Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, July 20, 2022 -- THREE
Spiritually Speaking
Lord, teach us to pray
BIC supports forest
plan revision process
To the communities surrounding the Blue Mountains
National Forests:
The Blues Intergovernmental Council (BIC) supports
the USDA Forest Service’s plans to reinitiate Forest Plan
Revision for the Malheur, Umatilla, and Wallowa-Whit-
man National Forests. The work completed by the BIC
over the past two years has established key foundations
that will be crucial components of an improved Forest
Plan Revision process by reflecting local values, incor-
porating input and providing robust opportunities for
meaningful engagement.
On March 14, 2019, the Forest Service deputy chief
issued instruction to the Forest Service Pacific North-
west Regional Forester to withdraw the Blue Mountains
Revised Land Management Plans, Final Environmental
Impact Statement and draft Record of Decision. This de-
cision came after nearly 15 years of a highly contentious
public planning process in which numerous community
members and leaders felt frustrated, misunderstood and
ignored. The objection process yielded over 350 objec-
tions to the forest plans, which made clear that the public
did not see how input provided had been incorporated
nor did the plans fully account for the unique social and
economic needs of the affected communities.
Following the withdrawal of the Blue Mountains For-
est Plans, leadership from the Pacific Northwest Regional
Office and the Malheur, Umatilla and Wallowa-Whitman
National Forests met with the Eastern Oregon Counties
Association in April 2019, to coordinate, better understand
concerns and identify opportunities to approach forest
planning and management in a new way. The participants
recognized the need to explore unique approaches and
work together at a larger scale, which included other
government entities within and surrounding the Blue
Mountains geographic area.
The various government entities officially formed
the Blues Intergovernmental Council (BIC) in November
2019, to serve as an overarching entity and develop joint
recommendations on the most contentious issues identi-
fied in the Blue Mountains Forest Plan Revision process.
The BIC members include leaders from all 14 local coun-
ties, as well as federal, state and tribal government entities.
The diverse membership of the BIC ensures numerous
perspectives and interests are represented.
Over the two years since the BIC formed, members
worked together to develop desired conditions for Forest
Service consideration on several key and previously po-
larizing issues in the withdrawn Blue Mountains Forest
Plans, including riparian livestock grazing, fisheries, hy-
drology, forest health and access. The BIC also commis-
sioned and oversaw the completion of a socioeconomic
analysis that will offer data to help consider impacts of
forest management decisions to local communities.
The BIC-endorsed desired conditions serve as rec-
ommendations to the Forest Service to inform the Forest
Plan Revision process (with a minority report included
for the access issue). The collective work over the past
two years has fostered trust and strengthened relationships
between the key intergovernmental groups within the BIC
and the Forest Service.
The BIC members and leadership from the Blue
Mountains National Forests feel this unique approach will
provide a crucial foundation for success in accomplishing
Forest Plan Revision for the Blue Mountains in a timely
manner. By building off the past plan revision analysis,
the BIC’s endorsed desired conditions products, and
connections that each member has with various commu-
nity perspectives, we have an exceptional opportunity to
develop updated Forest Plans for these National Forests
that provide for the sustainable needs of the landscape
and the needs of current and future generations.
Building off these accomplishments, the BIC believes
that the Forest Service should move forward with the plan
revision process under the 2012 Planning Rule, with the
goal of working together to develop sustainable Forest
Plans that reflect local values, incorporate input and pro-
vide robust opportunities for meaningful engagement.
We support the Forest Service’s plan to establish a local
team and would urge this be done as quickly as possible
to maintain the forward momentum the BIC has achieved
in these last two years. By working together through this
intergovernmental forum, the BIC can serve as a bridge
A burn ban is in effect for the between the Forest Service and communities surrounding
Town of Lexington beginning the Blue Mountains to help repair and build trust, provide
clarity about the planning process and plan components,
Monday, July 18, 2022
complement Forest Service public outreach efforts and
No open burning
bring continual feedback to the Forest Service regarding
ways to improve the process or products.
No burn barrels
While there will still be passion around important
issues, we feel that through the joint efforts between
For more information, contact:
the BIC and the Forest Service we have built important
Town of Lexington (541)989-8515
relationships and developed key recommendations that
or Fire Chief Charlie Sumner (541)403-2917 address much of the previous controversy. This has built a
solid foundation to move forward now with Plan Revision.
Thank you for the consideration and recognition of
the vast progress that has been made in the Blue Moun-
tains. We look forward to working together with the
Forest Service to steward these National Forest lands
in a way that provides for sustainable land management
while considering the communities’ economic and so-
cial-cultural health.
Sincerely,
Susan Roberts, Co-Convener
On behalf of the Blues Intergovernmental Council
BIC website: https://bit.ly/3O2vUID
By Fr. Thankachan Joseph
The theme this Sunday is “prayer.” Last Sunday we
reflected on the need of striking a balance
between active life and contemplatives
in action through the life examples of
Martha and Mary from the Gospel of
Luke. In the subsequent verse we see
Jesus himself becoming an example of
prayer life. The Chapter begins with this
verse: “Jesus was praying in a certain Fr. Thankachan
Joseph
place” (Lk 11:1).
At first glance, it seems our prayer
must be very different from that of Jesus. He, after all, is
the only Son of God. His prayer is a direct communication
with the Father who begot him. In contrast, we are weak,
sinful, distracted. Yet in essence, our prayer is the same.
This might surprise you, but prayer is God speaking to
God, a communication with the divine. Most of the time
we try to make it a monologue instead of a dialogue,
forgetting to listen to what He wants to communicate in
return. St. Paul tells us plainly in his letter to the Romans:
“We do not know how to pray.” The Holy Spirit prays in
us “with groanings that cannot be expressed in speech.”
(8:26)
I share from my personal experience: Often, as reli-
gious priests, our non-Christian friends ask us about the
number of hours we spend in prayer every day. People
often tend to associate holiness with the length of prayers,
the number of prayers and the number of hours spent
in prayer. If this is true, then we should be the holiest
people in the world. Think of the thousands of hours that
we have spent in prayer. A lot of ritual prayers, perhaps
recited without conviction? Are we more holy than, let
us say, a mother who is preparing food for her children,
or our domestic staff in the kitchen? We are able to spend
this time in prayer because others are working for us. The
prayers we recite are genuine to the degree they help us to
live a Christ-like life during the course of the day.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church begins its
exposition of prayer with this quote from St. Therese of
Lisieux: “For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a sim-
ple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition
and of love, embracing both trial and joy.” The Catechism
then adds this classic definition: “Prayer is the raising of
one’s mind and heart to God or the requesting of good
things from God.” (#2559)
This Sunday’s Gospel reading begins with the
disciples requesting, “Lord teach us to pray.” What I
understand of prayer is that it is not an attempt to inform
God of our needs or to change Him. In prayer we change
ourselves, seek His will and get ready to do what He wants
of us. (Mary listened, said “yes,” and then went out to
help.) Prayer is not even pleading with God so that His
vengeance might be averted.
What prayer is, is best illustrated by Jesus. He gave
no long discourse on prayer or spoke about any tech-
nique or place for prayer, and He was silent on postures
needed for prayer or ceremonies associated with prayer.
He showed that when we grasp God as a loving Father,
words become secondary. In the prayer He taught, He
spoke about doing God’s will, fulfilling a few basic needs
in life and forgiving one another. God is not like us. He
is far above our petty, selfish, calculating ways, shifting
moods and hurting ways. He is love. He can only love.
Jesus often prayed, and He emphasized prayer as one
of the greatest needs of human life. He always insisted that
it was the source of His strength in living and serving God,
Lk3:21 – He prayed at His baptism, Lk5:16 – He prayed
during His temptation, Lk 6:12 - He continued all night
in prayer, Lk 9:18 – He was alone praying, Lk 9:28 – He
went up into a mountain to pray, Lk 11:1
Jesus was giving a model prayer upon which we are
able to base our praying. It is a guide. The necessity to
thank and praise God daily in our lives for the numerous
blessings and graces we enjoy from Him. Secondly, a
request for things in particular – remembering these only
after thanking and praising Him. Pray for God’s Kingdom
to come. Pray for daily bread. Pray for forgiveness.
Good News Only
By Doris Brosnan
Last Saturday the wom-
en of the Valby Luther-
an congregation hosted a
going away gathering for
Jeanne Creswick. Jeanne
and her husband, David,
plan to move from Lex-
ington next month to the
Vancouver, WA area.
Also, last weekend,
Merlin and Claudia Hughes
enjoyed a visit from Clau-
dia’s cousin Dave Eastman
and his wife, Dess. The
couple, from Henderson,
NV, especially appreciate
visiting the Ukiah and But-
ter Creek settings.
A friend of Kit and Shir-
ley George recently gave
them an official-looking
metal badge, oval-shaped
with a scalloped edge, that
puzzled them. Stamped on
the front: “Chauffeur 720
1942 State of Oregon.” De-
termined to solve their puz-
zle, Shirley persevered until
she had an abundance of
information: Beginning in
the early 20 th century, qual-
ified drivers for taxi cabs
or other paid car services
were issued small metal
licenses called chauffeur
badges. In 1903, New York
became the first state to is-
sue a motor vehicle license
for chauffeurs, also known
as public hacks. Pinned to
a coat or hat, these metal
badges provided an easy
way for drivers to display
their certifications while
operating their vehicles.
While some badges were
designed in the form of a
state or a decorative crest,
many were simply oval or
shield-shaped affairs. Most
chauffeur licenses indicated
the date of issue, the state
certified, and the driver’s
specific identification num-
ber. By the early 1950s,
paper licenses had replaced
badges, which were more
expensive to produce. A
complete run of chauffeur
badges issued in the State
of Oregon dates from 1909
to 1951. The badges are
popular among collectors
today, some more rare than
others.
The largest, 2500-piece,
26 1/2”x38 1/4”, jigsaw
puzzle this fan has tack-
led; called for attention
and received only sporadic
attempts for months. But
never a quitter, she finally
completed the challenge
last week. And lo and be-
hold, she was correct: piec-
es were missing from this
used puzzle. Eight pieces.
Well, the good news is that
it is in the garbage, never to
tempt and frustrate anyone
again.
One reader wonders if
an absolute authority exists
for an age-old controversial
question: Should the toilet
paper unroll from over the
top or from underneath? A
recent surreptitious survey
noted three over the top
and four underneath, not
enough to carry any weight
but enough to cause one to
wonder.
Sharing something that
makes you smile is as easy
as writing to dbrosnan123@
gmail.com or calling 541-
223-1490. Please, share.
Here’s hoping that
some good news comes to
everyone reading this.
Melanoma stands out.
Check your skin.
You could spot cancer.
Lexington Burn Ban
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
Print & Mailing Services
*Design *Print
Sykes Publishing
*Mail
541-676-9228
Come Celebrate with us!
Al Osmin’s 80th Birthday
Dinner and Dancing
Heppner Elks Lodge
6:00 pm - Friday, July 22
Steak dinner $30
Elks regular menu also available
L E AR N M O R E AT
STA RT SE E I N G ME L A N O MA .CO M
NEW LISTING!
$179,000
Price Reduced
$174,000
Well Kept 3 bedroom, 1 bath home on quiet street in Heppner.
Fenced yard with a well maintained lawn. Lots of beautiful flow-
ers on the front porch for a great place to spend a summer eve-
ning. You will love this efficient kitchen with lots of storage and its
beautiful laminate flooring with Microwave, stove and refrigerator
included. Don't wait to call me to set up a showing while this
home is still available.
390 W UNION AVE Heppner
188 W. Willow
P.O. Box 337
Heppner, OR 97836
david@sykesrealestate.net
Owner/Broker
David Sykes
541-980-6674