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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (May 6, 2016)
Page 8A FAITH East Oregonian Friday, May 6, 2016 HERMISTON Day of Prayer a public profession of faith By JADE MCDOWELL East Oregonian Polls on church attendance show America is becoming increasingly secular, but Hermiston’s National Day of Prayer event showed how deeply faith is still woven into the fabric of the nation. Many of the “seven pillars of society” prayed for at the event — pillars such as government and education — showed how the First Amendment simultaneously creates a separation of church and state while also protecting the private reli- gious expressions of citizens. State Representative Greg Smith, representing the pillar of government at the event, told attendees that he turns to prayer when he feels the weight of the decisions he is making and the millions of lives he is affecting. “I genuinely believe in prayer as a time to talk to my Heavenly Father and ask him for guidance,” Smith said. Kathryn Youngman, a Spanish teacher at Pendleton Community FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH (Disciples of Christ) 215 N Main • Pendleton Sunday Worship: 10:40am Bible Class: 9:30am Office: 278-5358 M-F, 8:30am - 12:30pm WWW.FCCPENDLETON.ORG 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 Staff photo by Jade McDowell Pendleton High School teacher Kathryn Youngman offers a prayer for education during Hermiston’s National Day of Prayer event Thursday. High School, is not allowed to teach her personal reli- gious views in the classroom. But on Thursday night as she represented the pillar of Staff photo by Jade McDowell Jacob Looper, left, leads a praise team in a worship song Thursday. education she prayed that the children in the community would learn and grow and reach the potential that God gave them. “We must also pray to God to inspire educators to be the best role models,” she told the group. Aaron Palmquist serves as the city manager of Irrigon but was at the National Day of Prayer event in a different capacity, representing the military in his role as a Sergeant Major in the Army. He spoke of the strength that members of the military and their family receive through prayer. Those who were attending the event shared those views, and said those who work too hard to push religion out of public view forget that the Founding Fathers sought to protect everyone’s right to free speech. Sue Stibor said the National Day of Prayer illus- trated that principal is still at work today. “We’re here to pray and no one’s taking names, no one’s taking driver’s licenses — that’s the greatest freedom you can have,” she said. Elaine Couch said she “very much” believed that God heard peoples’ prayers on behalf of the country and answered them. “We need to pray that Americans can be united,” she said. Josue Arenas said that the Day of Prayer, and personal prayers, need to be about more than just praying for a speciic candidate. They need to be for America to ind its moral compass. BRIEFLY A LIMEY PASTOR IN BOARDMAN Church Women United meet today Cats from heaven MILTON-FREEWATER — In celebration of May Fellowship Day, the Milton-Freewater Church Women United are having a salad luncheon. Everyone is invited to attend Friday at noon at the First Christian Church, 618 S. Main St., Milton- Freewater. The guest speakers are a former missionary couple that served as translators in Indonesia for more than 30 years. For more information, contact Helen Richartz at helen_jack@ columbiainet.com, 541-558-3969 or Judy at 509-520-8497. Baptist church plans movie night BOARDMAN — A good laugh and a message of hope is featured during the upcoming Free Movie Night at the Church. “Mom’s Night Out” will be screened Saturday, May 14 at 6 p.m. at the First Baptist Church, at 200 Willow Fork Drive, Boardman. There is no admission charge. Refreshments and popcorn will be available for purchase. The 2014 release is rated PG. Among the cast are country/gospel musician Trace Adkins, Sean Astin, Sarah Drew and Patricia Heaton. For more information, call 541-481-9437. Church offers disaster training LA GRANDE — The United Methodist Volunteer in Mission is hosting a training on how to respond to local or personal disasters. Becky Platt will make the presentation, which includes information about how to develop a disaster response ministry, how to prepare for a disaster and how to respond in helping the community. The disaster of poverty and illness, as well as from lood or ires, will be discussed. Preparing our Churches and Communities for Disaster: Connecting Neighbors is Saturday, May 21 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the United Methodist Church, 612 Fourth St., La Grande. Materials will be available for people to take back to their communities for further implementation. The event is free and lunch will be provided. Donations will be accepted for those who would like to support the ministry. People are asked to pre-register by contacting 541-963-2498 or LGUMC@eoni.com. For more information, contact Platt at beckyplatt1@peoplepc.com or 503-680-5015. ——— Send information about local faith-related news and events to community@eastoregonian.com. M y wife and I had a before I was baptized in my big scare this week. early 30s. In those days, my Gracie, our oldest cat, wife and I had adopted a stray went missing. This was a cat cat called KitKit, who was a that never went missing. We wanderer of sorts. knocked at all the neighbors’ One day KitKit disappeared houses, we papered liers on — for several days, to our mailboxes. As the next day great distress. I spent the nights came, uncertainty turned to outside our house, meowing Colin fear, terrible fear that gnawed human-style for her return. Brown like a beaver on a log. My Towards the end of the Comment wife’s demeanor began to third evening. I heard a distant, descend dramatically, with sad mewing. It seemed to be fears of coyotes or, worse, terrible coming from the basement of the people. When she was younger Lutheran church next door. I had no someone had shot and killed her access to the church, so I called the darling Persian cat. All of these buried listed caretaker and out into the night memories resurfaced like an ugly came Barb, who had the keys of the war memory and she began to weep church. We went into the building, and pitifully. from the deep bowels of the church, we I went into woods in the back of heard the pitiful cries. On descending our house, striding down to a brambly into the depths of the church we found area that was safe for cats. But — no a closed basement door and creaked it Gracie. I realized that this may be the open. A sad mournful face gazed out. way God hunts us down to rescue It was beloved KitKit, who had been us amidst thickets of darkness and looking for God in all the wrong places. sin, desperately and hopefully. I was The humming of the boiler purred in comforted briely by the absence of tune with her squeaks of relief and evidence — then discomited by Gracie pleasure. Her love meows rang out like hairs on a fence. bells. At the end of the day, after much KitKit, dear little thing, passed anguish. I found her patiently waiting away some while ago. But I began outside the front door, with no going to the Lutheran church as my explanation. I embraced her as if she way of saying thank you for the good might ly away, with her feathery limbs. Lutherans who had helped save my cat. I took her quickly inside and showed Then another cat entered the picture. my wife, who melted in tears and held Grace, a grey kitty, a Maine Coon her tight, burying her face in her living cat with inely feathered hair like a luff. A God ire moment no less. four-legged angel, who lived behind the At Paciic Lutheran Theological same Lutheran church, liked to attend Seminary, as part of a talent contest, service. She would walk down the aisle I made up a story about a cat that when the service began and sit in front belonged to Jesus (“Behold, the Cat of the altar. There was no question in of the Lord” it was called). Of course, my mind that she possessed religious anyone knows that this story is totally sensibilities. Her name, Grace, relected made up. However, in my heart of her sublime theology. hearts I truly believe that the fact such a Grace lived in the house behind cat had never been mentioned is just an me, with a young family. I told them oversight, an omission by an editor that that if they ever needed to ind a home knew that such an entry of a cat would for Gracie (as we call her now) that have somewhat changed the whole we would be up for the task. Several tenor of the Gospel. Yet, it is impossible years later, when we had moved to to think of a Lord who loved small Woodburn, we got a call — the young things not having a cat — quite family had moved to live next to unrealistic in fact. dangerous Highway 99 E. They wanted Much as cat pictures have now Grace to be safe. So Gracie came to my dominated Facebook, I think that house, where she learned to listen to biblical texts involving Jesus’ cat would me practice sermons — although she soon confuse the story and distract makes no comment. from the point. Artists through history Now I have another cat, called would paint pictures of Jesus and the Darko, named after the ilm character, ishermen, with an abundance of cats. time-traveling Donnie Darko. Black as Mary would have pictures entitled midnight, he likes to sleep under sheets Madonna and Cat — and Child. You with his head on a pillow, and has a can see that the balance would be fondness for pouncing on Gracie from maladjusted. time to time, causing Gracie to slap him But cats and Christianity are for for his impertinence. He had a rough me tied together, in the story of three beginning in life. of my cats. Without them, my story of I will tell you his special story if becoming a limey pastor in Boardman you come to Good Shepherd in the would be entirely different. I doubt Boardman church on Locust Road, that I would be here. When I lived where I am its pastor, on Sunday at 11 in Aurora, I moved next door to a a.m. and ask me. Lutheran church. I was, however, at ■ that time a Catholic and had been a Colin Brown is pastor of Good Shep- Catechumen (a beginner) in that faith herd Lutheran Church in Boardman. ~Come and be at Peace ~ on 1290 KUMA noon each Sunday 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 All People Are Welcome 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 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 Redeemer Episcopal Church 241 SE Second St. Pendleton (541)276-3809 www.pendletonepiscopal.org Sunday Holy Communion 9:00 a.m. Wednesday Holy Communion Noon Weekly Adults Spiritual Life Group All Are Welcome Com e m eet Jesus a t PEN D LETO N BAPTIST C HU RC H 3202 SW N ye Ave Pen d leton , O R 541-276-7590 Su n d a y M orn in g W orship 11:00 AM Su n d a y Bible Cla sses 9:45 AM Su n d a y Y ou th Grou p 6:00 PM M on . Com m u n ity W om en ’s Stu d y 9:30 AM & 6 PM Aw a n a K id s Clu b (K -6th gra d e) W ed M en ’s Stu d y 6 PM M O PS m eetin g the 1st Thu r of the M on th 6 PM FIRST SERVICE 8:30 AM SECOND SERVICE 10:30 AM 712 SW 27 TH ST. 541-276-1894 www.fcogpendleton.com FAITH LUTHERAN CHURCH in Mission for Christ LCMC Bible Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:00 AM Sunday Worship . . . 10:30 AM Red Lion Hotel ( Oregon Trail Room ) www.faithpendleton.org BAHA’I FAITH “The Unity of All Mankind” Pendleton Baha’i Center at 1015 SE Court Place Devotions Sundays @ 11:00am; Everyone invited! (541) 276-9360 visit us at www.pendletonbahais.org To share your worship times call Terri Briggs 541-278-2678