FAITH
Friday, March 10, 2017
Pope open to studying ordination
of married men as priests
BERLIN (AP) — Pope
Francis says the church must
study whether it’s possible to
ordain married men to minister
in remote communities facing
priest shortages.
In an interview published
Thursday with Germany’s
Die Zeit, Francis stressed that
removing the celibacy rule is
not the answer to the Catholic
Church’s priest shortage. But
he expressed an openness to
studying whether so-called
“viri probati” — or married
men of proven faith — could
be ordained.
“We must consider if viri
probati is a possibility. Then
we must determine what tasks
they can perform, for example,
in remote communities,” he
was quoted as saying.
The “viri probati” proposal
has been around for decades,
but it has drawn fresh attention
under history’s first Latin
American pope thanks in
part to his appreciation of the
challenges facing the church
in places like Brazil, a huge
Catholic country with an acute
shortage of priests.
Brazilian Cardinal Claudio
Hummes, a longtime friend
of Francis and former head of
the Vatican’s office for clergy,
is reportedly pressing to allow
viri probati in the Amazon,
where the church counts
around one priest for every
AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia
Pope Francis waves to faithful during the Angelus prayer
delivered by Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the
Vatican, Sunday.
10,000 Catholics.
Francis has shown particular
openness to receiving concrete
proposals
for
ordaining
married men as well as his own
pastoral concern for men who
have left ministry to marry.
He
has
maintained
friendship with the Argentine
widow of a friend who left the
priesthood to marry, and he
spent one of his Friday mercy
missions last year visiting with
men who had left ministry to
start families. He has also said
that while he favors a celibate
priesthood, celibacy techni-
cally can be up for discussion
since it’s a discipline of the
church, not a dogma.
The church allows some
exceptions to the rule. Priests
in the eastern rite Catholic
Church are allowed to be
married, as are married
Anglican priests who convert
to Catholicism.
In the first major interview
that Francis has given a
German newspaper, the pope
was asked whether he expe-
rienced moments in which he
doubted the existence of God.
He responded: “I, too, know
moments of emptiness.”
But, he pointed out that
periods of crisis are an opportu-
nity to grow, saying a believer
who doesn’t experience that
remains “infantile.”
Big changes coming to Utah liquor laws
By MICHELLE L. PRICE
Associated Press
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah
lawmakers spent the final day
the 2017 session Thursday
deciding the fate of bills
covering a range of hot-button
conservative topics such as
guns and abortion while closing
out a term that may be best
remembered for big changes
to the state’s notoriously strict
liquor laws.
The end of the session came
after lawmakers a day earlier
voted to ease rules hiding the
preparation of alcoholic drinks
in restaurants and approved a
measure that will give the state
the country’s toughest DUI
threshold.
Both proposals still need
to be signed by the Gov. Gary
Herbert, but the Republican has
said he supports them.
Herbert said Thursday that
he disagreed with the percep-
tion that Utah has a reputation
as a place that’s unfriendly to
drinkers, saying liquor policies
haven’t stopped the state’s
economy and tourism from
booming.
Legislators had planned
this year to reform Utah’s tax
policies and consider passing
a broad medical marijuana
law, but both efforts died as
lawmakers said they needed
more time to study the issues so
they can try again later.
They did finalize $16 billion
state budget that gives state
workers a 2 percent pay raise,
covers growing enrollment in
public schools and increases
the money going to local school
districts for teacher pay and
other expenses by $120 million.
The move to ease liquor
restrictions while tightening
others mirrors recent moves by
Utah leaders.
They’ve tried to balance
appeasing a growing popula-
tion of non-Mormon drinkers
and increased tourism while
upholding a deep cultural
aversion to allowing an
“alcohol culture,” a perspective
that stems from teachings of
The Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints to avoid
alcohol.
A longtime rule requiring
restaurants to hide the mixing
and pouring of alcoholic drinks
would be relaxed under one
proposal, though the barriers
some restaurants use, nick-
named “Zion Curtains” may
not go away entirely.
The proposal allows restau-
rants to stop using a barrier
— generally a frosted glass
wall around a bar or a back
room for preparing drinks — if
they instead set up a child-free
buffer-zone around bars. Most
restaurants in Utah are not
currently required to have the
barriers because the last big
liquor overhaul only applied
the rule to restaurants built after
2009.
The new proposal requires
all restaurants to pick one
of several options to set up
their bar areas so children are
prevented from seeing drinks
being made. Officials expect
some restaurants may build or
keep Zion Curtains because
doing so could save money on
renovation costs.
The Zion Curtains have
been a target of the hospitality
industry for years but past
efforts to roll back the rule met
stiff resistance from The Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints. The church has been a
powerful moral voice on state
liquor laws and its stance on
issues carries weight with Utah
lawmakers, most of whom are
members of the faith.
East Oregonian
Page 7A
LIMEY PASTOR
The dark of faith
O
ur God is an extravagant
the business of God is that it
God and loves
is always God’s business. If it
extravagantly. In the
becomes my task it is humanly
absence of music for our service,
vulnerable, liable to error.
our former pianist in Hermiston
When I first visited my future
was called out of her home and
seminary in California I thought
set off for our tiny church last
of all the obstacles before me.
Sunday feeling that the Spirit
Families, money, organization,
was calling her name. The Lord
work, etc. It seemed an
Colin
had called the music forth and
impossible thing to do at my
Brown
she followed. The wonder of
gray-haired stage of life. Another
Faith
the Lord is always before us.
prospective student looked at me
The song of the Lord is always
and said “You know what they
being sung even though we sometimes
say — if it’s God’s will then it’s God’s
can’t discern it in our lives. We listen to
bill.”
our own anxiety and act as if our whole
Somehow the program happened. At
world is dangling in jeopardy. Yes, God
the time then I worked for U.S. Bank,
is in it and he is working to make things
and was an information technology
right.
security expert. I talked to my boss about
Bill Zuelke, a former spiritual
my ambitions. I had only worked there
director of mine who was hosting a
for six months. He talked with his boss
workshop many years ago for us in
and came to me, saying “Would you like
the Northwest House of Theological
to work for us from down there?”
Studies in Salem, spoke to us about how
“Sure,” I said — in surprise — and
the devil tempted him. He was newly
so it was. I worked for U.S. Bank from
married with wife and child, and the
a dorm room in Berkeley. I haven’t a
devil always whispered in his ear about
clue how that was possible. God was
the worst things that could happen to
in it, that I was certain of. I was able to
them. A miasma of anxiety disrupted his divide my time rightly and work equally
concerns — his faith was attacked. Our
in both. The bank grounded me, and the
imaginations make a great playground
classwork fed my soul. Walking by faith,
for the “other” spirits. This doesn’t
I had walked onto the water and the
change yet we can walk in the darkness
water held me up. God was in it.
of faith.
So walking by faith is a walk in
I also find myself subject to this same darkness, where we are called to
attack on my being. I also am tempted
surrender our minds and hearts and go
by the “other spirit” to think of the worst where the subtle breeze of the Holy
things that can happen. I begin to feel
Spirit blows us. The darkness still
despair rather than pray for the relief of
surrounds us, our minds still imagine
the suffering of others and their peace.
fearfully. Yet, God is in it and we shall
Yet, I must do this. I must pray and
be all right.
hope, putting the weight in my faith.
■
This act of placing my faith before me
Colin Brown is the pastor of Good
is necessary. It is only important that
Shepherd Lutheran Church on Locust
God’s will be done and that I serve his
Road in Boardman. Email him at Limey-
purpose whatever. The great thing about
Pastor@usa.net.
BRIEFLY
Aglow prayer coordinator
to share at meeting
WALLA WALLA — A longtime
leader with Aglow will speak at the
Walla Walla Aglow Community
Lighthouse meeting.
Marilyn Seeger, who is the
Washington State Aglow prayer
coordinator, will share Saturday at
10 a.m. at Whitman Court, 305 Ash
St., Walla Walla. A freewill offering
will be taken for the event, which
includes lunch. Seeger has served in
the organization’s leadership in seven
cities and is past president of the
Tri-Cities Aglow.
Part of an international organization,
Aglow seeks to minister to its
members and share God’s word in the
community. In addition to the regular
monthly meetings, there are weekly
prayer groups and Bible studies.
For more information, call Kathy
Owsley at 509-540-2684, Lora
Sykes at 509-540-0212 or visit www.
ecwaglow.
Nazarene church
hosts Friday fun
HERMISTON — The last Fun on
Fridays event for the 2016-17 school
year is March 17.
An in-service day at school, kids
in kindergarten through fifth grade are
invited to participate in activities and
enjoy lunch. Depending on the weather,
outdoor activities may be included. The
event is Friday, March 17 from noon to
2:30 p.m. at Hermiston Church of the
Nazarene, 1520 W. Orchard Ave. The
event is free.
For more information or to register,
visit http://www.hermistonnazarene.
org/ministries/childrens/fun-on-fridays.
html. For questions, contact 541-567-
3677 or hermistonnaz@gmail.com.
Friday’s faith page features local, national and international faith-related
news. Send information about local faith-related news and events, includ-
ing concerts, special speakers and activities to community@eastoregonian.
com or drop off to the attention of Tammy Malgesini at 333 E. Main St.,
Hermiston or Renee Struthers at 211 S.E. Byers Ave., Pendleton. Call 541-
564-4539 or 541-966-0818 with questions.
Worship Community
First United Methodist Church
Pendleton/Hermiston
352 SE 2nd Street, Pendleton
Sunday Worship 9am
541-276-2616
Worship Broadcast on
KUMA 1290 @ 11am
191 E. Gladys Ave,Hermiston
Sunday Worship 11am
541-567-3002
Worship Livestream at herfumc.com
Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors
Rev. Dr. Jim Pierce, pastor
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
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”
Sunday Worship
10:00am
Wednesday Healing School
6:00pm
Youth Classes: Nursery - 6th grade
Sun & Wed
Jr & Sr High Discipleship Program Wed
Overcomer’s Outreach
Tuesday at 6:00pm - Annex
A Christ-centered, 12-Step
Recovery Support Group
Pastor Sharon Miller
401 Northgate, Pendleton
541-278-8082
www.livingwordcc.com
Pendleton Baha’i Center at
1015 SE Court Place
Devotions Sundays @
11:00am; Everyone invited!
(541) 276-9360 visit us at
www.pendletonbahais.org
Redeemer
Episcopal
Church
St. Johns
Episcopal Church
Join Us
On Our Journey
With Jesus.
241 SE Second St. Pendleton
(541)276-3809
www.pendletonepiscopal.org
Scripture, Tradition and Reason
Sunday Holy Communion 9:00 a.m.
Wednesday Holy Communion Noon
Weekly Adults Spiritual Life Group
Family service 9am Sunday
N.E. Gladys Ave & 7th, Hermiston
Fr. Dan Lediard, Priest. PH: 567-6672
We are an all inclusive Church
who welcomes all.
All Are Welcome
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”
Good Shepherd
Lutheran Church
LCMC
Sunday worship at
11:00 AM
420 Locust St. • Boardman, OR
Seventh-Day
Adventist
Church
Saturday Services
Pendleton
1401 SW Goodwin Place
276-0882
Sabbath School 9:20 am
Worship Service 10:45 am
OPEN HEARTS – OPEN DOOR
www.graceandmercylutheran.org
Sunday Worship 8:45 a.m.
Sunday School 10:00 a.m. (Nursery Provided)
Fellowship, Refreshments & Sunday School
Check Out our Facebook Page or
Website for More Information
Faith Center Church
Worshiping God
Loving People
108 S. Main • 276-9569
Sunday Worship
10:30 am
Sr. Pastor,
Ray O’Grady
pendletonfaithcenter.org
Community
Presbyterian Church
541-289-4535
14 Martin Drive,
Umatilla, OR
922-3250
Tom Inch, Pastor
Grace and Mercy Lutheran Church, ELCA
(First United Methodist Church)
191 E. Gladys Ave. / P.O. Box 1108
Hermiston, Oregon 97838
Worship: 10 AM
Sunday School at 11:30
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
541-481-6132
~Come and be at Peace ~
Colin Brown, Pastor
on 1290 KUMA noon each Sunday
FIRST SERVICE 8:30 AM
SECOND SERVICE 10:30 AM
712 SW 27 TH ST.
541-276-1894
www.fcogpendleton.com
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
To share your worship times call Terri Briggs 541-278-2678