Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, December 29, 2021 -- THREE
Doherty appointed chair of Army Depot
Epiphany- revealing as development group
Spiritually Speaking
the real Messiah
By Fr. Thankachan Joseph
The word “Epiphany” comes from an Ancient Greek
word, “epiphainein,” meaning revelation,
appearance or manifestation. For Western
Christians, the Feast of the Epiphany
marks the visit of the Magi to the Christ
child. Many of us can recall this event,
described in the Gospel of Matthew: the
three wise men are Melchior, Caspar and
Balthasar, who presented to the baby Fr. Thankachan
Jesus gifts of gold, frankincense and Joseph
myrrh. Christian theologians emphasize
the epiphany as the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles,
i.e., their belief in Jesus as divine Lord and Savior of all
people. Since the wise men came searching for Christ,
found him, worshipped Him and offered Him gifts, mil-
lions of people have followed in their footsteps and come
to Christ. We, too, are doing just that this coming week.
The Gospel of St. Mathew (2:1-12) describes well
the visit of the Magi to the new born king of Israel. The
term “Magi” originally referred to a clan of Persian priests
with special claims to interpret dreams. Here, they appear
as astrologers/astronomers who observed the movements
of the stars as a guide to major events. The Magi, or wise
men, seeing a sign in the heavens, learn that some import-
ant event has taken place in the West, in Palestine. They
follow the sign and reach the palace of King Herod and
ask, “Where is the child who has been born King of the
Jews?” (The Oracle of Balaam in the Book of Numbers
24:17 says, “A star shall come forth from Jacob, a scepter
shall rise from Israel.”) King Herod is greatly troubled
hearing the words of the Magi. He makes all efforts going
through Scriptures; the experts find out that the child is to
be born in Bethlehem. He lets the wise men go to worship
the child, but he intends to destroy the child. The king
knows that the new born child may not be a pretender to
his throne but can cause unrest in Judea. Therefore, the
best thing would be to eliminate him. Most often, instead
of appreciating and approving the goodness of someone,
we try to eliminate it at the root level itself. This Feast Day
of Epiphany is an invitation to examine our conscience.
What is my approach to the well-being of someone else?
When Matthew was writing the Gospel around 85
AD, most Jewish people had rejected Jesus as the Messi-
ah, though the proclamation had first been made to them.
We read in the Acts of the Apostles how the Christian
preachers were being delivered up to the Sanhedrins,
flogged in the synagogues and dragged before kings for
bearing testimony to Jesus. Meanwhile, Gentiles were
flocking to the Christian communities, and, thus, the apos-
tolate had become one of making disciples of the Gentiles
(Matthew 28: 1). Matthew differentiates the believing
Magi from the unbelieving lot lead by Herod and “all
Jerusalem with him.” In spite of their claim of possessing
Scripture and tradition, they fail to recognize the Messiah.
For the Gentile, on the other hand, a glimpse of a rising
star is enough to discern God’s presence in the world.
However, Matthew is quick to add that the Magi could
not find Christ with “their own” effort. Their wisdom and
science needed to be complemented by the revelation in
Scripture to find the precise birthplace of Christ.
The gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh are another
Epiphany: a revelation of the identity of Jesus as King,
Priest, And Savior of the world. Jesus had not even started
to talk or walk, yet it is clear to the whole world that He is
God in human flesh. He rules as King with gold, He sanc-
tifies as a priest with incense and is Savior of mankind,
for Jesus’s body would be preserved with myrrh when He
offers His life for our salvation. The three gifts manifested
the future mission of the new born King-Messiah.
This Feast of Epiphany brings a great message, that
we need to trust and deepen our knowledge in scripture
and traditions passed on to us for becoming better be-
lievers in our faith. The three wise kings had a mission
to fulfil, the mission to meet the Savior of the world and
worship and adore Him. Let us ask the child Jesus to give
us the faith of wise men so that we may, like them, fulfil
the mission to love the Lord, serve Him and be faithful
to Him forever.
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By David Sykes
acres, straddling both Uma-
County Commissioner tilla and Morrow Counties.
Jim Doherty has been
After being
appointed the new
elected to the
chairman of the Colum-
chairmanship,
bia Development Au-
Doherty said it has
thority (CDA); it was
been an “arduous”
announced recently.
journey transition-
The CDA is responsible
ing the depot to
for transitioning the
local control, but
Umatilla Army Depot
he is ready for the
from federal govern- Jim Doherty job. “There exists
ment ownership to local County Com- a plethora of pos-
control. All the chemi- missioner
sibilities on the
cals and munitions pre-
vacant landscape
viously stored there since that formerly held such
1941 have been decommis- horror. I look forward to
sioned and destroyed, and working with our partners
the site covers about 20,000 from the Oregon Military,
National Guard and sur-
rounding farms and neigh-
bors,” Doherty said of pre-
paring the land for change
of ownership. After many
years of work the CDA has
still not decided who will
own the land and what the
uses shall be once the trans-
fer is completed.
The CDA is made up
of four board members
representing Morrow and
Umatilla counties and the
Ports of Morrow and Uma-
tilla. Representative Greg
Smith is the CDA director.
Doherty, who was not pre-
viously a member of the
board, replaces Bill Tovey
as chairman.
“I feel blessed to have
been chosen by my CDA
colleagues to guide us
through the absorption of
the Chemical Weapons De-
pot back to local control,”
Doherty said after the ap-
pointment. “This has been
an arduous journey to this
point. The CTUIR (Confed-
erated Tribes of Umatilla
Indian Reservation), ports
and sister counties never
wavered in their collective
resolve, that one day, this
would be a reality,” Doherty
said.
Obituaries
Eddie Martin
Gunderson Jr.
Raymond Wilson
Grace
Eddie Martin Gunder- continued to be involved in
R a y m o n d W i l s o n was also a published writ-
son Jr. passed away De- many of their events.
Grace, age 84, passed away er, writing a book on grief
cember 17, 2021, at his
Eddie enjoyed attend- peacefully with his family after losing his second wife,
son’s home, at the age of ing Heppner High School by his side on Saturday, Nona as well as a book on
90. A graveside service with games, especially sitting December 18, 2021, in politics, which was a pas-
military honors will
with his buddies Heppner, OR. Ray was sion of his.
Ray was preceded
be held on Wednes-
supporting Mustang born September 17, 1937,
in death by his par-
day, January 5 at 11
football.
to Homer and
ents, Homer Grace
a.m. at Heppner Ma-
Survivors in- Vivian Grace in
and Vivian (Snyder)
sonic Cemetery. A
clude his son, Da- Methow, WA. Ray
Grace and his second
luncheon will follow
vid (Tricia); grand- loved to travel the
wife Nona Grace.
at the Elks Club in
c h i l d r e n , B r e n t world, exploring
Ray is survived
Heppner.
(Kimmie) and their new countries and
by his son, Clay and
Eddie was born Eddie Martin daughter, Whitley, learning about dif-
his wife Lolita Grace;
May 29, 1931, to Gunderson Jr. Derek (Meghan) and ferent areas of the Raymond
Agnes Lucille and
their son, Easton; a world. He helped Wilson Grace daughter, Meschelle
and her husband Hal
Eddie Gunderson Sr. in cousin, who was like a son, build the plywood
Nortonville, ND. He moved Jim Doherty (Pam) their plant and sawmill in Hep- Whitaker and two broth-
to Heppner in 1945 where children, Jennifer, Sara pner, worked in Saudi Ara- ers, Mike Grace and Dave
he graduated from Heppner (Brett) Davis and their chil- bia building desalination Grace. Ray also left behind
High School in 1949.
dren, Grayson, and Merris. plants, helped to build the three grandchildren, Mis-
On July 21, 1950, he
He was preceded in Guri Dam in Venezuela and sy and her husband Paul
married Beverly Yocom. death by his wife, Beverly; also worked alongside his Miller, Stephanie and her
husband Nick Griffitts and
They were married in the son, Douglas; his parents; son in Hawaii.
house that they moved into brother, Donald and a sister,
Ray was a professional Shaun and her husband
in 1963 and lived in, until Mary Schoonover.
engineer by trade and an Casey Picard, and seven
their deaths. They had two
Memorial contributions inventor who was always great-grandchildren, Ash-
sons, David and Douglas. can be made to Pioneer looking for ways to im- ley Miller, Wyatt Miller,
Eddie was drafted Memorial Hospice, PO Box prove different tools and Gracie Griffitts, Harper
into the Army in 1952 and 9, Heppner, OR 97836, or machines to make them Griffitts, Madelynn Grif-
served in the Korean War. Heppner High School Ath- more useful. Ray was a fitts, Bailey Picard and
He was extremely proud of letics, PO Box 67, Heppner, part of CSEPP (Chemical Captain Picard.
Visitation will be held
being a veteran and contin- OR 97836 or the BPOE 358 Stockpile Emergency Pre-
ued to be a member of the Foundation, PO Box 494, paredness Program), and Saturday, February 19,
American Legion until his Heppner, OR 97836.
he served time as a Morrow 2022, from 10 a.m. to 12
p.m. at Sweeney Mortuary
death. After returning from
Sweeney Mortuary of County commissioner.
the Army, he went back to Heppner is in care of ar-
He loved classical mu- in Heppner, OR. Graveside
work at the mill until he rangements. The online sic and was never hesitant Services will follow at Hep-
retired in 1989.
condolence book is avail- to share his true feelings pner Masonic Cemetery at
He enjoyed the out- able at www.sweeneymor- with those around him. Ray 1 p.m.
doors, fishing, hunting and tuary.com.
was an amazing artist and
playing golf. Golf was a
passion for many years, and
he did get four holes in one.
ing uninsured, fine $265.
He enjoyed his grandchil-
Morrow County Justice
-Kaleb G. Tate, 30,
-Brandon T. Peck, 25,
dren, watching them play of the Peace, Glen Diehl, Ione, was convicted of dog Ione, was convicted of vi-
sports, teaching them golf has released the following as a public nuisance, fine olation of basic rule, fine
and the fine art of fishing. Justice Court report:
$265; failure to drive within $165.
After his retirement,
-Rachael L Lantenbach,
-Lane L. Bailey, 31, lane, fine $265 and failure
Bev and Ed loved to go Heppner, was convicted of to report an accident, fine 33, Ione, was convicted of
south to Arizona, meeting violation of basic rule, fine $440.
shifting/leaking load, fine
new friends along the way. $165.
-Kevin L. Mudge, 44, $165.
He spent a couple of years
-Sage E. Ferguson, 18,
-Bryan K. Collins, 18, Ione, was convicted of vi-
working for the Forest Ser- Heppner, was convicted of olation of basic rule, fine Hermiston, was convicted
vice and supervising YCC failure to use seatbelt, fine $165; driving while sus- of violation of basic rule,
crews. He was presented $115.
pended, fine $440 and driv- fine $165.
a plaque for Mentor of the
Year 1992-93 for dedicated
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Order your family
He was involved for
70 years as a member of
canvas prints
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today!
exalted ruler in 1991-92 and
Justice Court Report
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