Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, December 22, 2021 -- THREE
A Baby is Born
Christmas messages from area Pastors
The Perfect Gift
A baby is born. Angels sing. Shepherds come running.
Most of us know that story well, and our fondness for
telling it has enlarged it in ways probably never intended
by its original authors. Luke is brief: there’s Joseph, Mary,
a child in a manger and some curious shepherds (who
are the only ones to see angels that night). Matthew tells
us elsewhere about a star and an unspecified number of
wise men bearing gifts. But we’ve otherwise populated
our nativity scenes with details the Bible doesn’t mention,
filling in the gaps with donkeys, camels, an innkeeper,
gently falling snow and maybe even a little drummer boy.
But all that imaginative clutter might be crowding
out the chief actor in this drama: God. The birth of Jesus
(that is, Christmas) is God’s story, not a child’s tale. It’s
a story of unquenchable love for us all, each one of us
made in God’s image. It’s a love that persists in spite of
our tendency to tarnish that image with selfishness, pride,
greed and more.
So, what’s a Creator to do when a creation made per-
fect turns itself into a mess? God answered that question
by stepping right into the middle of it. Instead of wash-
ing his hands of us and starting over somewhere else,
God chose to save us from ourselves in a most peculiar
way—by becoming one of us, slipping into human skin
inside the womb of a young girl in an obscure corner of
this complicated world so that God in Jesus could teach
and heal and show us what God’s love looks like. This is
a love that stops at nothing to set things right again. No
cost was too great---not the distress of a human birth in a
place fit only for animals; not growing up to be the target
of taunts and threats from the religious community; not
being subjected to torture and death without cause; not
lacking a place to lay his head until he was laid to rest in
a stone-cold tomb (briefly). The world had never before
encountered a love this costly and had done nothing to
deserve the gift of God’s own self.
But God gave it to us anyway, and as we begin to
unwrap this gift by getting better acquainted with this
reckless God, we’ll find so many other gifts waiting in-
side: forgiveness, peace, hope, joy, love and the promise
of life in God’s presence forever.
That baby in the manger may be the smallest figure in
the nativity scene but concealed inside is the largest gift
we will ever receive: God with us. Emmanuel.
Rev. Katy Anderson
Hopeful Saints Ministry
A Lutheran-Episcopal partnership
2 Corinthians 9:15, “Thanks be to God for his inde-
scribable gift.”
On one of my visits to Africa, I was privileged to
witness the distribution of “Operation Christmas Child”
shoeboxes to children. People from around the world
fill these shoe boxes with toys and other items which
are then sent and given to children in needy places. On
the occasion of my visit, there were about two hundred
children, all sitting in a big school yard, trying their best
to be patient as they waited for all to be given their box,
appropriate to their gender and age. Most of these children
had never received a gift of any kind before, so imagine
their excitement when they opened their boxes and dis-
covered their own precious gifts. It was one of the most
joyous scenes I’ve ever beheld.
I’ve been giving a lot of thought to this matter of gift
giving lately. I remember as a child how excited I was
for Christmas in anticipation of opening my Christmas
presents. Those days were long ago, and those gifts are
but distant memories. Since then, I’ve received many gifts
from family members and friends, some quite valuable
and precious. But of all the gifts I’ve ever received, only
one could be deemed “indescribable.”
Some forty years ago I was given this gift. It came
undeserved and unexpectedly. At the time, I knew I had
need of it, but since then, I’ve come to understand, in a
growing awareness of my own frailty, that I needed it
much more than I then realized. Most gifts wear out over
time, or they are replaced with something better or more
suitable to our changing wants and needs, but this gift
will never wear out. In fact, the more I examine it and
make use of it, the more precious it becomes to me. The
value and beauty of this gift is such that it only grows in
its allure over time. The gift came to me at infinite cost
to the giver, such is the largeness of his heart and read-
iness to give good gifts to all. Since I received this gift,
I’ve met countless others who have received it too. And
regardless of age, gender or stature, they are all likewise
incredibly grateful for being so immeasurably blessed.
One day, I’ll meet the gift giver face to face. I’ve been
told that I’ll marvel even more as new facets of the gift
will be unveiled to me (2 Thessalonians 1:10).
By now you’ve realized that I’m speaking of Jesus
and salvation. He came into this world to save sinners (1
Timothy 1:15) and He’s the indescribable gift spoken of
2 Corinthians 9:15. Salvation comes to us as a gift, freely
given to those who put their trust in Him (Ephesians 2:8-
9). He gladly forgives and saves and transforms us and
assures us of a future home in heaven. He, in His person,
is the perfect gift. Have you trusted in Him for salvation?
Last Sunday at St. Patrick Catholic Church, the chil- There is much joy to be had in receiving Him (John 1:12).
dren presented a musical program entitled “Follow the
Jerry Conklin
Star.” There was a beautiful scene wherein a little girl
Hospice Chaplain
dressed like a star moved around the audience and other
participants, leading the Magi and the shepherds to the
little town of Bethlehem, to the place of Mary and Joseph.
This was a wonderful first-Christmas story enactment
I’m going to guess if you are like me, you could
enjoyed by our parish community. And as I was reflecting use some good news. Daily we are bombarded with
on a theme for this year’s Christmas message, I decided disappointments that range from canceled events, sick
that the title should be “Follow the Star.”
friends and family members, or just not being able to get
On Christmas, we remember the magnanimity of something we believe we need, like out of stock molasses
God, who shared His only son with humanity, a little babe (seriously, how can there be a shortage of such random
bringing peace, joy and happiness to a suffering humanity. stuff?). I really needed that molasses to pour over my
As I have explained before, just as the Father shared His fresh sourdough rolls, not that I’m still holding a grudge
own Son with us and dispelled our gloom, sin, shame or anything.
and suffering, so, too, we are called to dispel the gloom,
Yes, the last two years have made it clear that this
suffering and shame of others. For this we have a beau- world is filled with unfulfilled desires, crushed dreams
tiful example in Mary, who prepared herself for the first and just downright misery. From the trivial to the direst of
Christmas by sharing her joy with her cousin Elizabeth. circumstances we have seen collective disaster on a scale
We, too, can thus prepare for Christmas, by sharing with I have never experienced. To leave you there would be an
those in need, as the miracle of Christmas is the miracle unimaginable tragedy. However, hurt and brokenness are
of sharing and reaching out.
not the end of the story. There is more to this tale.
God entered our human history as one of us when
And the more, the oh, so much more, is the truth that
Jesus came into the world. He was born in poor conditions God is near. God is near. He has come close to us. There
in a country exploited by the mighty Roman Domination. is no better news than that. In fact, the truth that God has
Mary, His mother, and Joseph, His foster father, suffered come near is what Christmas is all about.
several hardships. The world we live in is perhaps in wors-
Over and over again in the Bible, Jesus told his disci-
ening conditions in spite of materialism and technological ples and the crowds that gathered, “The kingdom of God
advancement: nuclear arms race, exploitation, corruption is near,” (Matthew 3:2 & 4:17; Mark 1:15; Luke 21:29).
at all levels, evil habits, greed for power and wealth at Jesus was saying, He was trying to tell those who heard
the cost of peace and justice especially of the poor. It is His voice, that God is close. Open your eyes and see, God
to this world that the Babe of Bethlehem cries out as He has come close to you. In fact, in the case of those who
did through the angels on the first Christmas night: “Peace were listening to Jesus, God was standing right in front
to men of Good Will.” Good will, therefore, is the first of them in a human body, in the person Jesus.
condition for peace and, hence, for the celebration of a
I want you to stop for a moment and think. Can you
Merry Christmas. Good will between husband and wife, imagine something? I want you to entertain the idea that
between parents and children, between the rich and the the God who created all things, who fashioned the stars
poor, between teachers and students, between officers in the sky, and carved the gorge with His finger, and
and their subordinates, etc. Only through goodwill can made the sun to light the day…this same being has come
our actions, however simple and humble they may be, near enough for you to see and hear His voice. Can you
give glory to God.
believe this could be true? It is true. And even more, it
As the angels sang, “Glory to God in the highest is also true that today, He is calling you by name saying,
and peace to men of good will,” what comes to my mind “I am near you.”
during this Christmas is God reaching out to humanity,
This is wonderful news. This is news that smashes
and the searching humanity finding the Babe in a little the chains of despair and gloom this world serves up to us
manger. The special STAR attracted the Magi to the every day. The news that God is near you has the power
manger, the shepherds, too, to the crib – the learned to change your life forever.
and the ignorant – everyone who looked out for Him.
Maybe this holiday. Maybe this Christmas you would
Through our little deeds of kindness and generosity let’s be willing to open the eyes of your heart to the truth that
also become STARS and spread the Christmas Joy and the nearness of God was manifest in a manger in a little
Peace to all around us.
town called Bethlehem. Maybe, just maybe you could
Fr. Thankachan Joseph
even see that the nearness of God is manifest today in
St. Patrick Catholic Church
a little town called Heppner. God has come near to you.
Would you come near to Him?
Pastor Tripp Finch
Willow Creek Baptist Church
Follow the Star
God is Near
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Christmas Traditions
So, what are your Christmas traditions? Even if our
tradition is to join Ebenezer Scrooge and mutter, “Bah!
Humbug!,” we still have them.
I have never had a chestnut roasted over an open fire.
I tried wassail once and didn’t much care for it. Eggnog is
good, but one cup does me for a year. More up our alley
is a tree with white lights, a creche on the mantel and
cookies out for Santa…butter spritz cookies, to be exact.
Santa has definite tastes.
Most of us spend a lot of time trying to live up to the
expectations of our Christmas traditions. Lights go up
on the house, usually (for whatever reason) on the first
miserably wet and cold day right after Thanksgiving.
The traditional Christmas meal schedule is organized –
who will host this year, who will bring what and will it
be cheesecake or pecan pie for dessert. And a flurry of
emails goes back and forth as Christmas gifts are bought;
trying to figure out which grandkid has which Lego set.
It is a busy season. And it is a far cry from what the
season is meant to be. Over the centuries we have turned it
into an extravaganza of parties, gatherings, gifts, decora-
tions, songs and glitter. But what it was meant to be was a
simple recognition that we are not alone, that Emmanuel:
God is with us. Simple message…simple birth.
Jesus was not born in a palace. And while the shep-
herds got the word from the angels, there wasn’t a whole
lot of singing in Bethlehem that night. Any celebrations
going on were in the inns, while a pregnant woman about
to give birth was relegated to a barn. Not much compas-
sion given to the Prince of Peace and the future champion
of compassion.
What this means for all of us is simply this: Enjoy
the festivities, but never lose sight of why we have the
festivities. It is good to enjoy the season and have a
good time, but good times were not why Jesus came to
the world. Jesus came to show us a better way, even if a
sometimes sacrificial way, to live. Jesus came not so we
could have fun, but so that we could have fulfillment. And
that fulfillment of life would, in turn, bring a richer sense
of joy to our entire life than simply a seasonal happiness.
Nothing wrong with the gatherings, the pecan pie,
the Legos and the merriment. We should just never lose
sight of what the season is all about. As trite as it sounds,
we should always remember “the reason for the season.”
Everything else is, well, Christmas gravy.
Have a Blessed Christmas.
Rev. Jim Monroe and The Heppner United Methodist
Church
Churches to hold
Christmas services
The schedule for
Christmas at Hopeful Saints
Ministry (Lutheran and
Episcopal) begins at 7 p.m.
on December 24 to include
worship with lessons, car-
ols, candles and commu-
nion. On December 26 at
10 a.m. they will present
Old and New Testament
readings about the promise
of a savior and sing more
Christmas carols.
The Willow Creek
Baptist Church will hold a
candlelight Christmas Eve
service at 5:30 p.m. at the
church at 560 Minor Street
in Heppner. This will be
a brief candlelight service
filled with joy, Scripture
readings and even live mu-
sic. They will also be hav-
ing regularly scheduled ser-
vices on Sunday, December
26 beginning at 10 a.m. All
are welcome. All of their
services are available live
online at https://www.face-
book.com/wcbcheppner.
Justice Court Report
Morrow County Justice of the Peace, Glen Diehl, has
released the following Justice Court report:
-Kaleb G. Tate, 30, Ione, was convicted of failure
to drive within lane, fine $265; and failure to report an
accident to law enforcement, fine $440.
-Brandon T. Peck, 25, Ione, was convicted of violation
of basic rule, fine $165.
-Aaron A. Lester, 25, Heppner, was convicted of
expired license plates, fine $115.
-McKenzie Kennedy, 31, Heppner, was convicted of
violation of basic rule, fine $165.
Valby Lutheran Church
Valby Road
Ione Oregon. 97843
Church Services
1st & 3rd Sundays
10:00 AM
Available for:
Weddings • Funerals
Family Events
541-422-7300
Old
Country
Church
All Are
Welcome