Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, March 218 2018
- THREE
Messages of Easter hope from local pastors
Everybody loves a parade
The Death and Resurrec-
tion of Jesus Christ
The resurrection of Je-
sus is important for several
reasons. First, it witnesses
to the immense power of
God Himself. To believe in
the resurrection is to believe
in God. If God exists, and if
He created the universe and
has power over it, He has
power to raise the dead. If
He does not have such pow-
er, He is not a God worthy
of our faith and worship.
Only He who created life
can resurrect it after death,
only He can reverse the
hideousness that is death
itself and only He can re-
move the sting that is death
and the victory that is the
grave’s (1 Cor 15:54-55).
In resurrecting Jesus from
the grave, God reminds us
of His absolute sovereignty
over life and death.
Second, the resurrec-
tion of Jesus is a testimony
to the resurrection of human
beings, which is a basic
tenet of the Christian faith.
Unlike all other religions,
Christianity alone possesses
a founder who transcends
death and who promises
that His followers will do
the same. All other religions
were founded by men and
prophets whose end was
the grave. As Christians, we
take comfort in the fact that
our God became man, died
for our sins and was resur-
rected the third day. The
grave could not hold Him.
He lives, and He sits today
at the right hand of God the
Father in heaven.
In 1 Cor 15, Paul ex-
plains in detail the impor-
tance of the resurrection
of Christ. Some in Corinth
did not believe in the resur-
rection of the dead and in
this chapter Paul gives six
disastrous consequences if
there were no resurrection:
1) preaching Christ would
be senseless (v. 14); 2) faith
in Christ would be useless
(v. 14); 3) all the witnesses
and preachers of the res-
urrection would be liars
(v. 15); 4) no one would
be redeemed from sin (v.
17); 5) all former believers
would have perished (v.18);
and 6) Christians would be
the most pitiable people on
the earth (v. 19). But Christ
indeed has risen from the
dead and “has become the
first-fruits of those who
have fallen asleep” (v. 20),
assuring that we will follow
Him in resurrection.
The inspired Word of
God guarantees the be-
liever’s resurrection at the
coming of Jesus Christ for
His Body (the Church) at
the Rapture. Such hope
and assurance results in a
great song of triumph as
Paul writes in 1 Cor 15:55,
“Where, O death, is your
victory? Where, O death,
is your sting?”
The resurrection is the
triumphant and glorious
victory for every believer.
Jesus Christ died, was bur-
ied, and rose the third day
according to the Scripture.
And, He is coming again.
The dead in Christ will be
raised up, and those who
remain and are alive at His
coming will be changed and
receive new, glorified bod-
ies (1 Thes 4:13-18). Why
is the resurrection of Jesus
Christ important to salva-
tion? It demonstrated that
God accepted Jesus’ sacri-
fice on our behalf. It proves
that God has the power to
raise us from the dead. It
guarantees that those who
believe in Christ will not
remain dead, but will be
Yes, I do believe that
everybody does love a pa-
rade. It was so evident just
a week and a half ago when
hundreds of happy folk
turned out for our St. Pat-
rick’s Day parade. Smiles,
cheers, laughter, interest-
ing people dressed up for a
great time. Parades are like
that. Parades are the times
when we bring before a
gathered crowd the things
that we are most proud
of. Time to show off and
maybe brag a bit. On St.
Pat’s Day it was a time to let
others know that we enjoy
our life here in Heppner,
Oregon.
Holy Week, which the
Christian Churches are ob-
serving this week, is some-
thing like a parade. In fact
Palm Sunday (Mar. 25 th )
remembers a special parade
in which Jesus the Christ
was welcomed into his
own nations’ capitol city,
Jerusalem.
Happy crowds lined
the street to see him pass
by. Nobody could see the
terrible cross on a nearby
hill that would soon point
to his death. And nobody
could even imagine that
this Jesus would follow his
death by rising again from
the dead in just a few days.
resurrected unto eternal life.
That is our blessed hope.
So, Dear Brothers and
Sisters in Christ, let us live
in Joy of Easter with all
our friends in Christ and
make our special efforts to
reach out to those who don’t
know about Christ. So they
may know Jesus and mani-
fest their joy outwardly as
we are doing today. We
shall live in faith in Jesus
Christ that He is truly risen
from the dead and bring Joy
to the whole world.
The Lord is Risen! Al-
leluia! Alleluia!
Wishing you a Blessed
and Joyful Easter.
Rev. Fr. Papa Rao Pasala
St. Patrick’s and St. Wil-
liam’s Catholic Churches
Friends Helping Friends would
like to acknowledge and thank
the 2018 Remembrance Walk/Run
Commit tee, Donors and Participants
PROCEEDS WENT TO ST. PATRICK'S SENIOR CENTER
2018 Friends Helping Friends Commitee Members: Patty Matheny, Kathi Dickenson, Susan
Hisler, Peggy Fishburn, Janelle Ellis, Mary Haguewood, Sandy Matthews, and Shelley McCabe
FUNDS WERE DONATED IN MEMORY
OF THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE:
Donna Schonbachler
Tom Healy
Larry Crawford
Harry & Helen O'Donnell
Dwain Crawford
Patti Healy Gentry
Anne Crawford
Don & Pat Anderson
R.G. Watkins
Marilyn Rietmann
Delmer Buschke
Mildred Wright
Joe & Maryette Wright
Dean Connor
Joan Grey
Lincoln & Bernice Nash
Mac Griffith
Lucille Kostechka
Vince & Donna Alleman
George Luciani
Mel & Anita Boyer
David Matheny
Valerie Boyer
Orval Matheny
Tad Miller
Pam Haugen-Fishman
Jim Farley
Fred & Donnie Reed
Alisa Louise Halvorsen
Carol Reed
Margaret Bergevin
Stanley Qualls
Jim Wishart
Mike Lott
John Wishart
Donny Lott
Marsha Sweek
Randy Lott
Neil Fritts
James Pappas
Lyle & Josie Morton
Billy Kenny
Burkenbine Family-Forrie,
Gene & Fay Pierce
Gail & Allen
Mike Pierce
Lynn Bibby
Ilene Laughlin
Jerry Hollomon
Les Wyman
Darcy Hollomon-Coil
Carl & Bette Spaulding
Bonna Rae Miller
Bob Bryant
Jo Burt
Zoe Laughlin
Velma "Granny" Felt
Jim & Madge Thomson
"Little Buttercreek Irish
Jay Sumner
Neighbors":
Alice Peterson Ployhar
Ashbecks, Brosnans, Currins, Cliff Green
Dalys, Healys, O'Briens,
Cindy Green
Hislers, Hughes & Frenches George Miller
Paul & Betty Brown
Richard & Rosie Graham
Don & Colleen Greenup
Arnie Hedman
Robert Kilkenny
Mike Hedman
JF & Katherine Walton
Darlene Arrington
Susan Johnston
Fonzie Arrington
Jane McRoberts
Blanche Wise Jones
Marlene Peterson
Paul W. Jones
Bob Bergstrom
Juan Elguezabal
Lloyd McNary
Elguezabal & Dority families
George Gutierrez
Cecil & Caldera family
Pat Gutierrez
Troy & Deanie McGowan
Ruth McCabe
Don Robinson
Helen Drake
Byron & Joyce Hostetler
Bev Gunderson
Howard Bryant
Jim Prock
Jack Healy
Jon Prock
Ida Coleman Family
Mike Prock
Marie Healy
Charlie & Yvonne Daly
Cecelia Healy
Kevin Bristow
Rosetta & Ted Palmateer
Rita Greenup
Phil & Hazel Mahoney
Shad Anthony Hisler
Debbie Connor
Paul & Kathleen Hisler
Skip Conner
Jim & Joan Sumner
Bob Hubbard
Janice Healy Davis
Nelson Connor
Bill Healy
Leon Morehouse
Juan Tellechea
Don Robinson
LaVelle Cecil
Gordon Cecil
Althea Gibbs
Greenup Family
Walton Family
Howard Keith
Allen Hughes
Eb & Pauline Hughes
Fay Lemmon
Tom Huddleston
Adrian Stump
Jack Malcom Carey
Laurie Malcom
Bruce Malcom
Irv & Millie Rauch
Delanie Jane Doherty
Jim Berry
Pat Cutsforth
David Hanna
Millie Hanna
Ralph & Mary Beamer
Remi Grace Robinson
" A Tribute to John &
Annie Healy families and
descendants Irish Spirit
started in 1983, and still
proud to be Irish"
Bennett Family
Hanna Family
Judy, John, Kenneth
Gochnauer
John & Rene Ledbetter
Bobbie Gail Miller
Betty Meyer
Kristi Haguewood Huber
Ken Fleck & Family
Black Horse Dohertys
James & Catherine
Doherty
Bernard & Jerry Doherty
Harley & Helen Young
John & Bea Kenny Family
Robert "Rob Nichols
Frank Brown
Chad Seibel
Nicolas & Leonora Tineo
Family
Bob & Katy VanSchoiack
Dick & Virginia Wilkinson
David & Marge Eckman
Rosemary Schuening
Ron Reeser
Stella Rose Britt
John Britt
Mike Grant
Cooper Larson
Julieanna Larson
Max Renick
Bill Hensel
Mike Nagy
Betty Fulleton
Ruby Fulleton Veatch
Ferguson & Kelly Families
Bob & Mary Lou Kelly
Frank Mader
Grandpa Dick Ober
Lisa Carlson
Grandpa Bob Carlson
Hallie Duncan
Gene & Ally Majeske
Don Majeske
Alex & Rosella Lindsay
Dr. Wallace & Rita Wolff
"All the people in our
community"
Amy Rottari
Grandpa Ed Nolte
Bailey Marie Morgan
Dominic McElligott
Jason Halvorsen
Stormy Kendrick
Cayle Krebs
Elizabeth Allen
Colleen Kitch
Wade Padberg
Luke Padberg
Peggy Balkema
Rosalie Davis
Sonja Smith
Delbert Smeltzer
Chad Smeltzer
John Barry Rose
Mike & Eileen Saling
Don & Margaret Evans
Priscella Ena Boyd
Linda Haguewood
Mike Currin
Dennis Crowley
Jean Barbouletos
Frank & Margaret Monahan
Tom Norton
Zach Davidson
Bob Jepsen
Alice McCabe
Bob Carlson
Mike Sweeney
Class of 1966
Royal Raymond
Jack Carey
Bruce Malcom
Laurie Malcom
Lee Davis
Edmund & Mary Bristow
Ellen Kennedy
Peggy Davis
Judy Aaron
Jim Benson
Duane DeGrofft
Holy Week, for Christians,
becomes a parade that goes
from joy, to sorrow, to cele-
bration, as we walk through
these eight days from Palm
Sunday to Easter Sunday.
The lighted cross on the hill
high above Heppner is our
reminder that Holy Week
really did happen once. And
Holy Week today continues
to be an invitation, for all
of us, to seek out a church
of our choice and to learn
more about what the resur-
rection of Jesus means for
you and me. Walk the walk,
join the parade and discover
the true Jesus.
This coming Sunday,
Apr. 1, the local ministerial
association invites you to
come to the football field
bleachers at the fairgrounds
at 7 a.m. as we begin the
celebration of Easter Day
with a Sunrise Resurrection
Worship time. Then folks
move to the several church-
es of the area to continue
the Easter celebration. The
Heppner United Methodist
Church has its worship at
10:30 a.m., and of course
you are most welcome to
join with us as the parade
continues.
Pastor Keith Brudevold
Heppner United Methodist
Church
Discovering God
I like to explore and
discover new places, things
and food. It is amazing to
taste new foods for the first
time or to see new places
and things that I have never
seen before. Unfortunately
when we discover the food
of another culture or view a
new landscape we are often
just scratching the surface
and not experiencing all
there is for us to discover.
Consider the ocean as
one stands on the shore,
whether it be a sandy beach
or a rocky point and you
look out at the expanse of
the ocean do you know
all there is to know about
the ocean? No, we only
see the surface and know
nothing of what lies under
the splendor of the blue sea
and rolling waves. But the
things we discover when
we begin to look below the
surface.
Below the surface we
find a multitude of sea life
from sharks to giant whales.
Lobster, shrimp, crabs and
clams. Fish of many colors,
sea weed which waves to
the motion of the sea, coral
reefs and depths so deep
that no light can penetrate.
You see when we stand on
the shore and look at the
ocean we see and know
A story with no end
How it happened ex-
actly, we don’t know. Jesus
had been tortured and killed
and hastily stashed in a
borrowed tomb on Friday
evening. By Sunday morn-
ing, that tomb was empty.
Many had witnessed the
crucifixion, but there were
no human witnesses to
the moment of resurrec-
tion. The first evidence,
entirely circumstantial, was
an empty tomb where there
should have been a dead
body. Jesus’ story could
have ended there.
But it didn’t. Jesus rose.
Death couldn’t hold him.
Because that tomb was
empty, the friends of Jesus
could stop cowering in fear
for their own lives and be-
come spirit-filled witnesses
who couldn’t stop talking
about what they had seen
with their own eyes: a living
Jesus, now scarred by his
execution. Jesus’ story had
not come to an end after all,
it was only beginning, as
one generation after another
heard the news and believed
what they heard, that new
life had emerged out of
death—first for Jesus, but
not only for Jesus.
His life means new life
for all who believe in him.
As friends of a living Jesus,
we’re not confined to the
dark tomb of human reason
and limited vision. Our
identity isn’t defined just
by family ties or occupa-
tion, or the ups and downs
of our personal story, or
the turmoil rampant in our
homeland. When the light
of Christ shines into our
dark places, we are made
new. Even events that feel
like endings can be recog-
nized as new beginnings,
filled with new life and
hope, because Jesus has set
us free. We’ve been freed
from the burden of our
Forsaken by God
Have you ever felt
abandoned? Have you ever
felt like everyone around
you had abandoned you?
Do you ever feel lonely?
Do you ever feel empty,
isolated, rejected, or forgot-
ten? If so, you are in good
company. Jesus endured
rejection as well.
It is bad enough to be
abandoned by a friend, fam-
ily member, love interest
or spouse, but it is some-
thing entirely different to
be abandoned by God. This
is the abandonment Jesus
endured for our sake on the
cross when he cried, “My
God, my God, why have
you forsaken me?” (Mark
15:34)
Jesus’ personal aban-
donment by his dad gives
him a human quality we
can relate to as he shares the
sorrow of rejection with us
in this terrible moment. It
makes him approachable,
relatable and brings out hu-
man attributes and elements
of suffering we can all
identify with. Who has not
experienced the heartbreak
of loneliness?
We suffer rejection
from those we love. Every-
one knows the taste of that
bitter cup and the repulsive
burn running down our
throats into the pit of our
stomach. It hurts. It reddens
our eyes as we try and hold
back those salty tears that
blossom and fall uncon-
trollably down our cheeks
cutting visible trails and
channels of pain.
You can identify with
that. You can feel that. Now,
imagine that suffering on
a cosmic level. Imagine
if God, the maker of all
things, told you that he
didn’t want to be around
you anymore. Imagine if he
said that he could not look
at you anymore. Imagine if
he said that he was going to
punish you for every wrong
Valby Lutheran Church
Valby Road
Ione Oregon. 97843
Church Services 1st &
3rd Sundays 10:00 am
Available for:
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Welcome
very little about what is
really there. In fact, some
people spend their entire
lives exploring and discov-
ering what the ocean holds.
The same can be said
about mankind’s under-
standing of God. In many
ways we know very little
about the one who created
the heavens and the earth
and all that is in them (Gen-
esis 1). I would contend that
we can spend our entire
life studying and exploring
God and at the end of our
life we would feel like we
are standing on the shore
looking at the ocean not
knowing what lays under
the surface.
However, we do not
need to know everything
there is to know about God
to be right with Him. In
reality we need to know a
couple of things: 1. God
loves you (John 3:16), 2.
He sent His Son to pay the
price for our sin, death so
we can have eternal life by
putting our faith in the work
of the cross. See, not an ex-
haustive list of the attributes
of God nor everything there
is to know about Him, but
enough to begin the journey
exploring Him and His love
for you.
Heppner Christian
Church invites you to come
and discover God with us
this Easter Sunday. I can as-
sure you it is a journey that
has benefits beyond what
you can see and will last
for eternity. We will gather
at 10:45am and would love
to have you come and wor-
ship with us.
HAPPY EASTER.
Ray DeLoe
Heppner Christian Church
failures and all the mistakes
of our past. We’ve been
freed from the illusion that
we can save ourselves and
win God’s love by being
good enough. We’ve been
given the gift of new life in
Christ, an eternity in God’s
presence and an abundant
life now.
That tomb is still emp-
ty. Jesus still lives. And so
can we.
Rev. Katy Anderson
Hopeful Saints Ministry
Hope Lutheran & All Saints
Episcopal
ever done.
That is the suffering,
abandonment and rejection
Christ faced on the cross.
Why would God do such a
thing? What kind of a dad
would do that to his son?
There is a reason.
Someone has to pay
for wrong doing. Justice
demands, and goodness
require wrongs be righted.
Jesus said, “I’ll right the
wrongs. I’ll take the pen-
alty and punishment for
wrong doing. Pour Tripp’s
punishment out on me.
The punishment that Tripp
deserves for all the wrong
Tripp’s ever done and will
ever do…pour it out on me
instead of on Tripp.”
Take my name out and
put your name in that blank.
Jesus was abandoned by
God so that you and I would
not have to be forsaken by
God. He stood in my place,
and he has stood in your
place.
Knowing that makes
all our loneliness bearable.
We can endure suffering,
because we know that it is
temporary. We know that
because of what Jesus did
on the cross, God will not
abandon us, not because
we deserve his love, but
because Jesus has been
abandoned by God for us.
Have you ever thought
about God in his way?
Tripp Finch
Willow Creek Baptist
Church
560 Minor St, Heppner