FAITH
Friday, May 12, 2017
East Oregonian
Mormon church severs some ties to Boy Scouts
By BRADY MCCOMBS
Associated Press
SALT LAKE CITY — The
Mormon church, the biggest
sponsor of Boy Scout troops in the
United States, announced Thursday
it is pulling as many as 185,000
older youths from the organization
as part of an effort to start its own
scouting-like program.
The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints said the move
wasn’t triggered by the Boy Scouts’
decision in 2015 to allow gay troop
leaders, since Mormon-sponsored
troops have remained free to exclude
such adults on religious grounds.
But at least one leading Mormon
scholar said that the Boy Scouts
and the church have been diverging
on values in recent years and that
the policy on gays was probably a
contributing factor in the split.
Saying it wants a new, simplified
program of its own that is more
closely tailored to Mormon teen-
agers, the church announced that
boys ages 14 to 18 will no longer
participate in the Boy Scouts starting
next year. The church said the
decision will affect 185,000 teens;
the Boy Scouts put the number at
130,000.
The loss is only a fraction of
the 2.3 million youths in the Boy
Scouts of America, but the orga-
nization has been grappling with
declining membership for years
and has enjoyed an unusually close
bond with the Mormon church
for more than a century because
of their shared values. Joining the
Boy Scouts is practically automatic
among Mormon boys.
Boy Scouts of America
spokeswoman Effie Delimarkos
said the organization is saddened
by the decision but understands
the church’s desire to customize a
program.
About 280,000 Mormon boys
ages 8 to 13 will remain in the
Scouts while the church develops
its program, the Mormons said. The
Boy Scouts estimated their number
at 330,000. The church did not say
Rick Egan/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP
The Mormon church, the biggest sponsor of Boy Scout troops in the United States, announced
Thursday it is pulling as many as 185,000 older youths from the organization as part of an effort to
start its own scouting-like program.
when the younger boys will be
withdrawn from the Boy Scouts.
Like other conservative faiths,
the Mormon church opposes gay
marriage and teaches that being
in a homosexual relationship is
a sin. The church initially said it
was “deeply troubled” by the Boy
Scouts’ policy change on gays
but stayed with the organization
after receiving assurances it could
appoint troop leaders according to
its own religious and moral values.
In Thursday’s announcement, the
church said that it learned recently
that the Boy Scouts are considering
admitting girls, but that its decision
was made independently of that.
Matthew Bowman, a Mormon
scholar and history professor at
Henderson State University, said
the schism reflects the two organi-
zations’ diverging values, with gays
and girls among the issues on which
they are moving apart.
“The church is wedded very
much to traditional gender roles and
they see the Boy Scouts of America
increasingly move away from that,”
Bowman said. “That means that
they have come to see it as less of a
hospitable place.”
Thursday’s
announcement
represents a first step toward
something that has been in the
works for years: a Mormon-run
scouting-type program that could
be used in congregations around
the world. The church has 15.8
million members, nearly 6 in 10 of
them outside the U.S. and Canada.
Scouting is available only in the
U.S. and Canada.
“The long game here is the
church looking forward to a time
when Americans are even more of a
minority in the church than they are
now,” Bowman said.
Mormon teenagers who want to
continue working toward the Eagle
Scout rank will be able to do that on
their own while also participating
in the new program, said church
spokesman Eric Hawkins.
The Boy Scout movement has
been entrenched in Mormon culture
for as long as anyone can remember.
In 2013, the church put on an
extravagant theatrical production
inside its 21,000-seat auditorium
in Salt Lake City to commemorate
the 100th anniversary of the faith’s
alliance with the Boy Scouts.
A Boy Scout training complex
in West Virginia is named after
Mormon church President Thomas
S. Monson, a longtime member of
the Boy Scouts’ executive board
and a major supporter. Charles
Dahlquist II, a Mormon, holds the
top volunteer position with the Boy
Scouts.
Federal judge in D.C. delays ruling in travel ban case
By SAM HANANEL
Associated Press
WASHINGTON — A federal
judge in the nation’s capital said
Thursday she won’t act on a request
to block President Donald Trump’s
revised travel ban because two
other judges have already stopped
the executive order from going into
effect.
U.S. District Judge Tanya
Chutkan said in an order that she
is “inclined to agree” that Trump’s
effort to temporarily bar new visas
for citizens of six predominantly
Muslim countries is unlawful. But
she said the best course of action is to
delay proceedings until appeals from
the rulings in Maryland and Hawaii
are resolved.
Chutkan heard testimony last
month from Iranian-American and
Muslim groups that say Iranians
have faced delays and disruptions
in obtaining visas even after the ban
was blocked. They had asked for a
more sweeping injunction that would
restore the normal visa application
process.
Organizations challenging the
ban in Washington, D.C., include the
Iranian American Bar Association
and the National Iranian American
Council. The lawsuit claims the
ban was driven by anti-Muslim
sentiment and is harming students,
business travelers and families.
Justice Department lawyers insist
the ban targets countries that pose
terrorism risks and say courts should
not second-guess the president’s
foreign policy decisions.
Chutkan was the first judge to
allow witnesses to testify in court
about the effects of the travel ban.
The Salvation Army
She appeared sympathetic to the
groups last month, and said Thursday
that she is prepared to issue a ruling
“without delay” if orders from
courts in Maryland and Hawaii are
overturned. Those judges blocked
the vast majority of the ban, which
would restrict immigration of people
from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan,
Syria and Yemen.
The Trump administration is
appealing both rulings. A federal
appeals court in Richmond, Virginia,
heard arguments in the Maryland
case on Monday, while a federal
appeals court in San Francisco will
consider the Hawaii ruling next
week.
Meanwhile, Chutkan said the
litigation on the merits of the case
would continue and she ordered the
parties to file legal briefs by the end
of June.
Cyrus Mehri, a lawyer repre-
senting the challengers, said the
groups would have a preferred a
ruling, but are pleased with the
judge’s comments that the ban likely
is illegal. He said his clients would
continue to “vigorously prosecute”
the case.
The case is being heard together
with another lawsuit filed by the
Universal Muslim Association of
America, the country’s largest orga-
nization of Shi’a Muslims.
The revised travel ban issued in
March is narrower than an earlier one
from January that was blocked by a
federal judge in Washington state.
The new version removed language
that would give priority to religious
minorities and erased Iraq from the
list of banned countries. It also made
it clear the ban doesn’t apply to those
who already have valid visas.
Page 7A
BRIEFLY
Church honors
longtime service of
several members
MILTON-FREEWATER
— Several members of the
Milton-Freewater First Christian
Church were recently recognized
in a special service.
The April 9 event honored the
individuals for their countless
hours of time, talent and service
to the church, said Janet Collins.
Recognized for their many
years as church deacons, Tom
Hinton and Ray Cox both
received the title of deacon
emeritus. Also, in recognition for
their years of service, Dorothy
Hinton, Margaret Johnston,
Pauline Cox, Glenda McGillis,
Bonnie Stephens and Pauline
Pope were named deaconess
emeritus.
The emeritus title, Collins
said, indicates that each of the
people are specially honored by
the congregation and are still
welcome to continue serving as
they are willing and able.
The First Christian Church
is located at 518 S. Main St.,
Milton-Freewater. The regular
Sunday worship service meets
at 10:45 a.m. Valet parking is
available by entering the ramp
from the south side of the church.
For more information, call
541-938-3854 Monday through
Thursdays from 8 a.m. to noon.
GriefShare offers
faith-based support
A support group that features
prayer, DVD lessons, group
discussions and workbook
exercises can help people with
the grieving process.
GriefShare is available in
several locations each week:
•Tuesdays from 6:30-8 p.m. at
the Irrigon Seventh-day Adventist
Church, 205 Tumbleweed Blvd.
•Wednesdays from 1-3 p.m.
at Sun Terrace Assisted Living,
1550 N.W. 11th St., Hermiston.
•Wednesdays from 6-7:30
p.m. at New Hope Community
Church, 1350 S. Highway 395,
Hermiston.
People can join the sessions at
any time. There is no fee.
For more information
call Terri at 541-667-3543
or Beth at 541-564-2595. In
addition, people can sign up
for GriefShare emails that offer
daily encouragement at www.
griefshare.org.
———
Friday’s faith page
features local, national and
international faith-related
news. Send information about
local faith-related news and
events, including 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
Center for Worship & Service
Sunday Worship Service
9:30 - Sunday School
10:30 - Worship Service
Wednesday Bible Study
5:30 Family Fellowship Meal • 6:00 Bible Study
COME AS YOU ARE
150 SE Emigrant • (541) 276-3369
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
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
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”
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
~Come and be at Peace ~
on 1290 KUMA noon each Sunday
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
541-289-4535
Tom Inch, Pastor
Grace and Mercy Lutheran Church, ELCA
(First United Methodist Church)
191 E. Gladys Ave. / P.O. Box 1108
Hermiston, Oregon 97838
Good Shepherd
Lutheran Church
LCMC
Sunday Worship
10:00am
Wednesday Healing School
6:00pm
Sunday worship at
11:00 AM
420 Locust St. • Boardman, OR
541-481-6132
Colin Brown, Pastor
Community
Presbyterian Church
St. Johns
Episcopal Church
Join Us
On Our Journey
With Jesus.
14 Martin Drive,
Umatilla, OR
922-3250
Scripture, Tradition and Reason
Worship: 10 AM
Sunday School at 11:30
N.E. Gladys Ave & 7th, Hermiston
Fr. Dan Lediard, Priest. PH: 567-6672
We are an all inclusive Church
who welcomes all.
Family service 9am Sunday
Seventh-Day
Adventist
Church
Saturday Services
Pendleton
1401 SW Goodwin Place
276-0882
Sabbath School 9:20 am
Worship Service 10:45 am
PENDLETON
LIGHTHOUSE CHURCH
Sunday Service: 10am & 6pm
Tuesday Kingdom Seekers: 7pm
Wednesday Bible Study: 7pm
We off er: Sunday School • Sign Language
Interpreters • Nursery • Transportation • & more!
Pastor Dan Satterwhite
541.377.4252
417 NW 21st St. • Pendleton, OR 97801
www.facebook.com/
PendletonLighthouseChurch
Faith Center Church
Worshiping God
FIRST SERVICE 8:30 AM
SECOND SERVICE 10:30 AM
712 SW 27 TH ST.
541-276-1894
www.fcogpendleton.com
First United
Methodist
Church
Pendleton
352 SE 2nd Street, Pendleton OR
Sunday Worship 9am • 541-276-2616
Worship Broadcast on KUMA 1290 @ 11am
Worship Livestream at
www.facebook.com/FUMCPendleton/
Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors
Rev. Dr. Jim Pierce, pastor
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
To share your worship times call Terri Briggs 541-278-2678
Loving People
108 S. Main • 276-9569
Sunday Worship
10:30 am
Sr. Pastor,
Ray O’Grady
pendletonfaithcenter.org
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