FOUR - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, December 20,2006
Anniversary
John and Pat Edmundson
Wishing you all th£ joys and
blessings of this Christmas <§>oason
Share the joy
my heart. Lord Jesus. There
is room in my heart for you.”
May we each find even
more room for Him this year,
and may the blessing of
C h rist be y o u rs this
Christmas!
-Rev. Janis Johnson
All Saints Episcopal and
Hope L utheran C hurches
What a great time o f the
year to share in the joy of the
birth of our Jesus.
Could we also take some
time and extend the joy of
this season to those who are
hurting
becau se
this
Christmas a loved one is not
there or a loved one is
su ffe rin g w ith a life
threatening illness.
Could we extend an
invitation or send a carol or
make a call or go and visit
those w hose pain is
overw helm ing th eir joy.
After all isn't that what Jesus
Have you ever
did for us?
thought about the smell and
-Rev. Patti Smith, Chaplain sounds of Christmas? They
Pioneer M emorial Hospice permeate the entire message
of Advent; with the purpose
being, that God h im self
personally entered into the
affairs of human life.
Oh The Sm ells O f
As Mary and Joseph Christmas. Pine trees, spiced
sought shelter in Bethlehem, apple cider, candles, a wood-
homeless and in need, those burning Fire, and peppermint
w ho m anaged fa c ilitie s candy canes. Because of
repeatedly told them they things like these, it's not just
had no room . T hus, the beginning to smell a lot-like
Savior of the world was bom Christmas; it’s beginning to
into a homeless family with sound a lot like Christmas.
a teenage m other and an
It’s easy to associate
older father. That would be certain smells and odors with
a scandal by to d a y ’s certain experiences. We can
standards, let alone in their tell how freshly cut an alfalfa
day!
field is. There are aromas
Yet, as we hear children connected with summertime
sing “Away in a Manager” smells of burning grass, or
and as we sing other carols burning leaves in autumn.
this Christmas, there are two A nd d e fin ite ly sm ells
kinds of homelessness that connected with hot apple pie
face us. First, there are those and cinnamon.
w ho are still seek in g a
I t’s the sam e with
physical home, and we are Christmas, what stands out
called to reach out to them about Christmas is not just
in the name of the One who the sights and sounds— but,
was born homeless. Jesus also the smells. What kind of
has told us to seek Him, to m em ories do certain
ask. to knock; many today fragrances - bring to your
are seeking a tangible home. mind?
As Christians, we are called
It was probably that way
to continue to be aware of for Mary and Joseph on the
our need for action to help first Christmas. I imagine
house those who have no a fte r that holy night in
place to call hom e. O ur Bethlehem when the Son of
ch u rch es are places o f God became flesh — the
refuge, of sanctuary. Yet, are smell of a barn took on a
our doors open to those who whole new meaning. Never
may need a place to lay their again would the smell hay be
heads?
the same. This experience
S econd, there is a would transform the smell of
spiritual homelessness that a bam — Into the smell of a
we often face. It is that miracle for them. It was the
hunger for God that we may smell of God having come to
try to ignore or deny. It may earth. It was the smell of
be the sense that we don't Life.
"fit in " It may be the sense
However, it's through us
that we are utterly alone, — that God wants to get the
even when in a crowd. It may aroma of Christ out to the
be that we have left a church world. The Aroma Of Christ
or a fellowship for reasons is spread in ja ils w here
we now cannot even quite prisoners are v isited, in
remember. And, it may be pantries where the hungry
that we are facing struggles are fed, and in conversations
in our lives that make us feel with hom ebound friends,
as though we are not at home neighbo rs, and relativ es
in our own spirit.
when believers share the
The Good News of the gospel of Christ.
coming of Jesus Christ into
“But thanks be to God,
our world is that He can w ho alw ays leads us in
meet that need. If we seek, triu m p h al p ro cessio n in
ask and knock at His door, C h rist and th ro u g h us
we will find Him waiting on sp read s ev ery w h ere the
the other side. For we Find fragrance of the knowledge
our home in Him. Christmas of Him. For we are to God
is about the birth of the the aroma of Christ among
Savior and about the birth of those who are being saved
a relationship with God. It is and
th o se
w ho
are
a relationship that is not perishing.”
about magic or something 2 Corinthians 2:14-15
that simply makes us feel
T hen th ere are the
better. It is about finding Sounds O f Christmas.
room in our h earts for
I believe that we may
som eone
o th e r
than hear in the story of the “First
ourselves, for the One who Christmas”— some sounds
came to love us. It is about that are not just cuddly and
Finding our “home" in Christ. cozy with the warm fuzzies
This Christmas, may we of a new born baby. Can you
each take the time to say, imagine having to walk or
either for the First or for the ride a donkey for three days?
hundredth time. “O come to Just to stand in line, so you
The smell and
sounds of
Christmas
Finding our
home in Christ
♦
could be registered to pay
your taxes? There were no
M cD onalds to be found
every few miles. "Motel 6"
was not likely to leave a
c an d le b u rn in g in the
window for you. Can you
imagine the grumbling and
complaining of all the other
travelers in route? The sound
of children crying and, the
sound o f Roman G uards
clanking their swords and
armor to control the crowds.
All to often we hear the
sam e
sounds
today.
C o m p lain in g ab o u t gas
prices, and April 15"’ Tax
deadline. Another sound of
C hristm as is: “ Sorry we
can n o t get that item for
you”, “Sorry that item has
been sold out.” Or, the sound
of rejection. Like: “I’m Very
sorry, we have no room for
you in this Inn.” There was
no room for Jesus!
It’s Unfortunately that
the sound of rejection is still
heard today in Christm as
p arades, TV, R adio And
Other public arenas. But its
also tragic Jesus still hears
that "Sound" coming from
people in this world today is,
"Sorry ‘G od’ No Room For
You.”
I guess the sounds of the
first Christmas were not all
that d iffe re n t from the
sounds of last Christmas, or
this one. Are you rejecting
Jesus - deigning Him room
in y o u r h eart; yet still
expecting all the blessings of
God on you and your family.
Are you saying to Jesus,
“Sorry, there's no room for
you in my life”? The first
Christmas gift was from our
creator, the gift of a spiritual
Savior and His Holy Spirit.
Do You Hear What I Hear.
“Any time you take a
stand, there will come a time
when you will be tested to
see how firm your feet are
planted.” (Native American
Proverb)
-Rev. D uane and K athy
Jones
C hurch of the N azarene
Spotlight on
our gift
Christmas means many
things to all of us. It means
dashing from here to there
in a last minute rush to get
everything done. It means
often being on edge and
ready to fly off the handle. It
means buying gifts, sending
card s and liste n in g to
Christmas carols. It means
the tree, the decorations, and
Santa Claus. More than that,
it means the satisfaction we
ex p erien c e by b rin g in g
happiness to others. It means
joyous family reunions and
gourmet feasting. Hopefully,
all of these things do not
distract us too much from
the real m eaning o f
C h ristm a s. All o f th ese
th in g s sh o u ld be like
spotlights illuminating the
celebration of the birth of the
Savior.
We celebrate the birth of
Jesus Christ in Bethlehem.
We celebrate that He who
was divine was born as a
human being. Because of the
birth o f Jesus we are the
recipients of the precious gift
of his love. Now we can ask
ourselves if there is anything
we can give back to Him.
And the only gift we can give
God that he does not have
yet is the gift of our love.
This gift is not measured by
material standards. Its value
depends completely on the
spirit of the giver. We learn
of such generous gifts in the
Gospel accounts. One such
example was what the Lord
said about Mary Magdalene
- many sins were forgiven
her because she had loved
much. She brought to Him a
box of precious ointment to
anoint Him while He was
attending a feast. Monetarily
it may have been valuable,
and it may have been all she
had. Yet it was with the spirit
with which she gave it that
was important. Then there
was the account of the lady
who put two small coins in
the treasury, and the Lord
praised her saying that she
had given more than the
others. Jesus Christ through
His life brought a new hope
to the world, through His
sufferings, a new patience,
through His resurrection, a
new faith.
So, what response are we
going to make to Him this
year of 2006? We do not
have the pow er to bring
about peace or tolerance or
understanding to our world.
However, we do have the
ability to share the ideals of
Christ with our friends, our
family and our community.
So may this Christmas be
one o f sh arin g peace,
tolerance and understanding.
W henever we can do this
Christmas will be a joy and
blessed on for ourselves and
for others.
-Fr. Gerry Condon
S t. P a t r i c k ’s C a th o lic
C hurch
Hope Lutheran/
All Saints to hold
C hristm as Eve
Communion
Hope Lutheran/All Saints
Episcopal Church will hold
a candlelight communion
serv ice
on
Sunday,
December 24, at 7:30 p.m
Senior Center to
hold community
Christmas dinner
The New Year’s dinner
will be served Wednesday,
December 27, from 11:30
a.m. until 12:30 p.m. .Roast
Pork w ith d re ssin g and
gravy, cream ed peas and
carrots, green salad, whole
wheat bread, and cookies.
St. P a tric k 's C ath o lic
Church will be serving.
The Senior Center would
like to welcome new tenant,
D aisey C ollins, who has
lived in Heppner for many
years. She will be moving in
after the First of the year. We
are lo o k in g forw ard to
having her here.
The te n an ts at St.
Patrick's apartments wish
everyone a joyous Christmas
and a Happy New Year.
Epiphany
party date set
21, 2007.
and son Jeff Edmundson and
w ife S h eila, also o f
Hermiston. Their six grand
d a u g h ters,
Em ily
E dm undson. B oise, Erin
Brookshire, Forest Grove,
Kirsten Brookshire. Salem,
Megan Brookshire, Baker
City, and Jordan and Jilli
Sm alley, H erm iston will
share in the celebration.
John and Pat are retired
educators, and during their
schooling and working lives,
lived in Salem, Parkdale,
Boston, Hood River. Eu
gene, lone and Heppner.
They enjoy following the
activities o f their g ran d
daughters and family, as well
as finding tim e for golf,
bridge, cross-country skiing
and community service.
St. Patrick’s Morrow Co.
Senior Center receives
emergency
News
The S en io r C en ter
Christmas community dinner
w ill be held Sunday,
December 24, at 2 p.m. The
Bill and Winifred Cox family
are sp o n so rin g this free
dinner.
Holiday garbage
Turkey w ith all the
fixings will be provided. pick-up schedule
Those attending are asked to
There will be no garbage
bring a salad or dessert.
collection on Christmas day,
Della and Dee Burch will be
Dec 25th. P lease have
cooking.
garbage out between a day
to a day in a half ahead of
schedule beginning Dec 26
through Dec. 29.
If anyone has q u estio n s
The Epiphany party of All reg ard in g th is m atter,
Saints Episcopal Church will contact Dave Green at 676-
be held on Sunday. January 5364.
fund allocation
The Emergency Food
and Shelter National Board
P rogram has a llo c ate d
$8,351 to Morrow County
for 2007. These funds are
available to agencies and
organizations who furnish
temporary emergency food
and shelter (which includes
ren t, h eat, and sim ila r
services) to Morrow County
fa m ilies in need o f this
em erg en cy
a ssistan c e .
Agencies who provide these
services may contact the
M orrow
C ounty
Commission on Children and
Families at 120 South Main
Street. Heppner. Oregon, or
telephone 541-676-9675 to
request an application or
receive further information.
A p p lic atio n s m ust be
retu rn ed to the M orrow
C ounty C h ild ren and
Families Office, at 120 S.
M ain St., H eppner. OR
97836 or to P.O. Box 544.
Heppner, OR 97836 by 3
p.m. on January 5, 2007.
This is a very short turn
around tim e due to the
required submission date to
the N atio n al B oard o f
January 31.2007.
HHS softball team to host
Road 53 closure
alumni game
postponed
The 2007 Heppner High softball team will be
B ecause o f warm hosting an alumni game on March 16. 2007 at noon.
weather the Morrow County
Anyone interested in playing that has not received
Road
D ep artm en t
is a letter in the mail, can contact Petra Payne at 541-676-
temporarily putting off the 9138 ext. 2518 or email her at paynep@morrow.kl2.or.us.
closure of Road 53.
Ì
*
John and Pat
Edmundson, of Heppner. are
celebrating their 50th anni
versary with a family cel
ebration at Me Call. Idaho.
John E dm undson and
Patricia Turner were married
December 29, 1956, at the
Calvery Baptist Church in
The D alles, Oregon. The
couple was m arried over
their college winter break,
with John graduating from
W illam ette U niversity in
1957, and Pat from Oregon
C ollege of E ducation, in
1958.
The celebration will be a
fam ily gathering of their
three children, daughters,
Vicki Edm undson, Baker
City, Kristi Smalley and hus
band, Mark, of Hermiston,