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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 7, 2022)
FOUR - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, September 7, 2022 Good News Only by Doris Brosnan When one walks a nine-year-old melancholy collie, the pace is s-l-o-w, so stepping aside to let Petra Payne and Janelle Ellis jog by on the sidewalk was a courteous ges- ture, as was the second stepping aside when they reversed directions. Petra announced, as they passed, that they were planning a six-mile run that day. Impressive young women: they and friends also training as they are work outside their homes fulltime, they work the requirements of being wives and mothers, and yet, all of them find the time and energy to work at training for a half-marathon next month in Portland. Joining their effort are Kathleen Greenup and Jaci Hughes Drigen, and training for the full marathon are Amber Peck Gregg and Annie Hisler Weygant. With an app, they check on one another’s weekly training progress and encourage one another. How great to be talented and to share that talent with others. Last Friday evening, Terry Harper visited the Willow Creek Terrace with his guitar and played an impromptu concert on the front porch for the several residents who came out to enjoy the entertainment. Archie and Diana Ball enjoyed a visit last Sunday with Bob and Pat Fetsch, who came over from Pendle- ton. Bob was a classmate of Archie’s. He and Pat come every September from Montana for the Round-Up and stay for several days with Bob’s sister, Marlene and her husband, Tom Currin. A great afternoon visit on Balls’ deck included refreshing Klondike bars that were a gift for Balls’ 58th anniversary, which was the following day. The Drake Family’s reunion last weekend was a huge affair that spanned a few days and a variety of activities. Usually a gathering every two years, this one had been post- poned because of Covid, so many family members hadn’t seen one another for four years. What a great happening. Many more feel-good moments must be waiting to be shared. Please, send yours to dbrosnan123@ gmail.com or call 541-223-1490. Please, share. Here’s hoping that some good news comes to everyone reading this. Heppner AWANA Club starts program next Tuesday Enjoying activities at AWANA Club Heppner AWANA Club will begin its 2022-23 club year next Tuesday, Sept. 13, with registration and an ice cream social for club mem- bers and their parents. The club will meet at the Chris- tian Life Center (“dome church”) in Heppner. The evening will be- gin at 6 p.m. with club registration and ice cream for everyone attending. The event will also include games and a short welcome from AWANA Commander Dale Bates. Meetings will be held from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays throughout the club year. Every week includes a different theme; club members can start planning now for “Bring a Friend” night on Sept. 20, “Cowboy Night” on Sept. 27 and a family barbecue for “Parent Night” on Oct. 4. The Heppner AWANA program is the combined effort of local churches to teach children what the Bible is all about. AWANA stands for “Approved Work- men Are Not Ashamed,” based on II Timothy 2:15. Games, songs and a Bible lesson are included during a typical club meeting. The Christian Life Cen- ter is located at 535 W. Morgan St. in Heppner. For more information, contact AWANA Secretary An- drea Di Salvo at awana. heppner@gmail.com, 757- 285-5792, or via Facebook Messenger. Irrigon Junior-Senior High Prepare new track for School Year Spiritually Speaking God’s Mercy & Compassion Chapter 15 of Luke’s Gospel has been called “the Gospel within the Gospel” because it tells the good news about our forgiving Heavenly Father’s mercy, the “Parable of the Lost and Found,” with three illustrations: the stories of the lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost son. They remind us that we have a God who welcomes sinners and forgives their sins whenever they return to Him with sincere repentance. For today’s discussion, we focus on the parable of the lost son. The Caring and Compassionate Father, like a modern father, gives to his sons out of love. When the younger boy demands his share of property, the father gives it, knowing home would become a prison if the son were forced to stay. But the father knows his son is immature and knows not what he is doing. The father waits on the front porch every night, watching the road from the city, hoping the son will recognize his mistake. After many years, one evening, he recognizes his son coming down the road. The father runs to him, his heart pounding, his eyes filling with tears of relief. Sobbing, he hugs his boy tightly. The boy says something about not being worthy to come home, asking only to hire on as a field worker. The father hears nothing of this. His heart says: “I don’t care where you’ve been or what you’ve done. All I care about is that you are home and I love you!” The Older Son: How wonderful it would have been if the older son had said, “O how glad I am! The fact that my brother has come home shows that he has changed. I’ve missed him so much. I have prayed for his return. I’ve shared with Father concern for his safety. I must hurry to embrace him.” Instead, his deeper feelings prevail: The way my father treated my younger brother was a slap of my face. Maybe he could have taken him back after a good telling off. Taken him back as a servant, not as a son, and given him the heaviest and dirtiest jobs. But instead, he runs to meet him, and before the waster even had time to say he was sorry, Father throws his arms around him and hugs him. He orders that my brother be dressed in finery, and gives a feast in his honor. He was acting like someone who has lost his senses. The Older Son has the following defects: He is self-righteous,’; the personification of pride and arrogance; is over-confident and judgemental towards everyone; especially of his younger brother; and could not forgive. I think these are what the Lord demands we get rid of. The Prodigal Son: The younger son feels that he has outgrown his father and or his father’s life-style or home. He asks his father to give him the portion of his inheritance, thinking he would be happier away from home, no longer under parental control. The far coun- try apparently promised freedom but actually enslaved the young man. While his money lasted, he had some fair-weather friends, but when the money gave out, he was reduced to destitution. He hired out to a gentile to feed his swine and ended up eating animal food. It was under such misery that he thought of his father, mother, and home. To come back home was not easy. It called for a lot of humility and courage. He knew what people were thinking of him. The prodigal son shows us the way to the Father’s house. He tells us, “I will arise and go to my Father’s house, and I will say to him....” Millions have heard these words and, inspired by them, have come in from the dark and found welcome and forgiveness from God. Some people are lost like sheep who miss the way by careless drifting; some, through life’s circumstances, are misplaced like a lost coin. Others, like the young son, are lost through willful rebellion. Still others are lost as the older brother was - at home yet far from the father, in church but full of hate, self-righteousness, prejudice, envy and unforgiveness. God is seeking lost persons, as a shepherd in the night, as a woman sweeping diligently, as a father earnestly watching. When a sheep is found, the shepherd rejoices; when a coin is found, the woman rejoices; when a son is found, the father rejoices; when a sinner repents, God rejoices. Now is the day of salvation. One big improvement is the new track currently under construction at Irrigon Junior-Senior High. photos by Mike Royer Students and staff return- competitive in previous want to extend a big thank everything they provided ing to Irrigon Junior-Se- years, and this improve- you to the Port of Morrow in making this project hap- nior High School will no- ment will increase safety and all our supporters for pen.” tice some upgrades when for runners and allow for they return to classes. One home track meets. Irrigon Junior-Senior big improvement is the High School Principal Rose new track currently under construction at Irrigon Ju- Palmer noted that the im- nior-Senior High. Athletic proved facility will be safer Director Mike Royer stated, for everyone, with lighting “This is something that our in the evening that will school and community can provide “an opportunity for take pride in. The track the community to expand facility will provide an their recreation options.” opportunity not only to our She also pointed out broad junior high and high school community support with athletes, but to our youth helping to fund this major and community in general.” improvement, which in- Construction began on cludes funding from Mor- the project in June, remov- row County School District, ing the gravel and dirt track the City of Irrigon, Morrow to make way for the new County Unified Recreation surface being installed by District, Columbia River Beynon Sports of Tualatin, Technologies, Boardman a fabricator for track and Community Development field facilities. Much of the Association, CREZ Board, heavy lifting has already and the Port of Morrow. Royer has enjoyed been done, with the Port watching this process un- of Morrow donating over fold, stating, “It was im- $85,000 in labor and engi- pressive watching things Currently, there is a three-inch deep base layer of neering. Currently, there is a three-inch deep base layer come together this past year asphalt, which will be covered in the next phase with of asphalt, which will be to make it a reality. And I a synthetic rubberized surface. covered in the next phase with a synthetic rubberized surface. The final track will be red, with the finishing !"#$%&'%()*+%,'-% lane stripe painting slated for early September. The !""#$%&"'#()' fresh surface is expected to !"#$%&'()*+#,-./0'0 make its debut in mid-Sep- /(1* tember. 2%',/)$(3*4$('0* Originally built to sup- 56*7,'1$)8 port a middle school, the old gravel track’s functionality had become limiting for the track and field competitors. According to Royer, as the school has grown the need for a better surface has !"#$%&'()*!+() become increasingly appar- !"#$%&$'()*$+,-..,$/$0.11*.- ent. In past years the track ,-./0&12134/5- team bussed to Umatilla to !"#$%&&'()*+,-.%+/-011*)'( have a more professional surface to practice on. The !1234$5464*7#4*#$784395:98$5#;#3<==2834$5#5<$*! new surface will allow stu- dents to have an appropriate facility for practices and track meets. Royer noted that Irrigon’s track and field MEMBER FDIC team has consistently been !"#$%&'()**+#,-./0'0*1*2%',/)$(3*4$('0 *"+,#!"-.)/0
