FAITH
Friday, July 15, 2016
East Oregonian
Page 9A
GOP, Dems clash over religious
Community
freedom bill’s impact on gays
By SARAH GRACE TAYLOR
Associated Press
WASHINGTON
—
Congressional Republicans
and Democrats clashed
Tuesday over legislation
the GOP described as
upholding religious freedom
and Democrats insisted was
discriminatory, with no sign
of consensus.
The House Committee on
Oversight and Government
Reform held a three-hour
hearing to consider the
First Amendment Defense
Act, a measure to “prohibit
the federal government
from taking discriminatory
action” against a person
whose religious beliefs or
moral convictions deine
marriage as a union between
a man and a woman.
The legislation has 171
co-sponsors in the House,
but faces opposition from
Democrats and outside
groups who argue it will
result in more discrimination
against members of the
lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender community as
well as single-parent fami-
“Protecting the sacred right to
freely exercise your religion is the
First Amendment ... for a reason.”
— Rep. Jason Chaffetz, D-Utah
lies.
“Protecting the sacred
right to freely exercise your
religion is the First Amend-
ment to the Constitution for
a reason — it has been and
still is fundamental to the
foundation of our nation,”
said Rep. Jason Chaffetz,
R-Utah, chairman of the
committee.
Foes of the bill bemoaned
the timing of the hearing on
the one-month anniversary
of the shooting at the Pulse
nightclub
in
Orlando,
Florida, that left 49 people
dead and injured 53.
“With everything going
on in this country right now,
these horriic shootings of
gay people, black people,
police oficers, what we
should be doing is coming
together as a nation, not
tearing each other apart,
which is exactly what this
bill does,” said Rep. Elijah
Cummings of Maryland, top
Democrat on the committee.
“To say this hearing is
politically tone-deaf is the
understatement of the year.”
Jim Obergefell, the lead
plaintiff in the 2015 Supreme
Court ruling to legalize
same-sex marriage in all 50
states, testiied as a witness
opposing the bill and asked,
“What could ever justify
such a discriminatory act?”
“As important as it is
that same-sex couples like
John (his late partner) and
I have the right to obtain
a civil marriage license in
any state of the country,”
Obergefell said, “it is also
critically important that this
constitutional right is not
undermined by proposals
like this legislation that
subject loving couples like
me and John, and other
LGBT people to discrimi-
nation.”
Former Chief of the
Atlanta Fire Department
Kelvin Cochran, who
was terminated from his
position because of his
opposition to same-sex
marriage, advocated for the
bill, saying it would have
protected his job.
“Equal rights, true toler-
ance means that, regardless
of your position on marriage,
you should be able to peace-
fully live out your beliefs
and not suffer discrimination
at the hands of the govern-
ment,” Cochran said.
Despite the ideological
disagreements, the main
focus of the hearing became
the language used in the
legislation and whether or
not the bill would undermine
the Fair Housing Act, the
Civil Rights Act or other
pre-existing equality acts.
“We have had very robust
conversations that disagree.
What my concern is is that
we are at times missing each
other on misinformation,”
Rep.
Mark
Meadows,
R-N.C., said.
585 SW Birch,
Pilot Rock, OR 97868
(541) 443-2500
prbconline.blogspot.com
Pilot Rock, Sunday School: 9:30 am
Worship Service: 10:45 am
Kids’ Club: 6:00 pm
Wednesday Services:
Youth Group: 7:00 pm
P eace L utheran C hurch
210 NW 9th, Pendleton
ELCA
Faith Center Church
Worshiping God
~Come and be at Peace ~
Loving People
108 S. Main • 276-9569
Sunday Worship
10:30 am
Sr. Pastor,
Ray O’Grady
on 1290 KUMA noon each Sunday
pendletonfaithcenter.org
NEW HOPE
COMMUNITY CHURCH
Seventh-Day
Adventist
Church
Join us Sundays
9:30
Sunday
Worship
9:30
am am
Sunday
Worship
10:30
am Fellowship
Refreshments
10:30 am
11:00 am Sunday School
& Adult Class
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
Saturday Services
Pendleton
1401 SW Goodwin Place
276-0882
Sabbath School 9:20 am
Worship Service 10:45 am
Community
Presbyterian Church
First United
Methodist
Church
14 Martin Drive,
Umatilla, OR
922-3250
352 SE 2nd Street
Pendleton, OR
541-276-2616
Worship: 10 AM
Sunday School at 11:30
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
Grace Baptist Church
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
AP Photo/Matt Rourke
Philadelphia church’s 200th anniversary
A stained glass window adorns Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia on July
6. The church marks its 200th anniversary in the city where it was founded by a former slave.
BOARDMAN’S LIMEY PASTOR
Mary and Martha
T
his week’s
gospel text is
from Luke,
Chapter 10 about
the two good sisters,
Mary and Martha,
who demonstrate
with painful clarity
the tension of the
Colin
opposing poles
Brown
of the Christian
Faith
faith. Martha is the
busy do-gooder,
making sure that all is right in
terms of readiness for the visit
of Jesus — a totally essential
role. Her sister, Mary, quietly
sits at the feet of the Lord Jesus
and just listens and listens to the
most amazingly personal sermon.
Martha grumbles at Jesus about
her sister, saying, “Lord, do you
not care that my sister has left me
to serve alone? Tell her then to
help me.”
Two roles, two essential roles
— but only one that cannot be
repeated. Both roles are claiming
priority, but the moment with
Jesus is leeting. Jesus softly tells
Martha that Mary has chosen
the good portion which will not
be taken away from her. I can’t
imagine how Martha felt, with her
gift of effort being sidestepped.
But it certainly wasn’t refused. It
must have hurt.
When my fellow Lutheran
travelers and students were
roaming in Israel, the true Bible
Belt, we found ourselves in
front of the Lutheran pastor
and peacemaker Mitri Raheb in
Bethlehem. He saw our road-
weary faces and our eager aspect,
and said to us: “I see what you are
here for. You are here to run where
Jesus walked.” We laughed.
It was true. We had not entered
the contemplative dimension,
which is the only way to really
enter the reality of the Holy
Land. Our Western sense of
having to do something — to
make notes, take photographs
and roll up time into little boxes
for future sermons — is always
attempting to steal the amazing
presence of Jesus in all corners
in this place and make his words
some form of project.
From time to time, here
in Oregon and in Minnesota, I
try to ind that effervescence of
silence. I sneak off to a monastery,
a Benedictine or Carmelite
monastery, and sit in darkness,
listening to the same gentle
sermon that Mary heard and
relearn again the art of prayer and
enter God’s silence. Jesus always
shows up.
It’s really my job in the
church to be the doorman, not the
huckster who sells. I know that
last week my spirit was not quiet
and I felt fraudulent, being so
inwardly noisy and restless when
the living silence was all around
me trying to get in. What use is an
agitated pastor?
This weekend I am going to
join Mary in spirit, in the Holy
Spirit, and allow myself to rest in
those quiet words. I hope to visit
the Holy Land in 2017 and the
next time do the slow dance of
rejoicing with the Master of our
Hearts.
May the Lord bless you and
keep you, dear friends. Make his
face to shine upon you and give
you peace, wonderful, wonderful
peace.
■
Colin Brown of Boardman’s
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
on Locust Road.
BRIEFLY
Cave Quest in Pendleton
shines light on Jesus
PENDLETON — Kids ages 5-12 are
invited to learn what it means to follow Jesus
and shine his light during vacation Bible
school at the Pendleton Seventh-day Adventist
Church.
With a theme of Cave Quest: Following
Jesus the Light of the World, organizers
promise an over-the-top underground
adventure. The event is Monday, July 18
through Friday, July 22 from 6-8 p.m. at 1401
S.W. Goodwin Place, Pendleton. Children
don’t have to attend the church to participate.
Cave Quest features team-building games,
Bible songs and tasty treats keep everyone
on the move. In addition, they will discover
practical ways to follow Jesus.
Parents can register their kids in
advance at www.groupvbspro.com/vbs/ez/
PendletonSDA. Walk-in registrations also are
welcome.
For more information, call 541-276-0882.
Echo church sets Bible school
ECHO — Singing, games, Bible stories
and skits are featured during vacation Bible
school in Echo.
Open to ages 3-12, the event is Monday,
July 25 through Friday, July 29 from 6:30-
8:30 p.m. at the Echo Community Church, 21
N. Bonanza St. Participants also will receive
snacks.
The free event is open to children of any
faith. For more information, call Donna at
541-376-8664.
OPEN HEARTS – OPEN DOOR
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
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
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 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
Pro-life group seeks help
with fair booth
HERMISTON — Plans for manning a
pro-life booth during the Umatilla County Fair
is on the agenda of the West Umatilla County
Right to Life organizational meeting.
Anyone interested in the cause is invited
to attend. The meeting is Monday, July 25 at
6:30 p.m. at The Arc building, 215 W. Orchard
Ave., Hermiston.
For more information, call Deanna Leonard
at 541-667-8537.
To share your worship times call
Terri Briggs
541-278-2678