St. Patrick's Catholic Church
‘The Hope of Easter’
We can face all kinds o f difficulties and hardships
when we believe they will not last forever, or sometimes
when we believe that something better will happen There
are many examples o f this People will face a long and
dangerous operation if they believe they will then have a
better quality o f life I have heard people who have been
faced with that kind o f decision say, “It would be easy to
decide if I knew how long I am going to live.” Those who
go to prison face a long sentence better when they know
when they believe it will end and they will be able to enjoy
freedom again All o f us can face a long and difficult winter
because we know that spring will come in time.
Easter provides a great degree o f hope for the
human spirit. Such hope is needed in our modern world
There is an abundance o f tragedy in life There is war, which
destroys life and our resources. There is murder and
mayhem in our cities. There is drug addiction that is
destroying many young and old There is alcoholism, child
abuse, corruption and deception. The list could go on. It is
not much consolation to think that such things have existed
back through history.
Jesus was put to death The world did not pay much
attention at the time The world did not pay much attention
to his resurrection. He did not appear in the Temple in
triumph, breathing vengeance on those who had killed him
Rather he appeared in quietness to a small group o f chosen
individuals His message was not o f hatred, but o f peace
Yet even that group was slow to believe. But when they
did believe, a new spiritual revolution began Men and
women risked their lives to proclaim his truths And so it
has continued down through the centuries. Jesus Christ is
the inspiration of multitudes There are those who sacrifice
fame and fortune for him, those who endure hardships and
ridicule; those who give up the material for the spiritual
He is their hope and inspiration. May he be yours also.
-Father Gerry Condon
Heppner Christian Church
‘Resurrection, the story’
The story is simply that life overcame death even
death on the cross and eternal life became available for
everyone in the victory of Jesus’ death on the cross, his
burial in the tomb and his resurrection to life Some would
say this is a faerie tale and that Jesus did not rise from the
dead but we have ample evidence to counter that claim in
both eye witness testimony, an empty tomb and most
impressive of all, changed lives from that time to this in the
name and power o f Jesus Christ.
This Easter for those who believe I will rejoice with
you at the power o f our risen Lord. For those o f you who
do not believe, I would ask you to consider the claims o f
Christianity and the life that Jesus Christ can give you The
choice is yours; no one can make it for you and remember
to smile because God truly loves you too
-Pastor Andrew Johnson
Smith to represent South Morrow
County at Head Start conference
M elanie Sm ith, a
volunteer in the Heppner
Head Start classroom has
been chosen to attend the
N ational
Head
S tart
A ssociation’s 32nd annual
tra in in g c o n fe ren c e in
Orlando, FL, May 24-27,
said C andy G reen w ith
U m atilla-M o rro w H ead
Start
UM HS chose two
parents out o f 25 policy
council representatives to
re p re se n t them at the
co n fe ren c e .
B esides
v o lu n te e rin g
in
the
classroom, Smith has been
active on the policy council
As p art o f being
chosen, Smith’s airfare, hotel
accommodations and meals
will be paid for. At the
conference, Head Start staff
m em bers
and
p aren t
re p re se n ta tiv e s receiv e
training in a variety o f areas
as well as learn about the
Head Start agency.
“ We are so excited
that South Morrow County
will be re p re se n te d this
year,” said Green
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H eppner G azette
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‘God is ® good-all the time’
As I sat down at the computer to begin writing this
note this morning (actually Saturday), I heard the sad news
that they found the body of 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford in
Florida. I imagine that each o f us are saddened by the news
Anyone who has raised children knows how the death o f a
child is one o f those “terrors” that we lock away in our
minds Thankfully, for most, this horror will never come to
us But you also know that even when your children are
grown, you never stop fearing for them because you never
stop loving them My heart goes out to her family and I
encourage you to keep them in your prayers.
This kind o f news is not the way I would like to
begin Holy Week, but since it is the news this weekend, I
am also mindful that it is because o f evil that we have Holy
Week at all It is because little girls are kidnapped and killed
by adults who should protect them, it is because spouses
still find themselves having to fight for, and sometimes
against, the life o f their spouse; it is because terrorists are
willing to blow up everyone they can for the sake o f their
“cause”; it is because human beings not only recycle every
evil ever known but seem to invent new evils with each
succeeding generation that Jesus had to die and God had
to watch His Child be buried in the ground
Holy Week is G od’s answer to human evil by
answering it the only way God could answer it Instead o f
becoming evil Himself (by destroying his creation or simply
washing his hands o f us troublesome humans), God took
on evil by loving it to death: His own He took evil right on
the chin and right in the heart and even though it killed
Him to do so, He won
All evil ever needs to do to win is to make others
resort to evil themselves. Jesus did not do that. Ever as he
was nailed to the cross, Jesus remained loving and forgiving
And when he spoke those last words, “It is finished,” the
evil in the crowd thought he was referring to his own life
However, what he really meant was that because He could
still love even after the cross, it was evil that was ultimately
finished and God wins.
What that means for me this morning is that even
as I mourn the loss o f such a young life, fa such a terrible
way, I can still believe that Jesus’ victory means that her
life is not wasted Evil had done its worst. God has done
better Which is why we continue to celebrate Holy Week
and have all these worship experiences each year. Jesus’
resurrection takes place in the context, not o f the holiness
o f heaven, but in the reality o f the human world Easter
Sunday is not an escape Nor is it just another holiday excuse
to have a party. It is G od’s answer to evil and it comes
right out o f evil that was acted upon God Himself. That’s
why I encourage you to experience all o f Holy Week, not
just Palm Sunday and Easter.
-Pastor Ron Zschoche
Holy Week and Easter services
St. Patrick’s Catholic Church:
H oly T h u rsd ay, M arch 24- Solem n
Commemoration o f the Lord’s Supper, 7 p.m.;
Good Friday, March 25- Station o f the Cross,
12:15 p.m.; Solemn Commemoration o f the Death of Jesus,
7 p.m.;
Holy Saturday, March 26- Easter Vigil, 8 p.m.,
Lighting o f the Easter Candle, Scriptural Readings,
Baptisms, Confnmation, Resurrection Mass;
Easter Sunday, March 27- Easter Mass, 11 a m
St. William's Catholic Church:
Good Friday, March 25- Stations o f the Cross, 5
pm.;
Easter Sunday, March 27- Easter Mass, 8 :45 a m
Combined Ministries of Hope, Valby and All
Saints:
Wednesday, March 23- Time for prayer and Word
at Valby Lutheran, lone, 7 p.m.,
Maundy Thursday, March 24- Maundy Thursday
Worship at All Saints Episcopal, Heppner, 7 p.m.;
Good Friday, March 25- Good Friday Tenebrae
at Hope Lutheran, lone, 7 p.m.;
Easter Sunday, March 27- Easter Celebration at
Valby, 8 a m , with Easter Breakfast following; Easter
Celebration at Hope (for both ASE and Hope), 11 a m
Heppner Christian Church:
Easter Sunday, March 27- Easter Brunch, 9:30
a m ; Worship Service, 10:30 a m
cHs*l
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Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, March 23, 2005 - FIVE
Shared Ministries of Hope Lutheran, Valby
Heppner Church of the Nazarene
Lutheran and All Saints' Episcopal
FINAL WALK THROUGH
Prior to settlement, buyers
are entitled to w alk through the
property As a purchaser, you
want nothing more than to as
sure that the property is being
d eliv ered in the con d ition
promised by the seller If the
property is to be "broom
clean", the house should be
entirely devoid o f trash and old
furniture If an old car was to
be rem o\ed from the yard, it
should be gone If the applianc
es worked when the contract
was ratified, they should work
now.
With new property, you'll
want to walk through with the
builder's rcprcscntati\c and
vour inspector Items that arc
incomplete or not done at all
should
be marked on the build-
ft
er's “punch list”. Naturally, a
duplicate buyer's list should be
maintained
Buyers should insist that all
seller obligations are satisfied
and if they are not satisfied,
buyers could then demand suit
able com pensation For in
stance. if a repair is not made,
then an amount from the seller
should be placed in escrow to
assure completion
‘Why not believe**’
c
. ,,
*
From the crucifixion o f Jesus Christ on the cross,
to His resurrection from the grave, the believers in Christ
haven’t questioned how it could happen; rather, they just
simply believe that it did happen This is called believing
by “faith ”
Romans 3:22-24 tells us, “This righteousness from
God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believd
There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of
the glory o f God, and are justified freely by his grace through
the redemption that came by Christ Jesus ”
It is through God’s grace that we are saved, not by
good works, not by good deeds After Christ’s resurrection
some still scoffed at Him; yet, others believed In John 20:29
Jesus said, “Because you have seen me, you have believed;
blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed ”
Still, even today, Christian faith is based solely upon
the hope provided to them as found in the Bible Hebrews
11:1 describes it, “Now faith is the substance o f things
hoped for, the evidence o f things not seen ”
Gladys Talbot tells the story o f three little trees who
wanted to become something big in life The first tree
wanted to be a pretty cradle when it grew up One day
some people came to the forest and cut the tree down The
tree was hewn into rough pieces and carelessly put together
to form a manger in a stable in Bethlehem. The little tree
was disappointed because it was shoved into a dark barn
with no one to see it but some cattle. One day however,
God was laid there, His own Babe- the Son o f God The
manger quivered with delight “Oh, this is wonderful In
all my dreams I never thought to hold a Baby like this. This
is better than all my dreams. Why, I am part o f a miracle ”
Years passed by, and men came to the forest to cut
down the second tree This tree aspired to be a great ship
when it grew up. But the little tree did not do great things
It was not made into a great vessel, but instead it became a
tiny fishing boat, owned by a simple Galilean fisherman
named Peter This little boat was most unhappy. One day it
stood by the shores o f the Sea o f Galilee dejected and
disappointed A crowd had gathered by the shore and
because o f the multitude, a Man, called Jesus, stepped into
the little boat and taught the people from it. “This is
wonderful,” it whispered “In all my dreams and planning I
never thought I would be used as part o f a miracle ”
Some months later, men came to the forest to cut
down the third tree This tree just wanted to remain on the
hillside and point heavenward to God But men did not
leave the little tree alone They tore away its branches;
they cut into its bark and deeper into its very heart. They
hewed it apart and put it together again, in the form o f a
crude cross. The little tree quivered through all its
disappointment.
“This is terrible,” it whispered. “They are going to
hang someone Oh, I never wanted this to happen to me-1
only wanted to point to God This is awful.”
One day, outside o f Jerusalem, a great crowd
gathered. In the midst o f the crowd was Jesus and beside
Him was the cross. After nailing Him to the cross, the little
tree heard Jesus utter words o f forgiveness and peace that
were offered to the whole world. Then Christ completed
His work o f redemption and said, “ It is finished,” then He
gave up his spirit
And the cross began to understand. “Oh, this is so
wonderful,” it whispered. “In all my dreams I never thought
I could point to God in this way. I am part o f a miracle
This is better than all my dreams ” - Credit: “Stories I Love
to Tell,” by Chicago: Moody Press.
For years the cross has been a major stumbling block
for many people Out o f the ugliness and agony o f
crucifixion, God accomplished the greatest good o f all-
the redemption o f sinners
Maybe faithful Christians are foolish But one
cannot deny the evidence o f the changed lives o f those
who have claimed Jesus Christ as Lord They know the
truth and the truth has set them free. Others have denied
the truth and are now captive to a troubled and distressed
conscience When skeptics are scornful because Christians
do not have all the right or perfect answers about God and
the Bible, just recall this statement by Vance Havner: “I do
not understand all about electricity, but I don’t intend to sit
in the dark until I do.” A believer’s faith is the same
Revelation 2:7 says, “He who has an ear, let him
hear what the Spirit says to the churches To him who
overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree o f life,
which is in the paradise o f God ”
-Rev. Duane Jones
Easter Sunday sunrise service to
be held at fairgrounds
The
M in isterial
A sso ciatio n o f South
Morrow County wishes to
invite everyone to an Easter
Sunrise Service at 7 a m ,
Easter Sunday, March 27 at
the Morrow County Rodeo
Grounds football field
The speaker this year
is Rev A ndrew Johnson
from the Heppner Christian
Church Music will be lead
by th e H ep p n er Elohim
Covenant Church
Easter Celebration is
the pinnacle o f the Christian
religion, commemorating the
resurrection o f Jesus Christ
from the grave
SM CM A
is
a
c o n so rtiu m
o f C hrist
b e liev in g
c h u rc h es
re p re se n tin g
the
com m unities o f Heppner,
lone and Lexington, located
in south Morrow County
W i n d W a v e C o m m u n ic a tio n s
Morrow County's own Broadband Compony
180 W. Baltimore #5
Heppner, OR 97836
w in < ^
Hdutoge j Q uu U c .
R EA LT O R (8
541-676-9228
Past Real Estate columns and property listings
are available at h w . heppner.net/heritage
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