TWO - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, December 7 , 2022
The Official Newspaper
of the City of Heppner and the County of Morrow
Good News Only by Doris Brosnan
Heppner
Anyone who missed the holiday lighting at Heritage
Plaza last Thursday, missed the singing inside the ag
museum by the preschools and the schools’ choirs, as
well as the hot chocolate and chance to visit with Santa.
The Good News is that the spectacular lighting of the
trees and vintage equipment accomplished by the city
maintenance crew will shine throughout the holiday
season. When cruising about to see the lights throughout
Heppner, a drive by cheerful, uplifting Heritage Park will
be a pleasant addition.
Last Thursday, Nancy Anderson hosted the Ione Topic
Club’s Christmas Luncheon Party. Of particular interest to
the group was a report of the funds for the Ione teachers
that they raised when they held the Scholastic book sale.
Congratulations go out to two HHS volleyball players
who were named to Blue Mountain Conference Second
Team, Hallee Hisler and Morgan Cutsforth, and Honor-
able Mention included Hailey Wenberg. Named to the Big
Sky Volleyball League First Team, from Ione, is Madison
Orem. Kudos!
The schools have started their basketball seasons, so
spectators can enjoy following their teams while inside
and warm. Ione-Arlington kicked off their season last
weekend with a “Basketball Bonanza” that included
Irrigon and Joseph. A fourth invited team had to cancel.
A busy month in Ione is going to feature a caroling
party, a movie night, a trip to Elgin on the 17 th to attend
“The Christmas Carol” on stage, and a trip on the 20 th ,
compliments of Deacon and Erin Heidemann, to see their
“Blown Away Ranch.”
Good News also from Ione: After a few months’ clo-
sure, Perks and Brews is again open for business. Terry
and Sierra have completed some facelifting inside and
changed their hours.
If you ever need a lift, a reason to smile, watch a
puppy in the snow. Lily sniffs and jumps and dives, and
latest funniest was when, on our walk, she noticed a large
(10-12 inches?) chunk of ice that had apparently fallen
from a vehicle, misshapen and dirty. She screeched to a
halt. Stretched toward it but did not move closer. And
growled. She was glued to the spot, growling until pulled
by the leash to move on. Obviously saved us from poten-
tial attack by that mysterious alien object!
Apparently, some readers are enjoying our tidbits of
pleasant news, so to keep them happy, we need to share
by sending our reasons to smile to dbrosnan123@gmail.
com or calling 541-223-1490.
Here’s hoping that some good news comes to every-
one reading this!
GAZETTE-TIMES
U.S.P.S. 240-420
Morrow County’s Home-Owned Weekly Newspaper
SEARCH OLD COPIES OF THE HEPPNER GAZETTE-TIMES ON-LINE:
http://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/
Published weekly by Sykes Publishing and entered as periodical matter at the Post
Office at Heppner, Oregon under the Act of March 3, 1879. Periodical postage paid
at Heppner, Oregon. Office at 188 W. Willow Street. Telephone (541) 676-9228. Fax
(541) 676-9211. E-mail: editor@rapidserve.net or david@rapidserve.net. Web site:
www.heppner.net. Postmaster send address changes to the Heppner Gazette-Times,
P.O. Box 337, Heppner, Oregon 97836. Subscriptions: $31 in Morrow County; $25
senior rate (in Morrow County only; 65 years or older); $37 elsewhere; $31 student
subscriptions.
Chris Sykes ...............................................................................................Publisher
Andrea Di Salvo ............................................................................................ Editor
..................................................................................................................Advertising
All News and Advertising Deadline is Monday at 5 p.m.
For Advertising: advertising deadline is Monday at 5 p.m. Cost for a display ad is $5.25 per
column inch. Cost for classified ad is 50¢ per word. Cost for Card of Thanks is $10 up to
100 words. Cost for a classified display ad is $6.05 per column inch.
For Public/Legal Notices: public/legal notices deadline is Monday at 5 p.m. Dates for publi-
cation must be specified. Affidavits must be requested at the time of submission. Affidavits
require three weeks to process after last date of publication (a sooner return date must be
specified if required).
For Obituaries: Obituaries are published in the Heppner GT at no charge and are edited to
meet news guidelines. Families wishing to include information not included in the guidelines
or who wish to have the obituary written in a certain way must purchase advertising space
for the obituary.
For Letters to the Editor: Letters to the Editor MUST be signed by the author. The Heppner
GT will not publish unsigned letters. All letters MUST include the author’s address and phone
number for use by the GT office. The GT reserves the right to edit letters. The GT is not
responsible for accuracy of statements made in letters. Any letters expressing thanks will
be placed in the classifieds under “Card of Thanks” at a cost of $10.
Christmas scavenger
hunt back for second
year
Area pastors invited
to submit Christmas
messages
Participants in last year’s Searching for Christ in
Christmas scavenger hunt. -Contributed photos
Everyone is invited to join
Heppner-area churches for
a fun, interactive adventure
during the second annual
Searching for Christ in
Christmas scavenger hunt.
On Sunday, Dec. 18,
from 5-7 p.m., participating
congregations invite groups
of “travelers”—that is, the
public—to their locations
to discover the religious
meaning behind Christmas.
After a five- to 10-minute
presentation about the birth
of Christ, it’s off to follow
the stars to the next loca-
tion where they will learn
about another piece of the
nativity.
JoAnna Lamb of Hep-
pner, who organized the
first event last year, is again
heading up the event plan-
ning. She says she got the
idea from an event in Ir-
rigon, but Heppner’s has
more participation so far.
She said she wants to do the
event because it brings the
community closer together.
“Even though I’m not
a Christian, a lot of my
friends are, a lot of the com-
munity is,” she said. “Hep-
pner has a lot of that feeling
of community spirit, so it’s
just bringing that feeling
together. It’s important to
people.”
Each of the seven
churches will have a dif-
ferent activity specially
designed to bring to life
the meaning of Christmas
for area families. Most
activities will be hands-on
and will include topics like
the three wise men and the
meaning of Christmas trees.
One church even plans a
puppet show.
Each location will also
have a place for families to
take selfies, which can be
posted on the event’s Face-
book page for a chance to
win a gift basket.
The evening will wrap
up at Murray’s Garden at
7 p.m. Morrow County
Home Health and Hospice
Chaplain Jerry Conklin
will share a short mes-
sage. Participants will sing
Christmas songs, and hot
cocoa and cookies will
be available to spread the
Christmas cheer.
A map of participating
churches is available on the
event’s Facebook page.
TOM & JERRY PARTY
With Live Music Friday Dec.16th
Tom & Jerry Drinks at 5 p.m.
Steak Dinner at 6 p.m.
Music by Frank
Carlson 7 p.m.
Members &
their Guest
HEPPNER ELKS 358
“WHERE FRIENDS MEET”
541-676-9181 142 N MAIN ST
Businesses, individuals also
invited to send in Christmas
greetings
The Heppner Ga-
zette-Times will publish its
annual Christmas edition on
Dec. 21.
Area pastors are invited
to submit Christmas mes-
sages to be published in the
Dec. 21 edition. The dead-
line is Monday, Dec. 19,
at 5 p.m. Messages can be
dropped off at the Gazette
office, emailed to editor@
rapidserve.net, or submitted
through Heppner.net.
Any businesses or in-
dividuals who would like
to purchase space on our
special Christmas greeting
page in the Dec. 21 Gazette
should call 541-676-9228
or email graphics@rapid-
serve.net by Monday, Dec.
19, at 5 p.m.
Print & Mailing Services
*Design *Print
Sykes Publishing
*Mail
541-676-9228
Spiritually Speaking
Father Thankachan Joseph
St. Patrick Catholic Church Heppner
Be Strong: Fear Not!
Usually, the third Sunday of Advent is known as
the Gaudete Sunday. In Latin, Gaudete would mean
“Rejoice,” because our salvation is very close at hand.
On this third Sunday of Advent, we see Jesus at work,
giving sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, healing to
lepers, and so on. It is a marvelous display of empathy
and compassion for the suffering. In every Eucharistic
celebration we encounter the same empathetic Christ.
Let us not be afraid to show Him the various handicaps,
disabilities and wounds that we suffer; may the Babe of
Bethlehem heal us from all these disabilities.
The Prophet Isaiah (35:1-6) delivers the thrilling
message of hope for all who may be feeling down. Isaiah
says, “Cheer up! Do not be afraid. God himself is coming
to save you.” The prophet tries to bring back hope and
expectations to the people of Israel. The words of the
prophet that give courage and assurance are these: “Here
is your God, he comes with vindication; with divine rec-
ompense he comes to save you” (v4). This gives assurance
of divine intervention to those who were suffering from
various disabilities and deformities.
In the letter of St. James (5:7-10), the writer urges us
to be patient with one another because only in patience
can we wait for the world to be transformed into God’s
own image. He brings the imagery of the farmer patiently
waiting for the precious fruit of his labor. James tells us
to take the prophets as our models. The prophets were
able to wait for the world in which everything would be
perfect and people would live in peace with one another.
Matthew’s Gospel for the third Sunday (11: 2-11)
echoes the longing of the prophets in the longing of the
people of Jesus’s own time. They go out to see John the
Baptist, hoping for a Messiah who will save them from
the oppression of the Romans. John the Baptist hears in
prison about Jesus and His great miracles. He himself
seems hesitant to accept that Jesus is the Messiah and so,
sends his followers to Jesus to ask Him. Jesus does not
give a direct answer. This happens so often in the Gospels
that we have become used to this style of thinking and
writing. What happens here is that Jesus wants John the
Baptist (and us) to discover whether He is really the Mes-
siah. So, Jesus tells John the Baptist to look for himself,
see and understand that the blind regain their sight, the
lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead
are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed
to them. “And blessed is the one who takes no offense at
me. What do these things mean to you? Who can perform
such great things amongst you?”
In this context, John the Baptist stands for us. John
worked hard and all the time he knew what his job was. It
was to prepare the way for someone else, someone greater
than he. That someone was Christ. When Christ appeared,
John slipped into the shadows. John believed he had been
called by God to do something great – to prepare the way
for the coming of the long-awaited Messiah. He knew
exactly what his role was. He was only the messenger
who announced the king. But he was happy to fulfill this
role, and fulfill it he did, to the very best of his ability.
He lived for it, seeking nothing for himself—neither an
easy life, the flattery of the people, nor the favor of the
powers that were.
We have to ask ourselves today about what signs are
given to us. Jesus tells us that the only sign is the sign of
Jonah the Prophet. So, we are left to make a decision about
whether we believe in the Resurrection of Jesus or not. If
we don’t, then any kind of faith in Jesus is just foolishness.
If we do believe, then our actions must begin to echo our
faith. The life of John the Baptist leaves this message for
us all: The greatest achievement of the human spirit is
to make the best of one’s abilities and to try to win the
approval of the Almighty. That’s what John the Baptist
tried to do. We will never be able to please everyone, but
we can please the One who matters most, our God. Keep
your eyes on Him, and you can’t fail.