6A COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL December 9, 2015
Chatterbox
The
Where is the light?
BY BETTY KAISER
For the Sentinel
T
raditionally, December
is the month of love, joy
and peace. It’s the time when
we happily worry and fret over
how we’re going to get every-
thing done in time for Christ-
mas. It should not be the time
when foremost in our thinking
is the safety of our loved ones in
their school, shopping or work
place. That safety, however, is
today’s concern, as inexplicable
violence and mass murderers
seems to be erupting all around
us. The light of the season seems
strangely dim.
Sometimes when I’m wallow-
ing in the misery of this reality,
I need to step back and get some
perspective. While I like to see
the world through rose-colored
glasses and believe that today’s
killings and atrocities are some-
thing new and have never hap-
pened before, I would be wrong.
Evil is and always has been at
work among us.
I am old enough to remember
many senseless and tragic kill-
ings in our country. I remember
where I was when President
John F. Kennedy was assassi-
nated in November, 1963. My
three little towhead babies were
in the car with me as we drove
down Inglewood Blvd., Calif.
They were oblivious to the news
but tears ran down my face as I
wondered not “who” but “why.”
I remember the escalation
of fear and frustration during
the offi cial Vietnam War era of
1969-1973. It was an ugly war,
and I marveled at the bravery
of the war’s protestors. Then,
on May 4, 1970, the unthink-
able happened. The Ohio Na-
tional Guard fi red on unarmed
protestors at Kent State, killing
four and wounding nine others.
Three years later the war of-
fi cially ended. Where was the
light?
The 1980s and 1990s were
fi lled with dozens of illogi-
cal shootings. In 1984, in San
Ysidro, Calif., an out-of-work
security guard killed 21 and
wounded 18 at a McDonald’s
restaurant. In 1986, a mail car-
rier in Oklahoma walked into
his post offi ce, opened fi re and
killed 14 co-workers before kill-
ing himself over a poor perfor-
mance report.
About this time, a sort of pat-
tern seemed to be emerging. In-
dividuals disgruntled with their
jobs or perceived treatment
would heavily arm themselves
and go on a killing spree. There
was even a term coined for this
mentality called “going postal.”
Twenty years ago, Americans
were ushered into a new killing
nightmare. Timothy McVeigh,
an anti-government militant, and
his accomplice, Terry Nichols,
introduced a new level of home-
land terrorism. McVeigh set off
a truck bomb outside the Alfred
P. Murrah Federal Building
in Oklahoma City, killing 168
people and injuring hundreds,
including children. Where was
the light?
Revenge was McVeigh and
Nichols’ motive. Their hatred
against the way the U.S. gov-
ernment handled a standoff with
Randy Weaver that ended with a
fi refi ght was one of many grudg-
es they held. In return McVeigh
decided to bomb a federal build-
ing and destroy both it and its
occupants. Until Sept. 11, 2001
it was the worst terrorist attack
on U.S. soil and is the worst act
of domestic terrorism in our his-
tory.
Suddenly, multiple school
shootings came into the head-
lines. In 1998, Kip Kinkel, a
disturbed young man, was sus-
pended from Thurston High
School for carrying a loaded,
stolen handgun. That after-
noon, he shot and killed both
of his parents. The next day he
returned to school wearing a
trench coat to conceal his weap-
ons. He fi red 50 rounds, killing
two and injuring 37. His fellow
students eventually restrained
him and he is serving a life sen-
tence.
In 1999, two students put Col-
umbine High School on the map
when they opened fi re at school,
killing a dozen students and
a teacher plus numerous inju-
ries to others before they killed
themselves.
Just two years later on Sept.
11, 2001, our country was in-
troduced to global terrorism.
Everyone remembers where
they were when they saw the
Twin Towers taken down in a
coordinated series of attacks.
We remember the ash-covered
survivors running for safety. We
remember the towers collaps-
ing. We remember the heroism
of First Responders. Thousands
were killed. We were shocked
to learn of an enemy dedicated
to the destruction of the United
States. A fatwa or declaration of
war had been issued by Osama
“Who”?
And the list of horrors goes
on. I think that CNN reporter
Brooke Baldwin spoke for many
of us when she said, concern-
ing the Roseburg and San Ber-
nardino shooting …”I’m sick
of speaking the words ‘active
shooter situation.’ I’ve been cov-
ering too many of them…I’ve
become too familiar with this.
It’s sadly become a routine.”
So where is the light in all this
madness? That’s a good ques-
tion.
It saddens me to put out a col-
umn of remembrances like this
in an attempt at perspective be-
cause I have no answers. I can’t
just pretend that evil isn’t hap-
pening in my happy little corner
of the world. The truth is, evil
doesn’t take a break. Not even
for Christmas. And now, more
than ever, we must be vigilant.
Now is the time to be alert,
know our neighbors and put our
fears in perspective.
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One answer is to look around
and fi nd pockets of light. Ran-
dom kindnesses are being prac-
ticed daily. Everyday life goes
on. Good people are at work
everywhere. Law enforcement
is working to protect us. Babies
are being born. Birthdays are
being celebrated. Families are
fl ourishing. The poor are be-
ing fed. The homeless are be-
ing sheltered. We are becoming
united against the darkness.
In the Netherlands during
the dark days of World War II
a church minister was trying to
convince his people that God
would eventually destroy their
enemies. He said, “It can take
time but good will always win
over evil...For the time being I
can only forecast a dark night
but the dark night will be fol-
lowed by a bright dawn.”
These are dark days. But the
gift of Christmas and the angel
telling us to “fear not” is just
around the corner. Let us pray
for and work towards a bright
dawn. Shalom.
Betty Kaiser’s Chatterbox is
about people, places, family,
and other matters of the heart.
Contact her at 942-1317 or via
e-mail —
bchatty@bettykaiser.com
S CHOOL
Continued from page 1A
Athletics headquarters.
The team also formulated a
list of guiding principles that it
hopes can govern all aspects of
the construction of a potential
new school, including that it be
a place to inspire learning, that
it is safe and secure, can be uti-
lized as a community resource
and will honor the community
and its history.
Gorman, himself a Cottage
Grove graduate and former Har-
rison student, showcased a “pod”
design that he said the committee
liked best. The primary view of
the building would be from Tay-
lor, with parking to the left and
buses in back. The gymnasium
and cafeteria would be nearby,
and those rooms would segue
into a stage and music room.
A long hallway would lead to a
“pod” of four classrooms with
a common area between them,
with the idea that supervision
of students would be facilitated
by this design. One and possi-
bly two covered play areas are
planned. In all, the design calls
for 20 classrooms for grades 1-
5 and four kindergarten class-
rooms for a capacity of 600-650
students.
The architects said this design
should allow the school to cor-
don off its public areas from its
“educational wings.”
With regard to one current
tenant at the Taylor Avenue site,
Kennedy High Principal Mike
Ingman said he and other staff
members recently toured the
former Delight Valley Elemen-
tary School in Saginaw, which
is also owned by the District
but closed due to budget con-
straints in 2010. Ingman said he
spoke to staff and students about
what an “ideal” Kennedy would
look like and whether that ideal
could be realized at Delight Val-
ley. One concern, he said, stood
out most.
“There’s always a concern
about the driving distance,” he
said. “But people were surprised
about how close it is. It’s about
an eight-minute drive from
where we are now, and that’s
not that far.”
Still, Ingman pointed out
that, with several teen moms,
homeless students and students
whose parents don’t necessar-
ily model the best behavior in
terms of attendance and punctu-
ality at Kennedy, transportation
will still be a key issue. He said
staff and students have shared a
desire to “have a real school,”
in its own building with its own
gymnasium, as opposed to the
aging remnants of the former
Cottage Grove High School that
currently houses Kennedy.
“I’ve heard staff members say
that we’re a legitimate school,
and we need a building that
would allow us to grow,” he
said. The BLRB representatives
concurred that the Delight Val-
ley site “does seem like a per-
fect place” to relocate Kennedy.
The site is currently the home of
Head Start programs.
Later, Kennedy teacher Vick-
ie Costello said she had an “aha
moment” when she realized how
heartbroken her students could
potentially be if they showed up
to their old building and saw a
perfectly new Harrison building
nearby.
The City of Cottage Grove Public Works Department will be
conducting its annual Leaf Pickup during the following weeks:
November 16 th -20 th • December 14 th - 18 th • December 28 th -31 st
Tips for Leaf Placement in Street
✓ Only piles of loose leaves will be picked up
✓ Pile leaves on the street surface near the gutter, keeping gutter
and catch basins free of leaves so storm water is not obstructed
✓ On streets without curbs and gutter, pile the leaves near the street
surface away from ditches
✓ Stack the leaves so that they don’t block bike and traffi c lanes
✓ Leaves should be piled in rows so they do not block the fl ow of
water along the curb and do not encroach on the traffi c lane
✓Do not place leaves in the streets where curbside parking does
not exist. You may bring those leaves to the designated area
outside the Row River Water Treatment Plant at 3300 Row
River Road
✓ Do not place your leaves in plastic bags
✓ Branches will not be picked up
✓ Shrub prunings and blackberry vines will not be picked up
✓ Do not include rocks, metal or other debris in your leaf pile
✓ Lawn clippings will not be picked up
For more information please contact the Public Works
Department at (541)942-2042 during working hours
of Monday through Friday, 8:00AM to 5:00PM.
W orship D irectory
6th & Gibbs Church of Christ
195 N. 6th St. • 541-942-3822
Pastor: Aaron Earlywine
Youth & Families Pastor: Seth Bailey
Services: 9am and 10:30am
Christian Education
Nursery for pre-k - 3rd Grade
www.6thandgibbs.com
Calvary Baptist Church
77873 S 6th St • 541-942-4290
Pastor: Riley Hendricks
Sunday School: 9:45am
Worship: 11:00am
The Journey: Sunday 5:00pm
Praying Thru Life: Wednesday 6:00pm
Calvary Chapel Cottage Grove
1447 Hwy 99 (Village Plaza)
541-942-6842
Pastor: Jeff Smith
Two Services on Sun: 9am & 10:45am
Wednesday Service 6:45 pm
Child Care 10:45am Service Only
Youth Group Bible Study:
Wed. 6:45 pm & Sat. 6 pm
www.cgcalvary.org
Cottage Grove Bible Church
1200 East Quincy Avenue
541-942-4771
Pastor:Bob Singer
Worship 11am
Sunday School:9:45am
AWANA age 3-8th Grade,
Wednesdays Sept-May, 6:30pm
www.cgbible.org
First Presbyterian Church
3rd and Adams St • 541-942-4479
Pastor: Karen Hill
Worship: 10:00am
Sunday School: 10:00am
www.cgpresbynews.com
Grove Community Church
77820 Mosby Creek Rd.
Cottage Grove, OR 97424
541-942-0123
Cottage Grove Faith Center
Pastor: Bryan Parsons
33761 Row River Rd. • 541-942-4851
Worship: 10:30 a.m.
Lead Pastor: Isaac Hovet
Nursery: Infant - Pre-K
www.cg4.tv
Dec. 24th - Candlelight Services 4 & 8pm Kidʼs Church: K to 5th grade
Dec. 27 - 10am service only
Hope Fellowship
United Pentecostal Church
Covered Bridge Nazarene Church
100 S. Gateway Blvd. • 541-942-2061
152 S. M St.
541-942-4422
Pastor: Dave Bragg
Pastor: Cindy Slaymaker
Worship: 11:00am Sunday
Sunday School: 9:30am
Bible Study: 7:00pm Wednesday
Worship 10:30am
www.hopefellowshipupc.com
“FINDING HOPE IN YOUR LIFE”
Delight Valley
Church of Christ
33087 Saginaw Rd. East
Center for Spiritual Living Cottage 541-942-7711
Pastor: Bob Friend
Grove
700 Gibbs Ave (Community Center)
Two Services:
Rev. Bobby Lee
9am - Classic in the Chapel
Meets Sunday 3:00 p.m.
10:30am - Contemporary in the
(907) 230-5070
Auditorium
www.facebook.com/CSLCottageGrove
First Baptist Church
301 S 6th St 541-942-8242
Church of Christ
Pastor: Steve Johnson
420 Monroe St • 541-942-8565
Sunday School: 9:30am
Sunday Service: 10:30am
Worship: 11:00am
Come Worship with us
Living Faith Assembly
467 S. 10th St. • 541-942-2612
Pastor Rulon Combs
Sunday School All Ages 9am
Worship & Childrenʼs
Church 10:30 am
“The Bridge” Sat Evening Service 6:00pm
Youth 180 Mondays 5:30-8pm
Childrenʼs Breakout Class: Wed. 6:30pm
Non-Denominational
Church of Christ
1041 Pennoyer Ave * 541-767-0447
Preachers: Tony Martin & Robert Evans
Sunday Bible Study:10:00am
Sunday Worship:10:50am & 5:30pm
www.pennoyeravecoc.com
Old Time Gospel Fellowship
103 S. 5th Street • 541-942-4999
Pastor: Herb Carson
Sunday Service: 10:00am
Sunday Bible Study: 6:00pm
We sing the old time hymns.
Our Lady of Perpetual Help
and St. Philip Benizi
Catholic Churches
1025 N. 19th St.
541-942-3420 / 541-942-4712
Pastor: Roy L. Antunez, S.J.
Euch. Liturgies; Sat. 5:30pm
Sun. 10:30am
St. Philip Benizi, Creswell:
552 Holbrock Lane • 541-895-8686
Sunday: 8:30am
St. Andrews Episcopal Church
1301 W. Main • 541-767-9050
Rev. Lawrence Crumb
“Church with the fl ags.”
Worship: Sunday 10:30am
All Welcome
Seventh-day Adventist Church
820 South 10th Street
541-942-5213
Pastor: Kevin Miller
Bible Study: Saturday, 9:15 am
Worship Service: Saturday, 10:40 am
Mid-week Service: Wednesday, 1:00 pm
Trinity Lutheran Church
6th & Quincy • 541-942-2373
Pastor: James L. Markus
Sunday School & Adult Education 9:15am
Sundway Worship 10:30 am
Comm. Kitchen Free Meal Tue & Thur
5:00pm TLC Groups
tlccg.com
United Methodist Church
334 Washington • 541-942-3033
Pastor:Lura Kidner-Miesen
Worship: 10:30am
Adult Sunday School: 9:30am
Comm. Dinner (Adults $5, Kids Free)
2nd & 3rd Monday 5-6:00pm
cottagegroveumc.org
“VICTORY” Country Church
913 S. 6th Street • 541-942-5913
Pastor: Barbara Dockery
Worship Service: 10:00am
Message:
11:00am
“WE BELIEVE IN MIRACLES”
Our Worship
Directory is a
weekly feature in
the newspaper. If
your congregation
would like to
be a part of this
directory, please
contact the
Cottage Grove
Sentinel
at 541-942-3325.