A6
COMMUNITY
East Oregonian
Friday, May 17, 2019
Faith-based community
comes together to serve
FAITH BRIEFING
Climate conversation
mixes faith, science
‘I Love My City’
events this weekend
By TAMMY MALGESINI
East Oregonian
The “I Love My City” cam-
paign is gearing up for a work
day and a combined community
worship service.
The two-day event will fea-
ture nine area churches and the
Columbia Basin Board of Real-
tors. Rev. Terry Haight of Herm-
iston Assembly of God Church
is excited about the increased
involvement of the faith-based
community.
“They are jumping on board
with it,” Haight said. “Also, I
know there are other groups that
independently approach and do
things with the city.”
As summer turned to fall in
2016, members of Hermiston
Assembly first organized the
initiative. Donning red T-shirts
emblazoned with “I Love My
City,” about 70 volunteers spread
out across the city to be of service
to others. They organized a pair
of car washes, distributed food
and drinks at local parks, held
a block party and went door-to-
door offering to pray with people.
A season of change sprouted
as church parishioners sought
ways to promote healing in the
community after several trage-
dies. The idea, Haight said, was
to spread God’s love through
simple and practical ways.
A spring cleanup effort is
Saturday, May 18 from 9 a.m.
to noon. People who aren’t con-
nected to a specific church that’s
involved can register at www.
ilovehermiston.com or meet at
McKenzie Park for instructions
and work crew assignments.
In addition to targeted cleanup
areas, it will include free car
washes at Les Schwab Tire Cen-
ter, 830 N. First St., and Smitty’s
Ace Hardware, 1845 N. First St.
Also, “I Love My City” T-shirts
are available for $10.
The worship service is Sun-
day, May 19 at 10 a.m. at Eastern
Contributed by Lukes Photos
Members of New Hope Community Church organized an October 2017
cleanup effort near the Hermiston Butte as part of the “I Love My City”
campaign.
EO File Photo
Siblings Emmylou Sword and
Tucker Sword wash cars during
an April 2017 “I Love My City”
event in Hermiston.
Oregon Trade and Event Center,
1705 Airport Road, Hermiston.
The faith-based community will
gather and worship as one body
of believers, Haight said. Child
care will be provided for kids up
to age 5. Children 6 and over are
encouraged to sit with their fami-
lies during the service.
“It’s a bilingual service with
various pastors. We try to get as
many people involved as possi-
ble,” Haight said. “It’s a relation-
ship building opportunity among
the churches.”
Since the initial “I Love My
City” event, nearly a dozen
churches have joined the effort.
The idea is to organize commu-
nity service activities several
times a year — everything from
cleanup efforts and car washes
to gift-wrapping and children’s
activities. Sometimes it’s one
church or several congregations
working in conjunction with
each other. Then, the churches
all come together once a year to
do a larger organized effort and
hold a combined church service,
Haight said.
The combined efforts have
grown — the first year included
300 volunteers, which increased
to 400 last year. And 800 peo-
ple attended the combined wor-
ship service in 2017, increasing to
1,200 last year. With the involve-
ment of additional churches,
Haight is hoping for 500 volun-
teers and would love to see as
many, if not more, people at the
service.
“We want to get as many peo-
ple involved as possible,” he said.
“Also, it’s not something we just
do once a year. ‘I Love My City’
should be a lifestyle.”
———
Contact Community Editor
Tammy Malgesini at tmalge-
sini@eastoregonian.com or
541-564-4539
PENDLETON — The Rev.
Kathy Keener of the First Presby-
terian Church will discuss the role
of faith in environmental steward-
ship at Tuesday’s Third Tuesday
Climate Conversation. The meet-
ing begins at noon in the Prod-
igal Son Brewery & Pub’s the-
ater room, 230 S.E. Court Ave.,
Pendleton.
In the fight against climate
change, an increasing number of
faith-based organizations have
taken up the cause as a strug-
gle against ecological crisis and
social injustice. Many people are
unaware of faith groups that study
ecological theology, bridging faith
and science, developing policy and
taking action on behalf of the cre-
ation. Rev. Keener, who is com-
pleting 27 months as interim pas-
tor at First Presbyterian Church,
has a special interest in sustain-
ability and ecojustice.
To reduce noise interruption to
the conversation, East Oregon Cli-
mate Change Coalition (EOC3),
the meeting’s host, will be provid-
ing light refreshments for those
who wish to partake. A $10 dona-
tion, or whatever attendees wish
to contribute, is suggested. Bever-
ages may be purchased at the bar
ahead of the presentation.
For more information, email
eastoregonclimatechange@gmail.
com or find the group’s page on
Facebook.
Blue Mountain
Community Foundation
seeks grant applications
WALLA WALLA — Blue
Mountain Community Foundation
is pleased to announce that its Dis-
cretionary Grant Guidelines and
Application Form are now avail-
able online for local nonprofit orga-
nizations seeking support. The due
date for submission is July 1, 2019,
at 11:59 p.m.
Applications will be accepted
from tax-exempt 501©(3) charitable
organizations and public agencies
in Columbia, Garfield and Walla
Walla counties in Washington, and
Umatilla County in Oregon. Total
grants in excess of $230,000 will
be awarded in the areas of basic
needs, health and wellness, educa-
tion, arts and culture and neighbor-
hoods and communities.
The Guidelines and Application
Form are online at the Foundation
website, www.bluemountainfoun-
dation.org. Only online applica-
tions are accepted.
For more than 30 years, the Blue
Mountain Community Founda-
tion has worked to strengthen the
well-being of communities in the
Walla Walla Valley. It has grown
to over $50 million in assets and
has over 340 charitable funds
directed to benefit the people of
Walla Walla, Columbia and Gar-
field counties in Washington and
Umatilla County in Oregon. The
Foundation distributed more than
$2.5 million in grants and scholar-
ships in 2018.
Additional information may be
obtained by calling the Foundation
office at 509-529-4371 or emailing
bmcf@bluemountainfoundation.
org.
First Christian
Church suspends
Sunday breakfasts
MILTON-FREEWATER
—
The regular breakfasts that have
been held before services at the
First Christian Church in Mil-
ton-Freewater are suspended for
the duration of the summer.
Other regular Sunday features
at the church include an adult Sun-
day school class based on the book
of Acts at 9:15 a.m., and an adult
class titled “Discipleship and Mis-
sions” led by Pastor Steve Lyons
at 9:30 a.m. Junior and senior high
school and Kids Klub youth groups
meet at 9:30 a.m., with church wor-
ship following at 10:45 a.m. Junior
church meets during worship time.
Other regular church offer-
ings include a Bible study group
at Park Plaza on Sundays at
7 p.m.
Valet parking is available
during the church’s regular ser-
vices, accessed by the ramp from
the Southwest Sixth Avenue side
of the church. An elevator is avail-
able at the north entrance, parking
lot side.
For more information, call 541-
938-3854. Office hours are Mon-
day through Thursday from 8 a.m.
to noon, or by appointment.
Saturday, May 18 • 10am-4pm
SUNSET ESTATES • 2370 NE 8th St., Hermiston
B.D. ABLES, INC. “BUILDMASTERS” • CCB 64013
FIELDSTONE CROSSING
884 SW Angus Avenue, Hermiston
COLUMBIA BASIN STUDENT HOMES
Fieldstone Crossing Subdivision
Home Features Include:
- High quality homes built by skilled students in partnership with local
tradesmen from the Northeast Oregon Home Builders Association
- Energy Trust of Oregon Certified high-performance homes
- Fiber-to-the-home technology
- Large, open floor plans with fully-landscaped lots
- Great location, great access, and a great cause
WOLF RUN • 1751 SW 9th St., Hermiston
Frank Gehring Construction, Inc. • CCB 182116
DESERT SKY ESTATES • 584 SW Cottonwood Dr., Hermiston
Burns Properties, LLC
Stocker Construction Inc. • CCB ||1111004
Spanning from the classroom to the field, the mission of the Columbia Basin Student Homebuilder
Program (CBSHP) is to provide real-world application, exposure, and opportunity to local high school
students. Working in partnership with skilled tradesmen from the Northeast Oregon Homebuilders
Association, students construct and sell one high-quality home per year.
For more information: www.columbiabasinstudenthomes.org
FIELDSTONE CROSSING
895 SW Angus Avenue, Hermiston
SPONSORED BY:
FOR MORE INFORMATION
CALL 541-561-5889