Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (April 12, 1995)
TEN - Heppner Gazette-Times, ette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, April Apm 12, iz , 1995 ir a m F aster B iessincis T o A ll "I Have Seen the Lord >/ "New Life is God's Business" By Rev. Lea Mathieu, lone United Church of Christ “ Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, '1 have seen the Lord'" (John 20:18). Imagine being Mary; imagine being the disciples. What an in credible day the first Easter must have been, and how honored and blessed its first witnesses were. What would we give to say we have seen the stone rolled away, have entered the empty tomb, and have seen and spoken to the Lord? It may seem far distant in time and place to us, but actually Easter happens all the time. The body of God is crucified anew daily, in war, violence, oppression, and evil of all sorts great and small. But the stone is rolled away and the crucifixion is over come each time love and truth confront that evil; each time we work for God's vision and the coming kingdom, in full faith of the power of eternal life and love. And we can see the risen Lord daily if we open our eyes. Blind ed by despair and grief, Mary Magdalene first thought the risen Lord was a gardener. We, too, often mistake God for other peo ple. But God is present in our loved ones, in our neighbor, in our enemy, and in ourselves. We all were created in the divine image, and we all have a divine spark. The courage to work for the good against all the trouble in the world comes from know ing that God is with us as much as Jesus was with the first disciples. May our eyes be open this Easter so that we, too, may say with joy and belief, "1 have seen the Lord." "A Resurrection For All O f Us" Rev. Bob Dowrey, United Methodist Church For those who have ever painted houses, you have heard the expression, "th ere's a place you m issed". For those who have cut grass, you have heard it, "you didn't get that piece over there” ; for those with the cloth, "you left more dust on the other sid e ". For the typist, " I never knew the first letter in 'nursery' was a n 'm ' or "why do you always spell my name wrong?" And the dishes, "h e re's a dirty o n e". The strange fact about all this is that the so called imperfec tions probably amount to much less than one percent of all the work done. If one piece of printing has a wrong letter, look at all the correct ones. But those typos and mistakes tend to pop out and hit us in the eye, don't they? Don't ask why they do, they just do. Maybe it has to do with our love of perfection. Life is like that. We need strength to combat all the negativisms, because all of us who work usually strive to do our very best. We like to see things done well too. Negative comments are usually blown way out of proportion. Jesus knew this. He had to walk the lonesome valley all by Himself. During Lent we think of all He had to suffer. But we also see light at the end of His tunnel. His life didn't all end in defeat. It ended as a bright new day for you and me. Hallelujah, Christ arose! 1 hope that is what this season of the year means to you. It this writing has helped you, I'm glad I picked up my pencil. Let's pick up our pencils, or whatever passes for our pencil and lend someone a helping hand. As the song says, " a great new day will soon be here” . Hopefully, this will be a resur rection for all of us. "The Final Word Life" - By Fr. Gerry Condon, St. Patrick Catholic Church The week was one of amazing events. It began with the crowd shouting: "Hosanna to the Son of David", and ended with another crowd demanding: "Crucify him". Between those events the apostles had joined Jesus at the Last Supper, he had wash ed their feet, and given them an inspiring talk. In the Garden of Gethsemane he had allowed Judas to kiss him, and he had restored the ear of Malchus. Before Herod he had been silent, but on the cross he had forgiven his murderers and promised paradise to the penitent thief. The agony in the garden, the scourging, the crowning with thorns, the crucifixion finally took their toll. He gave up his spirit to the Father. Yet the final word was not death, it was life. Early on Easter morning, some women made their way to the tomb, but it was empty. They brought the news to the apostles. Peter and John ran to the tomb. John out ran Peter, but then ar riving at the tomb, waited to let Peter enter first. They were amazed. The Gospel accounts tell us not only of the empty tomb, but also of his appearances. He appeared to Magdalen, to the apostles, to the two disciples who were going to Emmaus, and to a multitude who saw him before his ascension. So, the resur rection of Christ became the foundation of their faith, it must also be the foundation of ours. Celebrate Rev. Alfred Miller, All Saints Episcopal There was a family who spent most of their Christmas season being wrapped in grief at the loss of the mother and grandmother to many in the family. Christmas was supposed to be a happy time, full of love and good cheer. But between the funeral, the sense of loss, and the need to take care of the estate, the family was rather numb. On Christmas morning, the youngest member of the family was dressed in the cutest dress you ever saw. She was mesmerized by the ribbons and bows. She giggled and laugh ed. She became the center of attention. Her new and loving spirit just became contagious to the rest of the family. Christmas was once again a time of joy and goodness. For a few minutes people were lifted from desponden cy into grace. New life has a way of doing this for us humans. You see this isn't so much a Christmas story as it is an Easter story. Easter is God's continued story of new life. New life has been God's business since the beginning of the world. Certainly creation still sings that song today. Moses led the people of God out of a life of slavery and into a new life of freedom and self-determination. Jesus' resurrection is the crown ing example of God's "new life" business. A problem can be a curse or it can be an opportunity. The end of a relationship can bring despair or a new way of living. A river flowing downstream when you want to go up, can be an obstacle or a new adventure. New life will not come through just looking at the "bright side" of things, it will always come, most fully, through sacrifice. The plant will die in order to sow the seeds of a new tomorrow. The parent will work hard to ensure a better future for the child. Self- denial today brings prosperity tomorrow. The only mystery in the new life that God is always offering is that we are so loved in order to receive it. Jesus sacrificed himself that you and I might live. God's new life work continues whenever anyone of us places someone else above their own desires and needs. Whenever we let go of the things, the guilt, and the sin which binds us and enslaves us, we participate in new life. God is always calling us to be made new in Christ. This is God's greatest gift. May your Easter bring you the blessings of new life in Christ! "Cross on hill is reminder" Rev. Stan Hoobing, Hope-Valby Lutheran Church When I step out my front door and walk over to the church the one item that catches my eye is the cross overlooking the city of Heppner. That cross reminds me daily of one person, who many centuries ago in a far off corner of the world gave his life on a cross outside a walled city. This innocent man of God was tried in a distorted court and accused of blasphemy and sentenced to death. The Roman governor, Pilate, took a politically popular stand with the people and washed his hands of the business, but allowed this man to be mocked, and whipped by Roman soldiers and led away to his own crucifixion, and even his own followers desert him. Peter, one of his closest associates, denies three times that he even knows the man. And once left on the cross to die, he is scoffed and abused by those who are passing by and looking on, by the priests and scribes, and even by the two men who were crucified on either side of him. And yet this man with all his energy and compassion can cry out to His Lord "Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing!" On the third day, when the women came to the tomb to an- noint the body, two men in dazzling white apparel said: "W hy do you seek the living among the dead? Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee that the Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise." (Luke 24:5b-7). And when the women told this to the apostles; "...these words seemed to them an idle tale and they did not believe them ." I hope and pray that the Son of God, Jesus the Christ, is not an idle tale that you disbelieve, because the cross on top of hill overlooking Heppner is a reminder to many that Jesus is indeed the Christ, who lived and died and rose again to forgive the sins of many, many people and offer them newness of life. Nazarenes host missionaries Bob and Colleen Skinner, m issionaries serving the Church of the Nazarene in the Philippines since 1990, will speak Friday, April 14, at the Heppner Church of the Naza rene at 7 p.m. Last June the Skinners were reassigned to the Ukraine District on the Eurasia Region where they will pastor the Kiev Church of the Nazarene. ster at "Beecher's a "E in lone - April 16 Buffet served from noon until 7 p.m, featuring: Honey Baked Ham • Lamb with mint sauce • Prime Rib Spinach Salad • Fresh Fruit Salad Asparagus with cream sauce • Green Pea Salad Baked Potato • Mashed Potatoes with gravy • Sweet Potatoes Triple Berry Dessert with Ice Cream 422-7038 Reservations Recommended Remember Seniors night every Wednesday Buy one dinner get second one free, 60 and over t In the Philippines the Skin ners primarily administered the existing churches and the plan ting and establishment of new churches. The Phillipines is composed of over 7,000 islands. Much of Rev. Skinner's time was spent traveling via the waterways to the various islands within the boundaries of The Southern Tagalog District. Many of the people are fishermen or farmers, some Son Rise service, breakfast planned An Easter Sunday 'Son Rise' service has been planned for 7 a.m. April 16 at the Morrow Coounty Fairgrounds. The service is sponsored by the South Morrow County Ministerial Association, rep resenting All Saints Episcopal, St. Patrick Catholic, First Chris tian, United Methodist, Chris tian Life Center, Church of the Nazarene, United Church of Christ, Hope and Valby Lutheran, Lexington and Heppner Baptist, Seventhday Adventist and Christian Mis sionary Fellowship churches. Following Easter morning sunrise services at the heppner Fairgrounds at 8 a.m., a free breakfast will be served at Christian Life Center Assembly of God Church. Everyone is invited for the breakfast and morning ser vices. Sunday school begins at 9:30 a.m., followed by an il lustrated Easter service, por trayed by pastor Tim VanCleave and his family at 10:30 a.m. Church schedules for Easter lone United Church of Christ Holy Week at lone United Church of Christ will be celebrated with special services on Maundy Thursday, April 13 and Sunday morning, April 16. A traditional Tenbrae ser-. vice with communion and special music by the choir will held on Thursday, April 13, at 7:30 p.m. "Tenebrae" is Latin for "shadows". This service of readings is accompanied by the gradual extinguishing of lights. Easter celebration begins Sunday, April 16, with a com munity breakfast at 9 a.m. Wor ship at 10 a.m. will feature an thems by the adult and youth choirs, a special children's time, and the celebration of the sacrament of baptism. The Easter sermon is entitled " I Have Seen the Lord," by the Rev. Lea Mathieu. Everyone is welcome to attend. St. Patrick's Church St. Parick's Church will celebrate Holy week with a 7 p.m. Commemoration of the institution of the Blessed Eucharist on Holy Thursday, April 13. On Good Friday, April 14 there will be Way of the Cross at noon and com memoration of the Lord's Suf fering and Death at 7 p.m. On Holy Saturday, April 15, the Vigil of the Lord's Resurrection will be at 5 p.m. This year there will be a display depicting the events of the triduum, prepared by Nelson Connor, Kim Armato, Bob and Pam Worden. On Easter Sunday Mass of the Resurrection will be held at 11 a.m. begin at 5:30 p.m. On Easter Sunday Mass of the Resurrec tion will be held at 8:45 a.m. Hope-Valby Lutheran Parish Congregational members and friends will gather at 6 p.m. Maundy Thursday April 13 at Valby Lutheran Church, for a special soup and potato feed supper. A solemn communion service will be observed at 7 p.m. including a special ritual for the stripping of the altar. Pastor Hoobing will deliver a message entitled, "New Life in the Blood of Christ", based on scripture reading of Jeremiah 31:31-34. Members and friends will gather on Good Friday, April 14 at Hope Lutheran Church, near the Willow Creek Dam in Heppner, at 6 p.m. for a soup and sandwhich supper. A solemn service of the Passion of Christ wil be observed. Pastor Stan Hoobing will bring a ser mon entitled, "The Suffering Servant" based on scripture reading of Isaiah 52:13-53:12. A festive communion service will be held at 8 a.m. on Easter Sunday at Valby, with music by Rikka Tews of The Dalles. The old Christmas tree, now a cross will be covered with spring flowers. Pastor Hoobing will bring the message "Tell T h em " based on Exodus 15:1-11. An Easter breakfast of pancakes, hash browns, ham, eggs, coffee and juice will follow the worship service. Confirm ation class and parents of Hope Lutheran Church of Heppner will pro vide an Easter breakfast of ham, waffles, scrambled eggs, St. William's Church fruit tray, juice and coffee. St. William, lone, the Good Breakfast will be served from 9 Friday Way of the Cross will a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Festive com- muion service with special music led by Dr. Jeanne Berret- ta will be at 11 a.m. Pastor Hoobing will bring the mes sage, "Tell Them", based on the Song of Moses from Exodus 15:1-11. Meeting planned for 8th grade parents A meeting for the parents of Heppner eighth grade students will be held Wednesday, April 19 at 6 p.m. in the Heppner Middle school cafeteria. The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss the eighth grade party, set a date and make preparations. All parents are encouraged to attend. Students may attend if they wish. For more information contact Joyce Hughes 676-9959. Methodist Church Worshippers at Heppner United Methodist Church will partake of a light meal with Biblical foods on Maundy Thursday, April 13 at 6 p.m. This will be followed by the Lord's Supper at 6:30 p.m. and a tenebrae "se rv ice of shadows" after signifying the events that led up to Christ's Crucifixion. Easter Sunday service will be held April 16 at 10:30 a.m. The choir will sing at both services.