Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, July 28, 2021 -- THREE
Spiritually Speaking
A View from the Green
What do you hunger
for most?
By Fr. Thankachan Joseph
After having fed the people with
ordinary bread, Jesus offered them some-
thing far better, “the bread of eternal
life,” but the Israelites, instead of going
towards the Promised Land, continued to Fr. Thankachan
hanker after the “fleshpots of Egypt.” We Joseph
have to admit that we sometimes forget
the road we should be on. We cannot have the joys of a
new world without abandoning the comforts of the old
world. We are reluctant to go beyond material things. Yet
what God offers us is much better.
The Book of Exodus (16: 2-4, 12-15, 31), describes
the journey of the Israelites through the desert towards the
Promised Land. They had grieved dreadfully under the
strong hand of the Egyptians, who treated them as slaves.
Moses had led them out of slavery with the assurance that
the Lord would provide them the land He had promised.
But we see them grumbling against Moses and his col-
leagues, complaining about the difficulties they are facing
in the wilderness and saying that they prefer going back
to Egypt. “Why did you bring us out of Egypt, to die in
the heat of this desert; to die of hunger and thirst in this
hostile land? There is no food and not a drop to drink. We
did not have our freedom in Egypt, but we had our flesh
pots. Why don’t we go back?” The reactions of the Isra-
elites are often our own when faced with new challenges
and unknown situations. We prefer to retreat, we prefer
“the flesh pots of Egypt,” our past addictions and habits
even though they may have kept us in bondage. Instead
of surrendering to God and putting our lives in His hands,
we let our feelings, desires and the past control our lives.
St. John (6: 24-35) reminds us that when the people
came back to the place where Jesus had the multitude,
Jesus was not there, and they went in search of Him.
When they found Him, they said, “When did you come
here? How did you get here? We were looking for you.”
At face value it would look commendable that the peo-
ple were searching for Jesus. But Jesus confronts their
searching. “I know why you were looking for me. You
were not really interested in me, you wanted bread, and
you wanted to fill yourselves.” Jesus then adds. “Do not
look for this food that perishes but look for the things that
will really satisfy you.”
Like the crowds that were searching for Jesus, there
are many times when we too are searching for Jesus. But
are we really searching for Jesus or for the things that He
can give us? So often when we are praying, we are search-
ing for God so that He might listen to our prayer; so that
He might heal us; so that He might give us a good job, so
that He might …. The list can go on and on. The test is
whether we keep searching when we do not get what we
want from God. Are we looking merely for the blessings
of God, or are we satisfied with the God of all blessings?
Jesus, in response to the crowd, reminds them that it
was not Moses who fed them but His Heavenly Father
in heaven. But Jesus wants to give them something even
better than what Moses gave his people. He is ready to
give them the bread that satisfies, not earthly bread but
spiritual food. He is ready to give Himself. But they have
to believe, they have to let God into their lives, instead
of acting like God and deciding how God should act in
their lives. Jesus is trying to raise their minds to higher
realities, but they prefer to satisfy their mundane desires.
He wants God to be their food; they prefer food to be
their God. Jesus desires to raise them to the level of God
but they prefer to bring God down to their level. They
said to Jesus, “Give us this bread to fill our stomachs,
always!” But Jesus says, “I want to give you something
even better, the bread that will fill your heart forever.”
Instead of telling God how He should act in our lives,
can we let him be the God of our lives? We are invited
to re-examine what we often hunger for in our lives. Do
we look for heavenly things, or mundane things of this
world that don’t lead us to God?
Service Notices
Glenna Diane McLachlan Wolke – A memorial will
be held for Glenna Diane McLachlan Wolke on Aug. 3,
2021, from 11 a.m. to noon at the Hopeful Saints Parish
Hall. There will not be a service, just a gathering of family
and friends to say their goodbyes and share memories.
ALL NEWS AND ADVERTISEMENT DEADLINE:
MONDAYS AT 5:00 P.M.
WCCC Men’s Club Senior golfers
Championship
compete at China
Creek
Willow Creek members
of Columbia Blue Senior
Golf Association traveled to
China Creek Golf Course in
Arlington on July 12 to play
in very hot conditions. Chi-
na Creek is a par 69 course.
Duane Disque took
Pictured (L-R): Mark Schlichting and Dave Pranger. -Con-
fifth-place
in gross for the
tributed photo.
Columbia Division (hand-
The Willow Creek #1-10 with 2’8” and again icap 10 and below) with a
score of 75 and Dennis Peck
Country Club men’s club on #4-13 with 8’4”.
held their club champi-
The day two gross took sixth with 77.
In the Blue Division
onship on July 24 and 25, winner was Dave Pranger
with 24 participants. The with 66. Derek Gunderson
championship event in- came in second with 68 and
cluded Barry Munkers get- Duane Disque was third
Virginia Grant took low
ting a hole in one on #16. with 71. Tim Hedman took
gross
of the field at the Wil-
The tournament was won first in net with 54 and Mark
low
Creek
Country Club
by Dave Pranger. Mark Schlichting was second
ladies
play
day
on July 20.
Schlichting was the net with 56, The third-place
Low
net
of
the
field
winner
champion and Duane Dis- tie went to Gene Orwick
was
Pat
Edmundson
and
que was the senior winner. and John Edmundson with
Kris
Lindner
had
the
least
On day one, Kelly Fox scores of 58. Dave Pranger
took first place in gross with managed KP on #2-11 at putts.
For flight A, Karen
a score of 66, Duane Disque 38’6” and also KP second
Thompson
got low gross.
took second with 67 and shot on #6-15 with zero, by
Karen
Thompson
had the
with a score of 68, Dave putting it right in the hole.
longest
putt
and
Virginia
Pranger and Dennis Peck Derek Gunderson got long
tied for third. First place putt on #5-14 with 16’6”. Grant got KP. Pat Edmund-
net winner was Tim Wright
The next scheduled son and Kris Lindner both
with 57. Taking second with event will be held Sunday, got chip-ins.
a 58 was Mark Schlichting August 1 and will be a two-
and John Edmundson was man best ball hosted by
third with 59. Also on day Josh Coiner, John McCabe
one, Tim Wright got KP on and Slater Mitchell.
(handicap 11-15) Mark
Schlichting took fifth in
net with a 77. Dave Cres-
wick took first in the Senior
Division (handicap 16 and
above) with a score of 83
and Wayne Seitz was fifth
with 89.
The next CBSGA tour-
nament will be at Big River
Golf Course in Umatilla on
August 9 with tee times at
7:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Over the Tee Cup
Port of Morrow
Re:View
Munkers gets Hole
in One
Barry Munkers got a hole in one on hole #16 while
playing in the Men’s Club Championship on July 24 at
the Willow Creek Country Club.
Flood Town Books
to hold open house
Flood Town Books,
413 N. Main Street in Hep-
pner, will be hosting a grand
opening on Saturday, July
31 from 4-8 p.m. There will
be snacks, drinks, prizes
and live music. Browne
House Coffee will be serv-
ing cold brew coffee and
guests can enjoy Whitney
Haguewood’s fabulous
macarons.
Live music will be per-
formed by Pendleton mu-
sician James Dean Kindle
from 5-8 p.m. There will
be drawings for a variety
of bookstore merchandise
and gift certificates. Farra’s
Place Airbnb will also be
open for viewing during the
celebration.
Regular bookstore
hours will begin Tuesday,
August 2. Hours will be
11-6 Tuesday-Thursday,
10-5 Fridays and 10-3 Sat-
urdays. For additional in-
formation, contact Andrea
Nelson at 541-236-2940.
Fill a bag for $15
The Neighborhood
Center will hold a $15 bag
sale on Wednesday, August
4 from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30
p.m. (closed 12:30-1:30 for
lunch). Shop for the entire
family and fill up a bag
with clothing, shoes, books,
games, music and movies.
Second bag purchased will
be at a discounted rate of
$5. Household items are 50
percent off on that day also.
Proceeds from the sale
help purchase food for the
pantry. Donations of pa-
per and plastic bags and
new unopened toiletries
(deodorant, shampoo, con-
ditioner, soap, etc.) are
needed and appreciated.
Donations can be dropped
off Monday through Fri-
day at 441 N Main Street,
Heppner.
For information regard-
ing emergency services
contact Lisa Patton at 541-
676-5024.
DEADLINE:
MORTGAGE
MONDAYS
541-676-9884
AT 5PM
HEPPNER BRANCH
Karen Haguewood won
low gross for flight B and
Shirley Martin took low
net. Pat Dougherty had the
least putts as well as the
longest putt. Pat Edmund-
son got KP.
Flight C winners were
Kathy Martin for low gross,
Lorene Montgomery, low
net and Betty Carter least
putts. Bunnie Lindsay had
the longest putt and Kris
Lindner got KP.
Construction is un-
derway for the new AWS
Think Big Space at the
SAGE Center. It is the first
of its kind on the west coast.
The new K-6 classroom and
school visitation program
is funded by Amazon Web
Services (AWS) and will
be overseen by the Morrow
County School District. An
AWS Think Big Space is
an enhanced classroom for
students to explore and cul-
tivate science, technology,
engineering, arts and math
(STEAM)-related interests
with labs that encourage a
hands-on approach where
students think big to solve
real-world problems.
The water project is
close to completion at the
South Morrow Industrial
Park and preliminary de-
sign work has been com-
pleted for the flex space
building. Construction on
the incubator space should
begin this fall.
In Boardman, road re-
location for business access
has begun at the east end of
Marine Drive and Ulman
Drive for the BUILD Grant.
Expect to see heavy equip-
ment working in the area.
In the East Beach In-
dustrial Park, Cal Farms has
started construction on their
new processing facility on
Lewis and Clark Drive.
Cal Farms is a family-run
grower, packer and shipper
of organic fresh market
vegetables and is headquar-
tered in Oregon City.
There are numerous
opportunities for jobs in our
region and many employers
are holding independent job
fairs. Check the Workforce
Training Portal website
for links to regional em-
ployer websites for more
information. https://www.
portofmorrow.com/find-job
Obituaries
Bonney Jo Hill
Bonney Jo Hill, 41, of berg of Mount Vernon, WA
Seattle, formerly of Hep- and Mazie Hill of Heppner;
mother, Rita Wool-
pner, died Thursday,
sey of Heppner; fa-
July 15, 2021, at her
ther, Gregg Hill of
home. She was born
Apache Junction,
January 12, 1980, at
AZ; brother, Sean
Flagstaff, AZ. She
Engard of Reno,
was raised and attend-
NV.
ed school in Heppner
Bonney Jo
A celebration
where she graduated Hill
of life will be an-
from high school in
1998. She is the daughter nounced at a later date.
of Gregory Hill and Rita Sweeney Mortuary of Hep-
pner is in care of arrange-
Woolsey.
She is survived by her ments.
daughters, Malychi Wen-
541-676-9125
IONE BRANCH
541-422-7466
Teresa Hughes, Hailey Shultz, Mortgage Loan Officer Kaitlin Orcutt,
Desirae Ruth, and Mortgage Loan Officer Raymond Seastone.
Our Team of Local, Experienced
Mortgage Specialists
takes the stress out of
BUILDING THE HOME
OF YOUR DREAMS.
Local in-house draw
process for your builder.
Local in-house
inspections.
Borrow money as
needed throughout
term of the loan.
Permanent financing
available.
TALK TO US ABOUT
PURCHASING A HOME
OR REMODELING.
The Morrow County Fair & Oregon Trail Pro Rodeo
are right around the corner!
We are wanting stories and photos to be featured in the
annual Heppner Gazette-Times Fair & Rodeo special edition,
which will be published on August 11.
We are also looking for advertisers for the special edition,
as well as the rodeo program.
Deadline for all stories and advertising is August 4.
Contact Giselle - graphics@rapidserve.net
541-676-9228 - 188 Willow St - P.O. Box 337- Heppner, OR
Member FDIC
KAITLIN ORCUTT NMLS #1043345 / RAYMOND SEASTONE NMLS # 937744 / #414459 / RATES & TERMS MAY VARY. ALL LOANS SUBJECT TO CREDIT APPROVAL.