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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 14, 2021)
A6 COMMUNITY East Oregonian Recognizing we have things to be grateful for MARC MULLINS MARC’S REMARKS “R ejoice always, pray contin- ually, give thanks in all circum- stances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (The words of the Apostle Paul, in 1 Thessa- lonians 5:16-18.) Most will agree that 2020 was a challenging, if not distressing, year. The Umatilla River flood in early February displaced many, destroying homes and even livelihoods. One month later, COVID-19 caused grave concern as we began wearing face masks, using sanitizers and even shutting down services. Many have suffered from the virus, with the greatest difficulty being the loss of loved ones for some people. The advent of 2021 rang in with hope. News of vaccines, soon to be available, injected us with optimistic outlooks that life will change for the better in the not-too-distant future. We are encouraged to look forward to a new normal that will certainly be better than what we’ve endured for nearly a year now. This brings me to the heart of this column. Recently a longtime friend, from my high school days, shared with me something that her family does each year. She sent me a photo of a “thankfulness jar” that is kept on a counter in her kitchen. Throughout the year, members of her family write notes of gratitude on slips of paper and place them in the jar. Each day they are mindful to reflect on one thing for which they are grateful. They write their reflections down and put them into the jar, where they are kept until the end of the year has passed. On New Year’s Day, the family sits down together, and one by one the folded pieces of paper are removed and read aloud. According to my friend, this helps her family and her to be mindful of the things to be appreciated each day of life, and to be grateful for after the end of each year. My wife, Wendy, and I have taken up this prac- tice in our own home. We now have a crystal bowl that sits on the hearth of our fireplace. Our inten- tion is to place a written thought of gratitude in that container each day of the year, to be opened on the first day of January 2022. Perhaps you will consider doing some- thing like this in your own home this year? It’s true, the more we express grat- itude, the more we will recognize things in life to be grateful for. ——— Marc Mullins is a musi- cian, singer, songwriter, and pastor of the First Christian Church in Pend- leton. STUDENTS Arroyo earns M.Ed. degree SEWARD, Neb. — Liza Arroyo, of Pendleton, earned a Master of Educa- tion degree from Concor- dia University, Nebraska, during the fall term of 2020. Concordia University, Nebraska, founded in 1894, is a fully accredited, coed- ucational university located in Seward, Nebraska, which currently serves more than 2,500 students. Concordia offers more than 100 under- graduate, graduate and professional programs in an excellent academic and Christ-centered commu- nity that equips men and women for lives of learn- ing, service and leadership in the church and world. For more information, visit cune.edu. Rosselle named to OSU honor roll STILLWATER, Okla. — Macy Rosselle, of Adams, was named to the honor roll for the fall 2020 semester at Oklahoma State University. She is majoring in agriculture business. Full-time undergraduate students who completed 12 or more hours with a grade point average of 4.00 made the President’s Honor Roll. Students with a grade point average of 3.50 or higher with no grade below a C made the Dean’s Honor Roll. Local grad named to Gonzaga dean’s list SPOKANE, Wash. — Daniel Naughton, a 2018 Pendleton High School graduate, earned placement on the Gonzaga University Dean’s List for fall semester 2020. Students must earn a 3.50 to 3.84 grade-point average to be listed. Naughton is a junior at Gonzaga and plays on the varsity baseball team. Gonzaga University is a private Catholic, Jesuit, and humanistic univer- sity providing educa- tion to more than 7,800 students. Situated along the Spokane River near down- town Spokane, Washing- ton, Gonzaga is routinely recognized among the West’s best comprehen- sive regional universities. Gonzaga offers 75 fields of study, 26 master’s degrees, doctorate degrees in lead- ership studies and nursing, and a juris doctor degree through the School of Law. Local students named to SFCC honor roll SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane Falls Community College lists 1,728 students on its honor roll for fall quarter, which ended in December 2020. Students must have a grade point average of 3.0 or above to be listed on the honor roll. Hunt y r Ham i lton and Danner Hamilton, of Pendleton, and Wendy Holben, of Echo, were among those students named to the list. SFCC is one of two community colleges within the Community Colleges of Spok a ne d ist r ict and serves about 7,600 students. It is renowned for its theater, music and fine arts as well as excep- tional STEM programs. About 60 percent of its graduates transfer to four- year colleges and universi- ties. Other students pursue career or technical degrees or certificates. SFCC has campuses in west Spokane, Fairchild Air Force Base and Pullman. Community Colleges of Spokane is a dynamic, 12,300-square-mile state community college district that includes Spokane Com mu n it y College, Spokane Falls Community College and six rural educa- tion sites, serving residents in Pend Oreille, Stevens, Whitman, Ferry and parts of Lincoln counties. — EO Media Group VISIT US ON THE WEB AT: www.EastOregonian.com Thursday, January 14, 2021 COMMUNITY BRIEFING East Oregonian, File Traci Morrison, of Pendleton, talks about the Icelandic sweater she is knitting during World Wide Knit in Public Day in June 2015. Fiber artists throughout the region are encouraged to participate in the Art Center East annual Fiber Arts and Jewelry Exhibit running through March. Fiber, jewelry artists sought for La Grande exhibit LA GRANDE — The staff at Art Center East is seeking fiber artists and jewelry designers for its fifth annual Fiber Arts and Jewelry Exhibit, which will run Feb. 5 through March 27, with a virtual opening recep- tion to be announced at a later date. The 2021 exhibit theme is “comfort,” and exhibitors can explore the theme in a myriad of ways with their submissions. Entries may be dropped off at the center between Jan. 13-30 during regular business hours, Wednesday-Friday from 1-5 p.m., and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Exhibit entry fee is $10 per person, regardless of membership status at the center. Specifications and other details for entries can be found at https://artcentere- ast.org /ar tist/an nual-f i- ber-arts-jewelry-exhibit/. The art center is located at 1006 Penn Ave., La Grande. Walla Walla Hospice offers winter grief support WA L L A WA L L A , Wash. — A weekly drop-in grief support group and a new 10-week support series are two ways Walla Walla Community Hospice is help- ing residents of Walla Walla, Columbia and Northeast Umatilla counties manage grief during the dark winter months. Both programs are held virtually. Solace, a weekly drop-in support group, is offered on Tuesdays from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The group is open to anyone who has lost a loved one or a friend, and no regis- tration is required. Understanding Your Grief, a 10-week adult support series, will be offered weekly on Tuesdays from 5:30-7 p.m. beginning Tuesday, Jan. 19. The series uses the book of the same name by Dr. Alan Wolfelt. In order to foster an intimate, safe space, the group will be closed once it is filled or after the second meet- ing, whichever comes first. Preregistration is required. For more information, or to preregister, call 509-525- 5561 or email info@wwhos- pice.org. First Draft welcomes newsman and poet PENDLETON — A writer, who sees both poetry and journalism as essential in reporting on the world and witnessing the human condi- tion, will be featured at the First Draft Writers’ Series on Thursday, Jan. 21. Pulitzer Prize finalist and poet Don Colburn will head- line the event, followed by Open Mic. The Zoom gath- ering begins at 5:30 p.m., and anyone can request an invitation at director@ pendlet- onarts.org. Colbu r n is a longtime newspaper reporter who Colburn did not start writing poems until he was nearly 40. During a 33-year career as a reporter, he worked for four newspapers, including The Washington Post and The Oregonian. He is the author of five poetry collections, all published as a result of winning or placing in national manuscript competitions. His newest volume, “Mortality, with Pronoun Shifts,” won the 2018 Cathy Smith Bowers Chapbook Contest. His poems have appeared in more than a dozen anthologies and in numerous magazines. Colburn happened to be on the flight that Captain Sullen- berger landed on the Hudson River in 2009. His poem, “In The Unlikely Event of a Water Landing,” can be found at http://doncolburn.net/because/ unlikely.html. In the past eight years, PCA’s First Draft Writers’ Series has welcomed more than 75 nationally-known writers to the stage, including several state poet laureates and Pulitzer Prize winners. Local writers, including those just beginning, are invited to read their own 3-5 minute readings during Open Mic, following the featured author. The event is made possible by generous local donors. More information about the First Draft Writers’ Series is avail- able at pendletonarts.org or by calling 541-310-7413. Griefshare begins program in Stanfield STA N FI ELD — A 13-week Christ-centered Griefshare support group begins Tuesday, Jan. 19, from 6-7:30 p.m. at Stan- field Baptist Church, 310 E. Wheeler Ave. The program includes videos with experts and participants working through grief, a workbook, and group discussion. It brings help and encouragement after the death of a spouse, child, family member, or friend. A free workbook is provided. For more information, or to register for the group, contact group facilitator Scott Zielke at 541-571-6886. Music seminar features tips for ending mistakes PENDLETON — The Umatilla-Morrow District of the Oregon Music Teachers Association, in partnership with the Oregon Community Foundation and the Nellie Tholen Fund, will present a free lecture for pianists, piano teachers and all who would be interested on Satur- day, Feb. 6, from 10 a.m. to noon, presented by Jennifer Wright. Entitled “Play- ing Perfectly: What It Takes to Practice and Perform Completely With- out Mistakes (or Fear of Mistakes) — Yes, It’s Possi- ble!” the lecture will be held via Zoom at https://us02web. zoom.us/j/82961743054. This lecture is free and open to the public; no preregistra- tion, membership or fee is required. The seminar will cover why mu sicia n s ma ke mistakes; what musicians are actually doing wrong; practice techniques; how to fix ingrained mistakes and habits; the power of habits and human nature: fight them or make them work for you; and tapping into innate learning instincts for power- ful progress. Jennifer Wright is a pianist, teacher, composer, graphic artist and passion- ate aficionada of the creative life. She holds two degrees in piano performance (BM, The Hartt School of Music, Hartford, CT; MM, Trinity College of Music, London, England) and studied for two years at the Stuttgart Music Conservatory in Germany. The Oregon Music Teach- ers Association (OMTA) is dedicated to fostering excellence in music educa- tion, striving to develop productive relationships with schools, organizations, businesses and the media to promote music everywhere. OMTA is an affiliate of the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA), the oldest professional music teachers association in the United States. For more information, or to contact someone in your area, go to www.oregonmta.org. and resident participation in fundraisers are crucial to the success of this campaign. To h e l p i n c e n t i v- ize community giving, the Murdock Foundation has offered to match all community donations up to $50,000. And upon purchase of the building, a longtime patron of the Josephy Center has generously promised $100,000 toward an endow- ment to help maintain the building for years to come. Phase Two, the renova- tion and expansion phase of the campaign, will position the Josephy Center to better serve Wallowa County as a community gathering place by increasing functionality, accessibility and program- ming. The expansion may include feat ures, such as a multi-purpose room for performing arts (like dance and theater) and an expanded ceramics studio, which will accommodate more students. Reconfigu- ration of the existing space will also increase access to regional and Nez Perce educational displays. While public fundraising for Phase Two won’t begin until 2022, the center is gathering financial support from other sources, such as the Cultural Resource Economic Fund, in prepara- tion for this phase. “It was important that we found funding from other sources and could embark on both phases of this campaign without financially burden- ing county residents,” said Executive Director Cheryl Coughlan in a press release. To donate visit josephy. org or mail a check to P.O. Box 949, Joseph, OR 97846. Josephy Center kicks off fundraiser M-F church restricts indoor attendance JOSEPH — The Josephy Center for Arts and Culture is launching the Key to Our Future capital campaign to purchase, renovate and expand the building located on 403 Main St. in Joseph. The campaign is focused on making the Josephy Center a permanent home for arts and culture in Wallowa County, as well as restoring and expanding the center to enhance visitor experience and fit the growing needs of the community. Ph a se O ne of t he campaign focuses on the building purchase, critical safety repairs and accessibil- ity for all. Phase Two focuses on the renovation and expan- sion of the building. The goal of the first phase is to raise $575,000 by the summer of 2021. Support from local patrons, combined with funding from the Ronald Naito Founda- tion, the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, the Autzen Foundation and the Oregon Cultural Trust has made great progress toward the goal, but community support is needed to raise $50,000 more. Business sponsorships M I LT ON - F R E E WA- TER — In staying in compli- ance with Gov. Kate Brown’s mandate, the First Christian Church, 518 S. Main St., will restrict indoor attendance to 100 people until further notice. Prelude music is at 10 a.m. and worship service is at 10:30 a.m. This includes prayer, a sermon message and self-serve communion. Those attending are required to wear face masks and to maintain 6 feet distanc- ing except for family groups. Hand sanitizer is available at the church. There is also an outdoor parking lot service at 10:30 a.m. on 100.3 FM radio. This also includes a time for communion. The service is also avail- able on the church website MiltonFreewaterCC.com or the church Facebook page at First Christian Church-Mil- ton-Freewater and YouTube. For information contact the church at 541-938- 3854. Office hours are Monday-Thursday 8 a.m. to noon. — EO Media Group and Walla Walla Union-Bulletin