2A — BAKER CITY HERALD
TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2020
Island City church remains silent
about big coronavirus outbreak
B AKER C OUNTY C ALENDAR
TUESDAY, JUNE 23
■ Baker City Council: 7 p.m., City Hall, 1655 First St.; some
councilors will attend in person while others will participate
via Zoom video conferencing; members of the public may
attend as social distancing limits allow.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24
■ Baker County Board of Commissioners: 9 a.m.,
Baker County Courthouse, 1995 Third St. The meeting
will be streamed live. Due to occupancy limits, the public
is encouraged to attend using the link on the county’s
website, www.bakercounty.org/webex. Written testimony
is encouraged and can be emailed to Heidi Martin at
hmartin@bakercounty.org prior to the meeting.
T URNING B ACK THE P AGES
50 YEARS AGO
from the Democrat-Herald
June 23, 1970
PORTLAND — The Oregon Game Commission made
one important change in the arms and ammunition regu-
lations, a change which liberalized the use of certain rifl es
for big game hunting.
For elk, bighorn sheep and mountain goats, the com-
mission changed the minimum rifl e caliber legal to use on
these big game animals from .25-inch to a new minimum
of .24-inch.
25 YEARS AGO
from the Baker City Herald
June 23, 1995
The U.S. Forest Service has hired a Boise company to
apply liquid magnesium chloride to keep dust down on
three roads near Phillips Reservoir.
10 YEARS AGO
from the Baker City Herald
June 23, 2010
Richard Chaves and his partners are investing $1 million
to launch Synergy Data Center and Services in the historic
Baker Tower building, with hopes of eventually bringing
100 high-tech jobs to Baker City.
Chaves said three Oregon companies, including his
own, Chaves Consulting of Baker City, along with Arikan
Inc. of Salem, and Sace Inc. of Bend, are forming Synergy
Data Center and Services (Synergy DNS).
ONE YEAR AGO
from the Baker City Herald
June 24, 2019
A group of Baker City residents has created an online
petition gauging local interest in trying to establish a
“quiet zone” in which freight trains wouldn’t sound their
horns at crossings within the city except when the train
operator sees a vehicle on the tracks or other dangerous
situation.
Cities can apply for a quiet zone designation, although
they must also pay to install concrete medians on streets
at railroad crossings to prevent drivers from trying to
drive around a crossing gate arm.
According to a press release from the Baker City group,
its effort was inspired in part by La Grande.
In April the Federal Railroad Administration granted La
Grande’s request for a quiet zone, culminating a campaign
that began in that city about 20 years ago, according to a
story in The Observer newspaper.
O REGON L OTTERY
MEGABUCKS, June 20
6 — 12 — 18 — 40 — 44 — 47
Next jackpot: $3 million
POWERBALL, June 20
10 — 31 — 41 — 63 — 67 PB 5
Next jackpot: $33 million
MEGA MILLIONS, June 19
11 —34 — 36 — 52 — 66
Mega
7
Next jackpot: $35 million
WIN FOR LIFE, June 20
1 — 12 — 13 — 69
PICK 4, June 21
• 1 p.m.: 9 — 8 — 1 — 8
• 4 p.m.: 0 — 1 — 1 — 8
• 7 p.m.: 6 — 3 — 9 — 5
• 10 p.m.: 8 — 9 — 9 — 1
LUCKY LINES, June 21
Editor’s Note: This article was
originally published by The
Oregonian/OregonLive, one
of more than a dozen news
organizations throughout the
state sharing their coverage of
the novel coronavirus outbreak
to help inform Oregonians about
this evolving heath issue.
By Celina Tebor
The Oregonian/OregonLive
LA GRANDE — A church
in a small Eastern Oregon
county linked to the state’s
largest coronavirus outbreak
held worship services in the
weeks before hundreds fell ill.
At least 236 coronavirus
cases are tied to Lighthouse
Pentecostal Church, near La
Grande in Union County. The
number of cases in Union
County increased tenfold,
from 22 to 240, in three days
after the outbreak came to
light. The outbreak led Union
County to voluntarily return to
Phase 1 of Gov. Kate Brown’s
phased reopening plan — the
county had been at Phase 2
when the outbreak happened.
There are now 263 coronavirus
cases in the county of 27,000
people.
Leaders of Lighthouse
Pentecostal Church have re-
mained silent for the most part
about the outbreak. Yet social
media posts and interviews
with other faith leaders shed
light on how the church came
to be at the center of Oregon’s
largest coronavirus outbreak,
and how it has responded
since.
Church held graduation,
religious services before
the outbreak
The church, which operates
in Island City near La Grande,
has held several gatherings
since May that appear to have
violated Brown’s restrictions to
limit the spread of coronavirus.
In a May 22 Instagram
post, Lighthouse Pentecostal
Church said it would begin
in-person services Memorial
Day weekend “in accordance”
with President Donald
Trump’s demands that states
allow churches to open. At the
time, Union County was still
in Phase 1 of reopening, in
which religious groups are not
allowed to convene in large
groups. The governor allowed
faith groups to meet in gather-
ings of 25 people if congregants
stayed a certain distance
apart.
A Facebook video uploaded
May 24 by the church showed
Ronald Bond / The (La Grande) Observer
Lighthouse Pentecostal Church in Island City is tied to most COVID-19 cases in Union County.
hundreds of worshipers in
the church dancing, singing
and moving around in close
proximity. The video was later
deleted.
A faith leader at the church
wrote in a Memorial Day Face-
book post that he was proud
to be an American, listing one
of the reasons as being “able to
attend church in our building.”
One day later, May 26, the
church held a graduation
ceremony for some Lighthouse
Academy students. Facebook
photos posted by church
members show the front row
seats of the church fi lled as
the church’s leader, Bishop
Jesse Parker, shakes hands
with graduates as they walk
across the stage. The school is
a part of the church and uses
Abeka curriculum, a Christian
educational program for Pre-K
through 12th grade students,
according to a video on the
church’s website. The school’s
principal, Robin Parker, said
the school has between 100
students and 120 students in
the video.
by women and insist on main-
taining distinctions between
males and females. According
to the articles of faith, one way
this can be accomplished is by
only allowing sexual relations
between men and women.
The Worldwide Pentecostal
Fellowship emphasizes these
beliefs should be viewed as
modern.
“These guidelines clearly
cannot be dismissed as local
cultural biases of days gone by.
Nor can they be classifi ed as
parochial issues germane only
to a certain day or time. They
are, instead, connected to the
permanent ground and order
of Creation and should not be
abrogated due to whim and
fancy of a worldly society,” the
articles of faith read.
tians to have personal contact
with each other in order to live
out the faith they proclaim,
Satterwhite said. It tells be-
lievers how to help each other
move toward love and good
deeds, “Not giving up meeting
together, as some are in the
habit of doing, but encourag-
ing one another — and all
the more as you see the Day
approaching.”
Satterwhite also said his
peers in Union County exer-
cised their First Amendment
rights when they decided to
reopen, citing the freedom of
religion.
Another pastor associated
with the Worldwide Pentecos-
tal Fellowship drew nation-
wide attention for refusing to
stop holding church services.
A San Diego church in the
Church’s theological
Worldwide Pentecostal Fellow-
beliefs may also have
ship has also faced scrutiny for
infl uenced decision to hold a video in which its members
services
seem not to be social distanc-
Pastor James Parker, the
ing.
son of Jesse Parker, explained
The leaders of the church
key parts of the church’s doc-
trine in a welcome video on the are father and son
Bishop Jesse Parker, 65,
church’s website. The church
There’s a larger
leads Lighthouse Pentecostal
is Pentecostal, meaning its
organization behind the
members believe in what was Church with help from his
Union County church
preached on the day of Pente- son Pastor James Parker,
Lighthouse Pentecostal
cost, and apostolic, meaning
30. Both preach often during
Church is part of a larger
it follows what Jesus’ apostles weekly services and in daily
organization called the World- preached.
devotional messages posted to
wide Pentecostal Fellowship,
“We believe that Jesus
Facebook.
based in Oklahoma. The fel-
Court documents show
Christ gave (the apostles) the
lowship is linked to six other
James Parker served two
commission, he gave them
churches in Oregon, including the keys, he told them what
years of probation that ended
in Pendleton and The Dalles. he wanted them to preach,”
in April 2018 after he was
Parker, the head pastor
Parker said in the video. “And arrested in late 2015 with the
of the Island City church,
so that’s what we preach,
possession of methamphet-
is listed as the fellowship’s
that’s what we believe, that’s
amine. A note in the Union
regional director for Oregon,
what we try to live, that’s what County Circuit Court fi les said
Washington, Montana, Idaho, we promote — that’s what
he was uncooperative at the
Wyoming and Alaska.
jail and under the infl uence.
the Lighthouse Church is all
Ministers must apply to be about.”
Parker pleaded guilty to
part of the organization by
resisting arrest and unlawful
Pastor Dan Satterwhite,
answering questions such as who leads an affi liated Light- possession, but court records
“Do you have a television?”
house Church in Pendleton,
show the latter count was
and “Do you allow women to
pointed to a Bible verse that he discharged after he completed
cut, trim or shorten their hair said may have guided the deci- the conditions of the county’s
in any way?”
sion to hold services in Union drug treatment court.
The church’s articles of faith County: Hebrews 10:25.
See Church/Page 3A
require tithing and modesty
The verse instructs Chris-
1-6-11-15-20-23-28-30
Next jackpot: $12,000
S ENIOR M ENUS
■ WEDNESDAY: Beef tips over fettuccine, carrots, bread,
beet-and-onion salad, birthday cake
■ THURSDAY: Chicken Kiev with hollandaise sauce,
parslied red potatoes, mixed vegetables, roll, gelatin
with fruit, cookie
■ FRIDAY: Barbecued pork ribs, baked beans, corn, roll,
coleslaw, tapioca
■ MONDAY (June 29): Swedish meatballs over fettuccini,
mixed vegetables, biscuits, cottage cheese with fruit,
cookies
■ TUESDAY (June 30): Old-fashioned steak, rice pilaf, corn,
rolls, fruit ambrosia
Public luncheon at the Senior Center, 2810 Cedar St., 11:30
a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; $4.50 donation (60 and older), $6.75 for
those under 60. Due to the coronavirus crisis, meals must be
picked up; there is no dining on site.
C ONTACT THE H ERALD
1668 Resort St.
Open Monday through Friday
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Telephone: 541-523-3673
Copyright © 2020
Fax: 541-833-6414
Regional publisher
Christopher Rush
crush@eomediagroup.com
Publisher
Karrine Brogoitti
kbrogoitti@lagrandeobserver.
com
Jayson Jacoby, editor
jjacoby@bakercityherald.com
Advertising email
ads@bakercityherald.com
Classifi ed email
classified@bakercityherald.com
Circulation email
circ@bakercityherald.com
■ At least 236 of the 263 infections in Union County tied to Lighthouse Pentecostal
ISSN-8756-6419
Serving Baker County since 1870
Published Tuesdays, Thursdays and
Saturdays except Christmas Day by the
Baker Publishing Co., a part of EO Media
Group, at 1668 Resort St. (P.O. Box 807),
Baker City, OR 97814.
Subscription rates per month are:
Baker City (97814), $10.80; all others,
$12.50.
Postmaster: Send address changes to
the Baker City Herald, P.O. Box 807, Baker
City, OR 97814.
Periodicals Postage Paid
at Pendleton, Oregon 97801
N EWS OF R ECORD
DEATHS
Marvin “Marv” Jensen: of
Richland, died June 22, 2020,
at his home with his wife at his
side. Arrangements are under
the direction of Tami’s Pine Valley
Funeral Home & Cremation Ser-
vices. Online condolences may
be made at www.tamispine
valleyfuneralhome.com
FUNERAL PENDING
Betty Myers: Celebration of
life, Saturday, June 27, at 11 a.m.
at Mount Hope Cemetery. For
those who would like to make a
memorial donation in honor of
Betty, the family suggests Hil-
ary’s Benevolent Fund through
Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home
& Cremation Services, P.O. Box
543, Halfway, OR 97834. Online
condolences can be made at
www.tamispinevalleyfuneral
home.com
Maurice ‘Mac’ McKinnis:
Private family service Tuesday,
June 30, at Coles Tribute Center,
with vault interment to follow
at Mount Hope Cemetery. A
celebration of life will take place
later at the Baker City United
Methodist Church for family and
friends of Mac. To light a candle
in memory of Mac, go to www.
colestributecenter.com
POLICE LOG
Baker City Police
Arrests, citations
DOMESTIC MENACING and
SECOND-DEGREE DISORDERLY
CONDUCT: Jason Lloyd Dinger,
41, of Baker City, 6:43 p.m. Sat-
urday, at 10th and Estes streets;
booked at the Baker County Jail
and released on bail.
CONTEMPT OF COURT (Baker
County Justice Court warrant):
Juan Pablo Burgos, 59, transient,
8:25 p.m. Saturday, on East
Street near the Fairgrounds;
cited and released.
FIRST-DEGREE THEFT: Kim-
berly Holt, 52, of 2093 17th St.,
Saturday, cited and released. Po-
lice Chief Ray Duman said Holt
took a service dog belonging to
Wendy Johnson, 48, of Baker
City; the dog was recovered after
police executed a search warrant
at Holt’s home.
Crime reports
SECOND-DEGREE BUR-
GLARY: Wilma Phegley, 76, of
Baker City, reported Friday that
her home was entered and a
DVD player valued at $70 and
four McDonald’s gift cards val-
ued at $5 each were taken. Police
said there was no sign of forced
entry.
Oregon State Police
Arrests, citations
DRIVING UNDER THE INFLU-
ENCE OF A CONTROLLED
SUBSTANCE, POSSESSION OF
METHAMPHETAMINE, DRIVING
WHILE OPERATOR’S LICENSE
SUSPENDED and DRIVING
UNINSURED: Gage Michael Nie-
haus, 20, of Baker City, 5:23 p.m.
Thursday, at Birch and D streets;
cited and released.
PROVIDING FALSE INFORMA-
TION TO A POLICE OFFICER:
Kenzie Renae Sherman, 19, of
Baker City, 5:23 p.m. Thursday
at Birch and D streets; cited and
released.
DRIVING WHILE OPERATOR’S
LICENSE SUSPENDED, (Misde-
meanor): Mayling Lariza Lozano
Molina, 26, address unavailable
by press time today, 3:44 p.m.
Friday, in the westbound lanes of
Interstate 84 near Durkee; cited
and released.
“You’ll love the work we do. I guarantee it.” - JR
225 H Street • East of I-84 • 541-523-3200 • grumpysrepair.com
Still running
unsupported
Windows 7?
We’ll help you
avoid critical
issues by installing
Windows 10!
Computer not
running as
fast as when
it was new?
Let us install
lightning-fast
solid state drive!