Download, print and use the attached vouchers, during the Book Fair this Sunday, December 9, 2012 to make your purchase and a portion of the funds will benefit American Association of University Women scholarships for LMC students.

The Commons at Dallas Ranch will host their 5th Annual Pancake Breakfast with Santa, this Saturday, December 8, from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m..

Join them for a delicious pancake breakfast while the Divine Voices of Deer Valley High School fills our Main Dining Room with songs of the season. Bring a new unwrapped toy the day of the event and receive a Free Photo with Santa and a Raffle Ticket for a chance to win a Holiday Gift Basket. All toy donations benefit Toys for Tots. Toy donations will be accepted through December 16th.

The Commons At Dallas Ranch is an Independent, Assisted Living, and Memory Care facility and located at 4751 Dallas Ranch Road in Antioch.

For more information or to RSVP, please contact Dina Osakue, Community Relations Director at (925) 754-7772 or visit www.commonsatdallasranch.com.

East County Shared Ministry (ECSM) celebrates the Christmas season with opportunities to give and to enjoy the holiday spirit with a variety of possibilities.

This year ECSM has three Christmas projects: Adopt-A-Family, Christmas Angels, and Turner School Kids. The congregations are providing Christmas dinner and gifts to those in need and who might not otherwise have a Christmas celebration.

ECSM also has a year-round food donation program, and contributions are divided equally between the PICES (Pittsburg Emergency Food Pantry) in Pittsburg and the Antioch Ministerial Food Closet in Antioch.

In addition, ECSM in partnership with the Don Brown Shelter in Antioch and Steeltown Coffee and Tea in Pittsburg is sponsoring a used towel drive. The towels are part of the Shelter’s drop-in services for homeless folks who are offered support in small and large ways, from taking a shower (where the towels come in), to using the phone, to having access to emergency shelter information, to counseling for substance abuse. Towels may be dropped off at Steeltown Coffee and Tea, 695 Railroad Avenue, Pittsburg. Drop towels off on December 9 and receive a free drink as a thank you.

East County Shared Ministry is also offering many opportunities to enjoy the true meaning of Christmas including mid-week Advent Services, special musical celebrations, candlelight services and a Christmas Day orphan’s dinner:s

December 5, 12 and 19 (Wednesdays) mark the days for Mid-Week Advent Services at 2 p.m., an opportunity for quiet, meditative reflections on the season of anticipation.

On Sunday, December 9, 10 a.m., the East Bay Festival Chorus, under the direction of local maestro Clayton J. Foor, will be singing several works including an original composition by Foor as well as several traditional carols. This is also the first day of Hanukkah, and the children’s message will include a story and music about dreidels.

Sunday, December 16, 10 a.m., the children of ECSM will be presenting “A Super Christmas,” a story by Victoria Unti about how Jesus might have threatened the jobs of superheroes. Children of all ages are participating in the unique perspective on Christ’s birth.

On Friday, December 21, the winter solstice, a Longest Night service will be held jointly with Clayton Valley Presbyterian Church at their facility: 1578 Kirker Pass Road, Clayton. Decorations, music, lights, jolly laughter, candy, cookies, bells, carols all declare this to be the most wonderful time of the year. But for some, it is not. While the holiday spirit may bring out the best in some, it can also produce unpleasant conditions such as depression, grief, sadness and loss. The service is for those who experience difficulty through the holiday season.

On Sunday, December 23, the ECSM Chancel Choir will perform a cantata entitled “The Silent Night,” conducted and accompanied by Karen Hastings-Flegel.

On Monday, December 24, Christmas Eve, two candlelight services will be held: one at 5 p.m., led by Rev. Christy Parks-Ramage and Elaine Palmer, and another at 10 p.m., led by Rev. Will McGarvey and Karen Hastings-Flegel.

On Christmas Day, at 1 p.m., those who are far from family are invited to celebrate with the ECSM church family. Members Richard James & Jerry Castleberry are hosting a traditional holiday meal with all the trimmings although attendees are encouraged to bring a dish to share. Reservations are required for this event. Please contact the church office to sign up at 925-439-9361 or cpcpittsburg@sbcglobal.net.

On Sunday, December 30, 10 a.m., the New Way Team, led by Michael Miller, will lead the worship service in a morning version of a “watch night” service, providing an opportunity to review the year that has passed and then prepare for the year ahead

East County Shared Ministry extends a very warm Merry Christmas to the East Contra Costa County community. No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, all are welcome here. “I love the support we offer each other within our community and how that support flows through outreach to the greater community where we share our love with a wider range of people,” commented Rev. Christy Parks-Ramage.

About East County Shared Ministry

East County Shared Ministry is based in the historic Stoneman Chapel located at 200 E. Leland Road (between Railroad and Harbor), Pittsburg, CA. ECSM comprises Community Presbyterian Church of Pittsburg (PCUSA) and First Congregational Church of Antioch (UCC) who have embarked on a continued exploration of shared ministry that will enrich, enhance and strengthen their collective progressive ministry to the congregations, the community and the world at large. ECSM recognizes, celebrates and gives thanks for the many diverse gifts of God among us. All are invited to participate in their community and worship life including, but not limited to, believers, seekers, agnostics, women and men, those of all sexual orientations and gender identities and expressions, those of all races and cultures, those of all classes and abilities, those who hope for a better world and those who have lost hope.

Award-winning author and inspirational public speaker Ying Chang Compestine will speak about her books to the Antioch Rotary Club, during their regular weekly meeting, this Thursday, November 29, 2012.

Ying is the versatile author of many children’s books, cookbooks and novels. Ying has been featured on many national television programs and she has been profiled in national magazines and newspapers.

Ying has visited schools throughout the U.S. and abroad, sharing with students her journey as a writer, how her life in China inspired her writing, and the challenges of writing in her second language.

Ying is the spokesperson for Nestle Maggi and Celestial Seasonings and a regular contributor to the national magazines Cooking Light, Ski, EatingWell, Self, Men’s Health, and Delicious Living and Diablo. She was the food editor for Body + Soul, a Martha Stewart magazine that focuses on healthy living.

Ying has lectured around the world on a variety of subjects at writer’s conferences and universities, at spas including Canyon Ranch, aboard cruise ships, on television and radio programs, and for numerous other organizations.

She was honored as one of the 2012 “50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading,” by The Author’s Shop. Ying will autograph copies of her books, which will be available for purchase at the meeting.

The Antioch Rotary Club meets at the Lone Tree Golf and Event Center at 12:15 p.m.. Lunch is $15. Please RSVP Lindy Maynes at Lmaynes@losmedanos.edu.

For more information on Ying, visit her website at www.yingc.com. For more information about the Antioch Rotary Club, visit www.AntiochRotaryClub.org or their Facebook page.

Antioch’s Chief of Police will be conducting another “Coffee with the Cops” event this Saturday, December 1st from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. Consequently we have canceled our Neighborhood Cleanup on that date .

Come join Chief Allan Cantando in a casual setting to discuss public safety issues, crime statistics, etc.  Chief Cantando will be providing a brief presentation on crime statistics.  Open communication about community issues is encouraged.

This “Coffee with the Cops” workshop will be held in the Antioch Police Department Community Room located at 300 L Street.  Members of the Antioch Crime Prevention Commission will be in attendance, and make themselves available to answer questions with a focus on enhancing Neighborhood Watch programs for Antioch residents.  

The “Coffee with the Cops” concept was developed as a pilot program by the Antioch Police Department in an effort to improve communication between the Police Department and the citizens they serve. These meetings will consist of a one-on-one type format with a member of the police command staff and members of the community. The format of these meetings has been designed to be informative.
The Antioch Police Department is dedicated to promoting the quality of life in Antioch in partnership with our community, by proactively reducing crime with integrity and commitment to excellence.

An entry from a previous year’s Antioch Holiday Lighted Boat Parade, courtesy of the Sportsmen Yacht Club.

The Antioch Holiday Lighted Boat Parade will take place this Saturday, December 1, 2012 at 5:30 PM (weather permitting). The event is sponsored by Driftwood, Sportsmen, Bridge Marina and Dos Rios Yacht Clubs and the Ebony Boat Club. The parade begins at 5:30 PM and the best locations to view are the Riverview Lodge restaurant bar, Humphrey’s on the Delta, the Antioch Municipal Pier and all along the promenade between G Street and the Marina Boat Launch in Antioch’s historic downtown Rivertown. The boat parade is free and will have approximately 15 entries. 

For more information, please contact Georgine Shunk, (925) 757-2226.