Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, August 17, 2022 -- THREE
Spiritually Speaking
Enter through the
narrow gate
By Fr. Thankachan Joseph
Christ warned His contemporaries
not to pin their hopes of salvation on
the mere fact that they were members of
God’s Chosen People. He urged them to
make their way in “by the narrow gate.” Fr. Thankachan
Joseph
He meant they should deny themselves
and strive, by the grace of God, to live
good lives, live by the values of the Kingdom. We should
rely on God’s gratuitous love for us, and our whole aim
should be to return that love. This Sunday, the church
reminds us that the Lord will gather not only Jews and
Christians unto himself at the feast of His Kingdom. He
will also gather people from all nations, all those who are
willing to submit to His loving care.
The readings of this Sunday bear a very strong mes-
sage of hope, of the reunion and restoration of the people
of God. The prophet Isaiah (66:18-21) is about the return
of God’s people to Jerusalem. It assures us that God will
be ready to fulfil His promises to us. The prophet makes
three prominent points to reflect and meditate upon: God
will soon fulfil His promise of restoring us to Himself, to
show His saving power; God’s purpose for this gathering
and for every work He does is for the glory of His name;
and God will also make us His ambassadors to other na-
tions. He promises thus: “I will give them a sign and send
some of their survivors to the nations…that have never
heard of me or seen my glory.” This also underscores the
missionary dimension of our baptismal call. God initiates
it and then uses us to accomplish it. “Go out to the whole
world and proclaim the good news.” This good news is
that God will restore our lost glory, for the sake of His
own glory.
The reading from Hebrews 12:5-7,11-13 reminds us
that obedience and discipline will help us respond and
effectively return to the Lord. The path to this return will
definitely not be an easy one. We shall encounter thorns
and pains. As a loving father, God will also rebuke and
discipline us. However, this is to correct and guide us
through the right path. I was reminded of William Shake-
speare’s Hamlet, wherein he writes, “Sometimes, I must
be cruel, in order to be kind.” As a loving father, this is the
way God also handles us at times. He is the potter, and we
are the clay. He crushes, treats us hard, and finally molds
us into a beautiful shape (Jer 18: 1-17). So, we must learn
to endure as Christ did through His suffering and death on
the cross (Phil 2, 4). This is important if we are to witness
the glory of God. Success is achieved through hard work
and hard work through discipline and obedience.
Luke 13:22-30 begins with the question-answer
format in which Jesus answers a very difficult question:
“Sir, will there be only a few saved?” His response is very
simple and intelligent: “Try your best to enter by the nar-
row door… Rather than occupy oneself with arguments
about the number of those to be saved, it is better to work
hard in order to be saved.” Through this, Christ reminds
us that the invitation to His feast is open to all. However,
each person must struggle to be there. We must play well
the roles entrusted to us. This is the only way we can be
guaranteed a place in the feast of the Kingdom of God.
Today’s Gospel invites every one of us: If you want
to be saved, enter by the narrow door. The gate is open.
Free entry. No formalities, no restrictions, no bribes,
taxes, watchmen, guards. But the gate of His cross is
narrow. He came to open the gates of heaven. Whether we
want to enter depends on us. He gives us the freedom to
accept or reject this invitation. Not by judging salvation
by someone’s bank account, external appearance, position
of importance, etc., God goes by the size of your heart,
your love, your generosity, the quality of your character.
God says that in heaven we take no body by color, size or
shape. God wants all people to be saved, to be happy with
Him forever. People of every place and time have repeated
the question: How can I be saved and reach heaven? The
answer is found in the words of Christ: “Seek first the
kingdom of God and all the rest will follow.”
Electric Co-Op
seeks director
nominations
Columbia Basin Elec-
tric Cooperative has opened
nominations for three direc-
tor’s positions in zones two,
five and six. All are for three
year terms.
Zone No. 2: That terri-
tory served or to be served
by the Cooperative within
the incorporated city limits
of Heppner, Oregon.
Zone No. 5: That terri-
tory served or to be served
by the Cooperative lying
South of the Township line
dividing Township 2 South
and 3 South and East of the
Morrow-Gilliam County
line and in Wheeler County
that area East of the range
line between Range 24 East
and 25 East.
Zone No. 6: That terri-
tory served or to be served
by the Cooperative within
the incorporated city limits
of Condon, Oregon.
The members of the
nominating committee are
Jeff Bailey, Heppner (541-
676-5969) for Zone 2; Ros-
coe Qualls, Heppner (541-
676-9705) for Zone 5 and
Frank Bettencourt, Condon
(541-384-2420) for Zone 6.
The nominating com-
mittee will accept nomina-
tions up to and including
the last day of August 2022.
Nominees must be mem-
bers of Columbia Basin
Electric Cooperative, Inc.
and they must reside in, and
receive electrical service in,
the zone in which they will
be running.
Safety, schools
primary focus
As communities are
getting ready for the up-
coming school year, safety
remains a primary focus for
school leaders and law en-
forcement across Morrow
County.
On August 8, Morrow
County agencies partici-
pated in a regional School
Security Summit hosted by
the Intermountain ESD in
Pendleton. School admin-
istrators from Morrow and
Ione school districts, along
with representatives from
Boardman Police Depart-
ment, Boardman Fire and
Morrow County Sheriff’s
Office all participated in
a review of the regionally
adopted school safety pro-
tocols from the “I Love u
Guys” Foundation.
“The safety of our stu-
dents and staff are always
our first priority and we are
fortunate in Morrow Coun-
ty to have an outstanding
wraparound program that
includes school counselors,
Community Counseling
Solutions school based cli-
nicians, school resource
officers (SROs), school
nurses and CARE coordi-
nators,” said Matt Combe,
Morrow County School
District Superintendent.
Combe reiterated that
school safety isn’t a one
and done training. Mor-
row County schools will
continue their training on
school safety and reuni-
fication processes later in
September supported by
presenters from the “I Love
u Guys” foundation and the
community SROs.
“The Ione School Dis-
trict looks forward to the
continued working relation-
ship with MCSD and all of
the supporting agencies in
the county. ISD will con-
tinue to focus on safety, and
we look forward to working
with MCSD in September
to ensure that all services in
Morrow County are work-
ing collaboratively to keep
our staff, students and com-
munity safe,” stated Keven
Dinning, Ione School Dis-
trict Superintendent.
Print & Mailing Services
*Design *Print
Sykes Publishing
*Mail
541-676-9228
155 S Chase St.Heppner
441 N Main Street Heppner, OR 97836
(541) 676-5024 facebook.com/nhcenter97836
Saturday August 20 th
8:00 am – 12:00 pm
The Morrow County Sheriff’s Office has released
the following information:
August 5: MCSO re- Umatilla County Jail with
ceived report of a theft of $20,000 bail.
fuel from MCGG/Paterson
-MCSO received report
Ferry Rd., Irrigon. They of four huskies running
requested extra patrols.
around the Wilson Lane/
-MCSO received re- Olson Rd. in Boardman.
quest for extra patrol for MCSO was unable to locate
the Ione area due to harvest the dogs.
traffic and trucks speeding
-MCSO received report
through. MCSO responded from a subject on S.W.
and reported that every- Second St. in Irrigon that
thing was clear.
neighbors were letting their
-MCSO received re- dogs bark continuously.
quest for extra patrol with MCSO Deputy stationed
vehicles speeding through in the area was unable to
N.E. Oregon Ave. and locate any dogs or any dogs
North First St. in Irrigon barking.
twice daily.
-MCSO received report
-MCSO received report from a subject on N.W.
from a subject on Columbia Gale St. in Heppner of a
Ave. N.W. with the caller deceased deer in his back
advising her daughter’s dad yard. He advised that it
was causing a disturbance. would be okay for ODFW
Boardman Police Depart- to go onto his property and
ment responded, and the remove it.
parties were separated.
-MCSO received re-
-MCSO received report quest for extra patrol behind
of a semi knocking down the Oregon Trail Library in
a gate at the Irrigon city Heppner for vandalism and
reservoir. MCSO responded people sleeping in the park.
and took a report.
-MCSO received report
-MCSO received re- of a smaller silver car with
quest from a subject on Oregon plates tailgating
Butter Creek for a wellness and almost hitting the call-
check on her children.
er’s vehicle while passing.
-MCSO received report MCSO was unable to locate
of drivers going the wrong the vehicle.
way up Morgan St. in Hep-
-MCSO received re-
pner and a request for extra quest for extra patrol on
patrol.
Olson Rd. in Boardman
-MCSO received report because of theft. The caller
of a number of things stolen advised to be on the lookout
from outside their house on for a motorcycle or hatch-
Olson Rd. in Boardman and back.
a lot of tracks around their
-MCSO received report
property. MCSO responded of harassment on Faler Rd.
and placed the incident un- in Boardman. The caller ad-
der investigation.
vised that his neighbor tried
-MCSO received report to hit him with his vehicle
of four or five vehicles and also tried to get his dogs
parked in front of houses to attack him. He said that
the caller doesn’t live at. it was an ongoing issue and
The caller requested contact requested phone contact.
with a deputy. The incident
-MCSO received re-
was unfounded.
port from a female at the
-MCSO received report Glen Haven Apartments
from a subject on Court St. on N.E. Pioneer Drive in
in Heppner who said the Heppner who said another
Oregon Department of Fish person was sitting behind
and Wildlife had a skunk in her back porch and staring
one of their traps, but she at her. The caller requested
hasn’t been able to get a contact.
hold of them. ODFW was
-MCSO received report
advised.
of suspicious activity on
-MCSO received re- Highway 730 in Irrigon.
quest for extra patrol on The caller reported a black
Olson Rd. in Boardman due bag out on the street next
to theft. They were advised to a mailbox and a lady
to be on the lookout for a walking on the highway.
motorcycle or hatchback. The caller didn’t know if
-MCSO received re- the two were related. The
port from a subject on S.E. caller believes someone
Utah Ave. in Irrigon that a was stealing from inside
silver Dodge Caravan and the antique store next door.
a black Yukon went past
his house at a high rate of
speed toward 10th. MCSO
was unable to locate the
vehicles.
-MCSO received report
of a theft of a gun on Little
Butter Creek in Echo.
-MCSO received re-
quest for extra patrol at
N.E. Ave. and North First
St. in Irrigon for speeding
vehicles twice a day.
-MCSO received report
that Joe Don Garza was
arrested by the Umatilla
County Sheriff’s Office on
a Morrow County warrant
for Failure to Appear/Crim-
inal Mischief K, Criminal
Mischief II and Criminal
Trespass. He was lodged at
Umatilla County Jail with
a bail of $20,000, and on
a Morrow County Circuit
Court warrant for Failure
to Appear II to be lodged at
ALL NEWS AND
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DEADLINE:
Neighborhood Center of South Morrow County
Neighborhood Center
Sheriff’s Report
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MONDAYS
5:00 P.M.
Valby Lutheran Church
Valby Road
Ione Oregon. 97843
First Bag is $15.00 Second Bag is $5.00
Come in and fill a bag with clothing, shoes, movies, CDs and books
for the whole family! Household items are 50% off this day only.
Proceeds from this bag sale support our food pantry.
Bucknum's
Tavern
146 N Main Street
Heppner
541-676-5274
Church Services
1st & 3rd Sundays
10:00 AM
Available for:
Weddings • Funerals
Family Events
541-422-7300
Old
Country
Church
All Are
Welcome