TWO - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, June 24, 2020 The Official Newspaper of the City of Heppner and the County of Morrow Heppner GAZETTE-TIMES U.S.P.S. 240-420 Morrow County’s Home-Owned Weekly Newspaper SEARCH OLD COPIES OF THE HEPPNER GAZETTE-TIMES ON-LINE: http://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/ Published weekly by Sykes Publishing and entered as periodical matter at the Post Office at Heppner, Oregon under the Act of March 3, 1879. Periodical postage paid at Heppner, Oregon. Office at 188 W. Willow Street. Telephone (541) 676-9228. Fax (541) 676-9211. E-mail: editor@rapidserve.net or david@rapidserve.net. Web site: www.heppner.net. Postmaster send address changes to the Heppner Gazette-Times, P.O. Box 337, Heppner, Oregon 97836. Subscriptions: $31 in Morrow County; $25 senior rate (in Morrow County only; 65 years or older); $37 elsewhere; $31 student subscriptions. David Sykes ..............................................................................................Publisher Bobbi Gordon................................................................................................ Editor Giselle Moses.........................................................................................Advertising All News and Advertising Deadline is Monday at 5 p.m. For Advertising: advertising deadline is Monday at 5 p.m. Cost for a display ad is $5.25 per column inch. Cost for classified ad is 50¢ per word. Cost for Card of Thanks is $10 up to 100 words. Cost for a classified display ad is $6.05 per column inch. For Public/Legal Notices: public/legal notices deadline is Monday at 5 p.m. Dates for pub- lication must be specified. Affidavits must be required at the time of submission. Affidavits require three weeks to process after last date of publication (a sooner return date must be specified if required). For Obituaries: Obituaries are published in the Heppner GT at no charge and are edited to meet news guidelines. Families wishing to include information not included in the guidelines or who wish to have the obituary written in a certain way must purchase advertising space for the obituary. For Letters to the Editor: Letters to the Editor MUST be signed by the author. The Heppner GT will not publish unsigned letters. All letters MUST include the author’s address and phone number for use by the GT office. The GT reserves the right to edit letters. The GT is not responsible for accuracy of statements made in letters. Any letters expressing thanks will be placed in the classifieds under “Card of Thanks” at a cost of $10. Hospice holds butterfly release fundraiser Pioneer Memorial Hospice and Community Counseling Solu- tions hosted a butterfly release. Also pictured, a butterfly that was released on June 19. Pioneer Memorial Hos- pice and Community Coun- seling Solutions hosted the 2020 virtual butterfly release on June 19 in rec- ognition of loved ones in heaven. The event allowed local residents to purchase butterflies and packets as a fundraiser for Hospice. There’s an old sto- ry told by several Native American Indian tribes that says, “Catch a butterfly and tell it your secret wishes, and because a butterfly makes no sound, your se- cret is secure. Let it go and it will fly your thoughts to your loved ones in heaven.” “Our fundraisers bring in money for specialized equipment or specific fam- ily needs that might not be available with conventional funding. We recently pur- chased a device to allow a patient to safely transfer from walker to car so he can continue to take rides with his family. Our hospice program is not about giving up, but if medical treatment cannot bring a cure, then comfort and quality of life become the priorities,” said Molly Rhea, Hospice Di- rector. Spiritually Speaking COVID19 visitation guidelines updated Be Not Afraid for MCHD locations Morrow County Health District has recently updat- ed visitor guidelines for Pioneer Memorial Hospital in Heppner and all clinic locations, including Pioneer Memorial Clinic, Irrigon Medical Clinic and Ione Community Clinic. At Pioneer Memorial Hospital, all individuals entering the building will be required to go through the designated screening process before entry into the facility. All patients and visitors are required to enter through the ER door of the hospital after screening has occurred. Hospitalized patients are allowed to have at least one visitor per day. The condition of the pa- tient shall determine the length of the visit. Patients seeking care or treatment in the facility (lab, x-ray or ER) may have one guest with them if needed to assist with patient care or if requested by the patient. All patient visitation will be encouraged to occur within the patient’s room or in common areas that allow for social/physical distanc- ing—a maximum of two (2) visitors per patient at any one time. Out-patients and visitors are to wear masks HES Kindergarten Jumpstart 2020 to be held Heppner Elementary School will be offering Kindergarten Jumpstart for the 2020-21 incoming students. Due to the current pandemic restrictions and guidelines, summer school for all grades will not be available. Incoming kindergar- ten students are invited to attend Jumpstart at HES beginning Tuesday, Aug. 4 at 8 a.m. HES Jump- start will be held Monday through Friday Aug. 4-13. Students must be five years old prior to Sept. 20, 2020 to participate. Students will meet teachers, explore classroom and playground areas, learn school routines and begin an introduction to curric- ulum. Parents will be able Hopeful Saints Ministry continues broadcast of services Hopeful Saints Minis- try will continue to broad- cast Sunday services at 10 a.m. on Facebook as they have been doing since mid- March. On Sunday, June 21, they added the option of gathering in person for worship outdoors at 10 a.m. on the large parsonage lawn adjacent to Hope Lutheran Church (corner of Alfalfa & Cowins), where there is ample room for social NEW LISTING $70,000 Here is a two Bedroom, one bath home in Heppner. It's a fixer upper but has good features such as a block foundation, good carpeting and good roof. In the kitchen there are a built in dish- washer and oven. Island counter with cook top and refrigerator are included. Has heat pump and also place for wood stove in living room if you want to install. Has a back deck for barbecuing. Clothes line and partial fenced yard. Give me a call for a showing. 580 N Gale St Heppner 188 W. Willow P.O. Box 337 Heppner, OR 97836 david@sykesrealestate.net Owner/Broker David Sykes 541-980-6674 while you are in the facility. If you need a mask, one will be provided. Clinic locations require patients and attendees pre- senting to the clinic for ap- pointments to be screened outside of the building by clinic staff. Patients may have one attendee accom- pany them into the clinic and exam room if needed to assist with patient care or if requested by the pa- tient. Masks are to be worn during the visit. If you need a mask, one will be provid- ed to you. This is a particularly difficult time for members of Morrow County commu- nities. Just as you’ve made changes to your daily lives, MCHD has made adjust- ments to clinic and hospi- tal operations to respond to the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). Please know that these new measures are in place to protect the health and safety of MCHD patients, public and care- giver teams. MCHD asks the community to continue to avoid close contact and keep your distance from others, wash your hands regularly and disinfect fre- quently touched surfaces. distancing between family groups. Facial coverings are strongly recommended and other safety measures con- sistent with CDC guidelines will be followed. A weekly study of the readings for the upcoming Sunday continues every Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. on Zoom and newcom- ers are always welcome. Additional information is available by calling the church office at 541-676- 9970 and leaving your name and call-back number. to pick up students at the playground gate at 12 p.m. Parent drop-off and pick up procedures will be different than past years. Rather than the front door entrance, parents will drop off their students at the playground gate on Elder Street. Restrictions do not allow entrance for anyone except students and teach- ers into the building, so teachers will greet students on the playground. Students will be given a cohort group of no more than nine classmates (10 total), with whom they will remain throughout the two weeks of Jumpstart. Break- fast, lunch and a snack will be served in the classrooms. Those wishing to partici- pate should contact HES prior to June 29 to allow for planning. Please call Mrs. Robinson at 541-676-9128 or email her at robinsd@ morrow.k12.or.us. Prior contact is not required for participation. Fall registration will begin online August 10 for all students, including those in kindergarten. Print & Mailing Services *Design *Print *Mail Sykes Publishing 541-676-9228 By Fr. Thankachan Joseph SDB, St. Patrick Church Readings: Jeremiah 20: 10-13; Romans 5: 12-15; Matthew 10: 26-33; As the rampant spread of COVID-19 has created an alarming situation around us, a recent incident may have created more anxiety and fear. In this context, I am sure that many of us are like Jeremiah, who initially express- es his despair and anguish and then makes desperate statements of how he is being persecuted with terrors all around. He also states his trust in the Lord to deliver him. The prophet is a clear example for all of us, to put our trust in the Lord. In his despondency, misery and anxiety he is overwhelmed by those seeking to destroy him, yet he also trusts in God as his caring deliverer. Jeremiah refused to be intimidated by attacks upon his character and plots against his life, so he was unafraid to speak out in the name of the Lord. He is trusting in the words of the Psalmist, “He will keep you safe from hidden dangers and from deadly diseases…. you will be safe in his care; his faithfulness will protect and defend you” (Ps 91:3-4). Let’s too trust in the divine providence at this time of pandemic and come closer to the Lord. In the second reading, Paul speaks of the conse- quences of sin. “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all people, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12). He then explains salvation merited by Jesus Christ. By “sin,” Paul means the personification of evil, the power of which individual sins have contributed to. Paul just recaps for us that if the first man’s sin fetched death and suffering into the world, Christ’s obedience merited for us freedom from sin. Paul insisted that the free gift of grace far outweighs the effects of sin. Our faith in this sets a good example to the next generation. The reading from the Gospel of Matthew speaks of how to recruit people to God’s Kingdom. Jesus exhorts his disciples to be fearless witnesses of the Gospel. When Jesus sends them out into the world to be his witnesses, he knew that they would be fearful. They had good reasons, knowing the hardships and persecution it would involve. Three times Jesus states to them, “Do not be afraid.” It is normal and natural that boldness will sometimes fail us and we will be afraid. All those who have accomplished great things have gone through fear and it has not defeated them. In the Gospels we also read about Jesus’s experience of fear in the garden of Gethsemane. It is not experiencing fear that matters but how we respond to fear that matters. In the life of Saint Oscar Romero, there is an out- standing example of courageous witness of Christ. When he was made Archbishop of El Salvador in 1997 he was a conservative. But he soon became an outstanding wit- ness to Christ’s caring love. Every Sunday he preached at the Cathedral. His homilies so electrified the country, the nation stood silent to hear him. He made public the unspeakable crimes being committed. He was under constant threat of death. Some of his best friends were murdered. But he never silenced, nor would he go into hiding or exile. “At the first sight of danger the shepherd cannot run and leave the sheep to defend themselves. I will stay with my people,” he said. He was shot on March 24, 1980, while celebrating the Holy Eucharist. According to Romero, by understanding that his enemies dwelt in fear, he was not afraid of them, for they would have no power over him. They might be able to kill his body, but they would not and could not kill his soul. Even though we may not aspire so such heights of heroism, people like Archbishop Romero are an inspiration to us. In today’s Gospel, Jesus instructs the twelve how to deal with injustice, false accusations and calumny. He assures his followers that their faith in God will be justi- fied. And Jesus says, “If anyone declares himself for me in the presence of men, I will declare myself for him in the presence of my Father in heaven. But if anyone disowns me in the presence of men, I will disown in the presence of my father in heaven.” Jesus calls us to be witnesses, unafraid in the midst of a hostile and skeptical world. We are affected by all sorts of fears that tend to paralyze us. Even in our relationship with God we tend to act out of fear rather than out of love for God. God created us to live in freedom and he does not want us to be intimidated. We are challenged to be fearless: May His word “Be not afraid!” strengthen us. Vegetarian cooking workshop planned A free vegetarian cook- ing workshop is sched- uled for Tuesday, June 30 at 7 p.m. at the Heppner Seventh-Day Adventist Church, 560 Minor Street. The workshop will feature a food documentary movie. There will not be food at this time, but recipes will be available to take home. Please call ahead to re- serve a spot. For additional information or to confirm a spot call Cynthia at 541- 561-9132. ALL NEWS AND ADVERTISEMENT DEADLINE: MONDAYS AT 5:00 P.M.