Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, September 8, 2021 -- THREE
AK Morter
What is your
Livestock joins
experience of Christ in American Angus
your personal life?
Association
Spiritually Speaking
By Fr. Thankachan Joseph
We are all greatly influenced by what
others think and say about us and like to
be well thought of by others. There is a
danger here. We might make populari-
ty the goal of our lives; and we might
forget that the only thing that matters is
the reality of who and what we are. No Fr. Thankachan
matter what others may think of me, God Joseph
thinks well of me because I am his child.
Jesus asks His disciples what people speak about him and
what is their opinion about Jesus whom they follow. Do
you have an answer to this question He put before His
disciples, “But who do you say that I am?”
Isaiah (50: 4-9) describes partial answers to this ques-
tion, that He is the suffering Christ who has come to the
world to redeem all of us from the slavery and stain of
sin. In chapters 40-55, there are four short passages that
scholars have called the “Songs of the Suffering Servant.”
Jesus saw aspects of His own life and mission foreshad-
owed in the Servant Songs and identified Himself and
His mission with the sorrowful figure of humiliation and
suffering, the Lord’s servant. Like the servant described
in Isaiah, Jesus’s life was one of radical obedience and
conformity to God’s will. Thus, the prophet Isaiah invites
all to be like the Messiah, be obedient to the will of your
parents and elders, like Jesus as the suffering Messiah.
St. James (2:14-18) reminds us that suffering is not
only something to be accepted but also something to be
alleviated. James also tells us that our faith in Jesus the
Messiah should be expressed in works of mercy, both
corporal and spiritual. In other words, professing faith
in the divinity of Christ and His role as our redeemer
is useless unless we practice that faith in genuine deeds
of love, mercy, forgiveness and humble service as Jesus
lived and demonstrated. As Christians, we are obliged to
meet the material needs of poor persons and to alleviate
their sufferings. We should respond concretely to the
needs and sufferings of our fellow humans. Otherwise,
our faith is all talk and no action. “Faith of itself, if it
does not have works, is dead.” James is not refuting the
Pauline doctrine of salvation by faith but warns us that a
lifeless or an unlived faith has no power to save (v. 14)
us from judgment.
St. Mark (8:27-35) describes the journey of Jesus and
His disciples from northern Galilee to Jerusalem. Along
the way, Jesus gave instructions about His identity and
what it meant to follow him (discipleship). Today’s Gos-
pel, relating the first of the three times Jesus foretold His
passion, death and resurrection, consists of two sections,
the messianic confession of Peter and Jesus’s prediction
of His Passion and death, followed by His clear teaching
on discipleship. In this particular Gospel passage, the Lord
has asked his disciples, “What is the public opinion?”
Their answer was, “Some say John the Baptist, others
Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
The second question the Lord has put before His
disciple is the same question He would like to put before
us all too. Jesus is personally asking each of us who are
followers and believers, “Who do you say that I am?”
What is your personal opinion? For the first time in
their relationship, Peter, speaking for the other disciples,
declared publicly: “You are the Christ (Messiah) the
Son of the living God.” It is evident that Jesus was well
pleased with Peter’s answer. Jesus pronounced a blessing
upon Peter, the only disciple in the Gospels to receive a
personal blessing.
Did Peter’s experience of living very close with
Christ for three years prompt his response? Now, if we
are asked by Christ the same question, do you have a
personal answer to give Him as Peter did? We can see that
Jesus was quick to explain to the disciples that He was
not a political messiah who would reestablish the Davidic
kingdom after ousting the Romans. Instead, He was the
Messiah who would redeem mankind by His suffering,
death and resurrection. Like the Suffering Servant in the
first reading, Jesus accepted suffering as part of His mis-
sion and out of fidelity toward the one whom He called
“Father.” Jesus’s example provides a challenge for us all
to accept the mystery of the cross when our turn comes
to follow the Suffering Servant and Suffering Messiah.
AK Morter Livestock,
Ione, OR, is a new mem-
ber of the American Angus
Association, reports Mark
McCully, CEO of the na-
tional breed organization
headquartered in Saint Jo-
seph, Missouri.
The American Angus
Association, with more than
25,000 active adult and ju-
nior members, is the largest
beef breed association in
the world. Its computerized
records include detailed
information on over 19
million registered Angus.
The Association re-
cords ancestral information
and keeps production re-
cords and genomic data on
individual animals to devel-
op industry-leading selec-
tion tools for its members.
The programs and services
of the Association and its
entities — Angus Genetics
Inc., Angus Media, Certi-
fied Angus Beef LLC and
the Angus Foundation —
help members advance the
beef cattle business by se-
lecting the best animals for
their herds and marketing
quality genetics for the beef
cattle industry and quality
beef for consumers.
Good News Only
By Doris Brosnan
Long weekend, last
weekend before school re-
sumes, many school sport-
ing competitions underway,
busy families, no good
news shared….
But for anyone interest-
ed: I have several Oregon
grape starts volunteering
where I don’t want them, so
give me a call if you want
some. Evergreen, pretty
foliage. Helpful soil stabi-
lizer. I also have some lilac
starts to give away. Love
the smell of lilacs in the
spring.
The HHS gridiron team
was successful in their chal-
lenge to Toledo last week-
end. The first game of the
season ended at 19-0. And
six men and five women
travelled to their first high
school cross-country meet
last Saturday, in which
Trevor Nichols placed sec-
ond. Congrats to all these
young competitors. So far,
spectators are able to sup-
port our Cardinals and Mus-
tangs at the sporting events,
which is good news.
As fall routines settle
in, maybe time allows you
to remember something
you want to share with the
GT readers? We hope so,
always looking for a reason
to smile. Please, share your
good-news tidbits by send-
ing them before Monday
afternoon to dbrosnan123@
gmail.com, or call 541-676-
5382 or 541-223-1490, or
stop me on the street.
Here’s hoping that
some good news comes to
everyone reading this.
Music in the park to
hold final concert
Chasing Ebenezer will perform for the final concert of the
season.
Heppner’s Music in
the Park will have its final
concert of the season at the
city park on Main Street
this Sunday, September 12,
from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., fea-
turing Chasing Ebenezer,
a world folk-rock band
based in Portland, OR.
Influenced by Celtic, Af-
rican and Middle Eastern
music, their tunes are alive
with bohemian violin licks,
world percussion and an
ever-increasing array of
instruments. The band is
fronted by husband-and-
wife team Benjamin and
Heidi Beth Sadler.
This concert series has
been made possible by a
generous grant from the
Morrow County Unified
Recreation District and fa-
cilitated by Hopeful Saints
Ministry. Pulled pork sand-
wiches, coleslaw, cookie
and drink will be available
for purchase by donation to
Hopeful Saints’ well-drill-
ing ministry.
More information is
available by calling the
church at 541-676-9970.
A View from the Green
Over the Tee Cup
The Willow Creek
Country Club ladies held
the Eddi Skow tournament
August 31 and the WCCC
women’s championship
September 1 at the Willow
Creek Country Club.
Nancy Propheter was
named the winner of the
2021 WCCC ladies’ cham-
pionship overall low gross.
Virginia Grant received the
2021 Eddi Skow champi-
onship overall low net and
Karen Haguewood won the
2021 ladies’ senior champi-
onship overall low gross.
On Tuesday, at the Ed-
die Skow tournament, Vir-
ginia Grant got a birdie on
#17 and Nancy Propheter
got birdies on #10 and #14.
Jeanne Creswick and Pat
Edmundson both got a chip-
in on #18.
Karen Haguewood got
a birdie on #4 and Nancy
Propheter got a birdie on
#10 during Wednesday’s
WCCC championship. Kar-
en Haguewood also got a
chip-in on #4 on Wednes-
day.
Obituaries
Virginia Claire
“Ginger” Keithley
Virginia Claire “Gin- worked for many years at
ger” Keithley, 83, of Hep- Coast to Coast and Peter-
pner, died Thursday, Sep- son’s Jewelers in Heppner
Survivors in-
tember 2, 2021, at
clude her husband,
Heppner. A memorial
Vern of Heppner;
service will be held at
children, Ruth
a later date.
Ann Keithley of
Ginger was born
Longview, WA,
November 22, 1937,
Linda Voltz of
at Woodburn, OR to
Apache Junc-
parents Clara R. and
tion, AZ, Suzanne
J. Helmut Benoist Ginger
Buentello and her
Schwarzin. She was Keithley
husband Jerry of
raised and attended
school at Woodburn until Milton Freewater, Ever-
her family moved to Hep- ett Jay Keithley and his
pner where she graduated wife Kelly Jo of Heppner;
eight grandchildren and 10
from high school.
While attending Hep- great-grandchildren; sisters,
pner High School she met Janet Kloeppel and her hus-
the love of her life, Everett band Jerry of Vernal, UT,
LaVern “Vern” Keithley Sharon Harrison and her
and they were married at husband Robert of Lexing-
the First Christian Church ton and Trisha Sweeney and
in Heppner November her husband Pat of Heppner
13,1958. They spent most and numerous nieces and
of their married life in Hep- nephews.
Preceding her in death
pner, where they raised
were, a granddaughter, Am-
their four children.
Ginger was very tal- ber Lynn Lynch; son-in
ented; she enjoyed sewing, law, Brian Voltz; brothers,
painting ceramics, gourds Sam Schwarzin and Pete
and wood and basket Schwarzin.
Memorial contributions
weaving. She also enjoyed
playing cards and bunco. may be made to St. Jude
She was a Sunday school Medical Center, 101 E.
teacher and a Blue Bird Valencia Mesa Drive, Ful-
leader when her kids were lerton, CA 92835, or Shri-
young. Ginger’s voice will ners Hospital for Children,
be missed at the high school 3101 SW Sam Jackson Park
athletic events as she was a Road, Portland, OR 97201,
or to the Cystic Fibrosis
supporter of all sports.
She was a member of Foundation, 4550 Mont-
the First Christian Church, gomery Ave. Suite 1100 N
the Red Hat Society, So- Bethesda, MD 20814.
Sweeney Mortuary of
roptimist and a member of
the welcoming committee Heppner is in care of ar-
through the Neighborhood rangements. The online
Center. Ginger was a friend condolence book is avail-
to all; didn’t know a strang- able at www.sweeneymor-
er and you couldn’t catch tuary.com.
her without a smile. She
WWW.HEPPNER.NET
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