state of
Tennessee,” Clemmons said
during the debate.
The bill would not allow
counselors to turn away
people who are in imminent
danger of harming them-
selves or others.
The measure is part of
a wave of bills across the
country proposed by Conser-
vative Christian lawmakers
who are upset about the
Supreme Court decision
last year that effectively
legalized same-sex marriage
nationwide.
The Tennessee bill is
both narrower and broader
in scope than those recently
presented in Georgia and
Mississippi, which would
allow religious clergy and
many types of service
providers the right to deny
service to customers based
on the providers’ religious
beliefs. Georgia’s governor
said last week that he would
veto the measure; Mississip-
pi’s governor signed it on
Tuesday.
Tennessee’s bill limits
itself to counselors, but
allows them to deny services
for reasons that go beyond
religion.
The original version of the
bill, ¿rst passed by the Senate,
based any denial of services
on “sincerely held religious
beliefs.” The House amended
that language to allow any
counselor in private practice
to refuse to treat a client and
provide services relating to
“goals, outcomes, or behav-
iors that conÀict with the
sincerely held principles of
the counselors or therapist.”
The counselor would have to
refer the patient to someone
else.
Those in the counseling
community say the law as
it is written now is so broad
that it would allow coun-
selors to turn away patients
for virtually any reason. As
an example, Terrazas said, a
therapist opposed to war or
U.S. military policy could
refuse to treat a veteran
with post-traumatic stress
syndrome under the bill.
The Tennessee Equality
Project, which supports gay
rights, condemned the House
passage of the bill and called
on the governor to veto the
legislation.
NEW HOPE
COMMUNITY CHURCH
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
541-567-8441
Faith Center Church
Worshiping God
Loving People
108 S. Main • 276-9569
Sunday Worship
10:30 am
Sr. Pastor,
Ray O’Grady
pendletonfaithcenter.org
Seventh-Day
Adventist
Church
Saturday Services
Pendleton
1401 SW Goodwin Place
276-0882
Sabbath School 9:20 am
Worship Service 10:45 am
Community
Presbyterian Churc h
OPEN HEARTS – OPEN DOOR
14 Martin Drive,
Umatilla, OR
922-3250
Worship: 10 AM
Sunday School at
11:30
www.graceandmercylutheran.org
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
Tom Inch, Pastor
Grace and Mercy Lutheran Church, ELCA
164 E. Main St. / P.O. Box 1108
Hermiston, Oregon 97838
Grace Baptist Church
585 SW Birch,
Pilot Rock, OR 97868
(541) 443-2500
prbconline.blogspot.com
Sunday School: 9:30 am
Worship Service: 10:45 am
Kids’ Club: 6:00 pm
Wednesday Services:
Youth Group: 7:00 pm
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
“Proclaiming God’s word,
growing in God’s grace”
St. Johns
Episcopal Church
FAITH LUTHERAN
CHURCH
All People
Are Welcome
in Mission for Christ LCMC
Scripture, Tradition
and Reason
Family service 9am Sunday
Gladys Ave & 7th Hermiston
Fr. Dan Lediard, Priest. PH: 567-6672
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
Bible Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:00 AM
Sunday Worship . . . . . . 10:30 AM
Red Lion Hotel
( Oregon Trail Room )
www.faithpendleton.org
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
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH
-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
FIRST SERVICE 8:30 AM
SECOND SERVICE 10:30 AM
712 SW 27 TH ST.
541-276-1894
www.fcogpendleton.com
241 SE Second St. Pendleton
(541)276-3809
FIRST SERVICE
8:30 AM
www.pendletonepiscopal.org
SECOND SERVICE 10:30 AM
Sunday Morning
27 TH ST. 9:00 a.m.
712 SW Worship
Wednesday Worship Noon
All 541-276-1894
Are Welcome
www.fcogpendleton.com
BAHA’I FAITH
“The Unity of All Mankind”
Pendleton
Baha’i St. Center
at
241 SE Second
Pendleton
1015 SE (541)276-3809
Court Place
www.pendletonepiscopal.org
Devotions Sundays @
11:00am;
Everyone
Sunday
Morning Worship
9:00 a.m.
invited!
Wednesday
Worship Noon
(541) 276-9360 visit us at
All Are Welcome
www.pendletonbahais.org
To share your
worship times call
Amanda Jacobs
541-278-2683