Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (May 12, 2021)
Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, May 12, 2021 -- THREE Spiritually Speaking ~ Letters to the Editor ~ The Heppner Gazette Times will print all letters to the Editor with the following criteria met: letters submitted to the newspaper will need to have the name of the sender along with a legible signature. We are also requesting that you provide your address and a phone number where you can be reached. The address and phone number will only be used for verification and will not be printed in the newspaper. Letters may not be libelous. The GT reserves the right to edit. 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. Email to editor@rapidserve.net or upload to Heppner.net. Saddened to see Dr. Nichols leaving To the editor, I was saddened to see Dr. Nichols was leaving us. He is not only a good doc- tor, but a huge part of this community. He coached basketball and boys’ track and Toni coached girls’ track. Their children are ac- tive in sports, excellent stu- dents as well as volunteers in the community. Both Hunter and Madelyn have earned scholarships. Dr. Nichols’ patients were not just a number, they were important people that he cared about. House calls and extra time with his pa- tients were not uncommon. He is a kind, considerate human being. I am alive be- cause Dr. Nichols insisted on a follow-up procedure. He and his family will be missed and are leaving a huge void to fill. Good luck to you and God bless your family. Joanne Burleson Endorsing Stokoe To the editor, I am writing this letter to endorse Richard Stokoe for re-election to the posi- tion of commissioner for the Port of Morrow. My as- sociation with Chief Stokoe goes back to when I was a member of the Oregon State Sheriff’s Association and got to know Chief Stokoe for his work representing Boardman through his ac- tivities with the Oregon Association of Chiefs of Police. As the Sheriff of a small county, I was then, and still am, very moved when I see people who have a passion for rep- resenting the interests of their small communities. I was later able to work with Chief Stokoe on issues surrounding crisis interven- tion training. It was during these times that I came to recognize and respect his leadership skills, his work ethic and his passion for service. Richard Stokoe is the kind of person who is fo- cused on helping to make his community and those around him better. He does not have a personal agenda. Even during times when we may have disagreed, I always found him to be open and approachable and willing to listen. In fact, it is in those moments that Chief Stokoe sees opportunity in building relationships while finding inclusive solutions. Richard Stokoe has proven ability and leadership skills. He will continue to be a tremendous asset to this community and should be re-elected to the position of commissioner for the Port of Morrow. Sheriff Chris Hum- phreys (ret.) Vote yes for Ione school To the editor, I will be voting yes for the Ione School District bond for the same reasons I supported creating an Ione School District back in 2003. I believed then, as I do now, that the community of Ione cannot survive without a K-12 school. If young families don’t see mod- ern, safe facilities with the ability to graduate students who are ready for college or to enter a trade, they will not choose to live and raise their kids in our communi- ty. We all want to keep our very rural way of life, but it will eventually fail if we don’t continue to add a few By Fr. Thankachan Joseph What is the Ascension of Jesus? Forty days On this Sunday, usually the Church celebrates after Jesus rose from the dead, He ascended into it as the Ascension of the Lord. Jesus, after having heaven. It was a moment of prodigious celebration. completed His earthly life, ascends into heaven. It All the angels gathered around Him and asked is a day for renewing our hope in the goal toward about His life and mission on earth. Jesus was glad which the Lord is leading us, namely, a place to share His wonderful life experience of living in His Kingdom. This event is preceded by the with mankind, His life struggle with priests and commissioning of the apostles with a mission – to Fr. Thankachan rulers on earth and how they condemned Him to preach the Gospel to the whole world. Jesus was Joseph die on a cross because he stood for the cause of faithful to His mission entrusted to Him by His the marginalized of the society. How He failed Father. For our failure to live as His witnesses in the world to impart the love of the Father to the priestly clan and and for not carrying out faithfully the mission entrusted their refusal to believe in God and finally, His dying on to us, let us be sorry and ask pardon of God. the cross for their salvation. The Lord has already built Imagine this conversation of “What will you do a bridge between the heaven and the Earth. He has come next?” and lived with us and set connectivity between God and At the end of your secondary school what do you human beings. want to do? - I want to go to college. Why did Jesus Ascend to the father? In the letter of After college what do you want to do? - I want to St. Paul to Philippians is written: “Our Lord Jesus Christ get a job. ascended to receive the glory due to Him as the victor Then what do you want to do? - I want to make big over sin and death” (2:8-9). Jesus in the Gospel of John money. reminds in several places that He needs to ascend to the What do you want to do after making money? - I want Father for the Advocate to come to us. Jesus, in John, to build a big house. reminds us that He ascended to the Father to prepare After that what do you intend to do? - I want to get rooms for us (14:2). married. How to make Ascension Possible in our Life? As What will you do after getting married? - I will have noted above, St. Paul in his letter to the Colossians, gives a family. us this message: “So if you have been raised with Christ, What will you do after having a family? - I will retire. seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at What do you want to do after you retire? - I want to the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are take a rest. above, not on things that are on earth.” This teaching of What will you do after taking a rest? - I don’t know. St. Paul reminds us the believers believe that ascension is Will you die? – Oh, yes, I will die too. possible for everyone. He suggests three ways to ascend We are so busy doing things, achieving, making prog- to the father: ress that we can forget what life is all about, preparing 1) Material Ascension. With the Ascension of our to meet God in heaven. The Ascension of Jesus reminds Lord Jesus Christ, we are being led to our material free- us that we are “only passing through here,” as we say. dom. Poverty is converted to riches, lack is converted to We are pilgrims on a journey. Just as Jesus’s earthly life abundance. The works of our hands are blessed. (Deut. was temporary and he ascended to sit at the right hand 28:12; Psalm 90:17). From a tendency of amassing wealth of the Father, so also our lives here are temporary, will for oneself, we need to have an option for the poor, prom- come to an end and we will meet God in the next life. inent in the lives of great saints who are good examples The Ascension of Jesus reminds us in all of our busyness of this material ascension, like Francis of Assisi, who was not to forget what life is all about. The above person had born into a noble business family, but the love of Christ an answer for everything but never thought about what led him to leave aside everything and follow Christ, who would happen after dying. One of the lines in the prayer is poor and chaste. in Paul’s letter to the Colossians is so beautiful and rele- 2) Mind Ascension. An old proverb goes like this: “A vant: “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the sound mind dwells in a sound body.” When our mind is things that are above where Christ is, seated at the right engaged in material things and things of this world, we hand of God. Col 3:1)” The feast of Ascension reminds can say that we are in mental slavery, which leads to acute us that we are mere pilgrims here we need to seek the depression, worry, anxiety fear, etc. Mostly the “haves” things that are above. are more involved in things of this world and attached to As I was preparing for the homily, I was reminded things of this place. of a story I received recently. A very poor family by the 3) Sensual Ascension. Everything seems available at name of Carpenter lived in the Blue Ridge Mountains of our fingertips. There is a tendency in the present world North Carolina. The oldest boy was given an education in to waste time in front of social media screens, to enjoy the city, with the help of some family friends who gener- and take pleasure that appeals to our sense organs. Our ously financed his studies when they realized he wanted eyes and ears need to be controlled to ascend above this to become a doctor. The boy graduated with honors but world of sensual pleasures. declined all job offers to practice medicine in the city. He Today, on this Ascension Day, the Church proudly decided to go back to the mountains, where there were displays the placard of hope and salvation: “Dr Carpenter many sick people and few doctors. For many years he is upstairs!” But unlike the doctor boy who died, Jesus ministered to the sick. Some paid, most couldn’t. He gave –the Divine Doctor of our souls – is alive and continues his very best and helped everyone he could. In his old age to heal people and bring salvation to all people! The Lord he was in broken health himself and almost penniless. invites everyone on this particular day to ascend from Two small rooms above the town grocery store were our present style of life to Him. The Church, consisting his home and office. At the foot of the creaky stairs lead- of all His believers, continues this ministry of teaching ing up to his office was a sign with these words: “Dr. and saving people with His living presence and with the Carpenter is upstairs.” One morning someone climbed help of the Holy Spirit. After Jesus ascended into heaven, those stairs to find their devoted doctor dead. The en- the Holy Spirit came down to empower the followers of tire community was plunged into grief. They wanted to Jesus to become His effective witnesses. The Holy Spirit erect some kind of monument to him. But they decided is always with us to ascend from this present way/style to simply write these words on a large tombstone: “Dr. of life to a life worthy of His disciples through our words Carpenter is upstairs.” and actions. folks. To survive as a com- munity, we must remain optimistic and invest in our future. We leaned into the future when we created a school district. Now we need to lean in again and build for its future. It’s sometimes hard to be optimistic about the future. There’s so much in the world to be concerned about but, at a local level, we can keep doing our best to support the children who truly are our future. So, I’m voting yes to build that fu- ture. I encourage you to do the same. Umatilla Electric Coop- Sincerely, erative Business Resource Jerry Rietmann Center has announced the UEC youth entrepreneur contest. The competition is open to all upcoming high school freshmen, sopho- mores, juniors and seniors. Applications will open on bris and burnable material, May 17, 2021 and close on however the city will not June 17, 2021. accept tires, appliances, The UEC youth entre- hazardous waste or house- preneurship contest is an hold chemicals. The free opportunity for high school dumping will be for Hep- students to enhance their pner residents only and for business and entrepreneur- more information contact ship experience by creating city hall at 541-676-9618. a realistic and sustainable Heppner plans community clean up The city of Heppner is planning a community clean up offering free dumpster access for garbage collec- tion at the city yard on Riv- erside between Wednesday, May 19 through Tuesday, June 1. There will also be a spot there to leave yard de- Ascension - an invitation to mount the throne of God UEC sponsors youth entrepreneur contest business plan. The UEC Business Resource Center team is available for one- on-one advising appoint- ments with applicants to assist with the business plans. The UEC board of di- rectors will be judging the contest and awarding the top three applicants with the following prizes: first place - $1,000; second place - $500 and third place - $200. Applications can be found at https://www.uec- brc.com/. For additional information, call the UEC Business Resource Center at 541-289-3000. DEADLINE: MONDAYS AT 5PM Please join us to celebrate Our Wedding Torri Lovgren & Kyle Nicol June 12, 2021 3:00 in the afternoon at 58520 Rhea Creek Road, Heppner Reception to Follow