By Kabibi Columbus, Director of Outreach & Inreach, Grace Bible Fellowship

GRACE CLOSET, Food Pantry & Clothing Closet invites the Antioch community to attend our Community Resource & Health Fair on Saturday, May 14, 2022. This event will be held on the campus of Grace Bible Fellowship of Antioch where Grace Closet is located at 3415 Oakley Road in Antioch from 11 AM – 3 PM.

There will be something for everyone, including COVID-19 Vaccine & Boosters, Health & Wellness Screening, Free Food & Clothing, Additional Resources, Children Activities, Games and Jumpers.

 

Interfaith Ukrainian Peace Concert sponsored by the Ukrainian-American Coordinating Council, the Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County and the Interfaith Peace Project.  The event will be held at 6 p.m. on Saturday May 7th the Seventh Day Adventist Church at 2200 Country Hills Drive in Antioch.

The event is free with good will donations accepted. All proceeds go to refugee assistance.

There will be Ukrainian singers and dancers, an organist, professional trumpeter, Jewish Cantor, Filipino choral group, etc.

For more information contact Walter Ruehlig at (925) 864-0314.

Download a copy, here – Good News Press Spring 2022

Holy Week Prayer

April 11 – 15, 9:00 am – 7:00 pm  |  W244   2401 Shady Willow Lane, Brentwood

To prepare our hearts to remember both the agony and the victory of the crucified and risen Christ, you are welcome to come to the church and pray in Room W244 for as long as you like.

There will be a pastor or elder available from 11:00am–Noon and again from 6:00pm–7:00pm if you would like someone to pray with you.

Maundy Thursday Service

April 14 7:00 – 8:00 pm  |  Sanctuary   2401 Shady Willow Lane, Brentwood

Join us on as we worship through singing, the reading of scripture, prayer, and partaking in the Lord’s Supper.

There is no childcare for this service. The whole family is welcome to join us!

Good Friday Service

April 15 7:00 – 8:00 pm  |  Sanctuary  2401 Shady Willow Lane, Brentwood

Join us as we worship through singing, the reading of scripture, and prayer.

We will be offering Caring Hands for your children. Please register through this link! If you are unable to sign up online, please visit us in the nursery before the event. As always, space is first come first serve.  Register

Resurrection Sunrise Service

April 17 6:30 – 7:15 am  |  Plaza  2401 Shady Willow Lane, Brentwood

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus… “Why do you search for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen”

Join us for this special sunrise service as we celebrate the resurrection of our King. We will have a time of singing and scripture reading before our main Resurrection Sunday Services. This service will be outside so please bring a chair.

Resurrection Sunday Services

April 17 8:30 – 10:00 am  |  Sanctuary  2401 Shady Willow Lane, Brentwood

Invite friends and family and join us to celebrate the resurrection of our King at one of our two Resurrection Sunday Services!

GHCC Nursery and Kids’ Sunday School provided at both services. 

 

During special meeting, Friday on 3-0-2 vote

By Allen D. Payton

During a special and brief council meeting held Friday afternoon, Feb. 4, 2022, the Antioch City Council, on a 3-0-2 vote approved a proclamation honoring the City’s Sesquicentennial, or 150th anniversary of the day it was incorporated on Feb. 6, 1872. The milestone was celebrated yesterday. (See related article and more about the commemoration, later)

With Mayor Pro Tem and District 2 Councilman Mike Barbanica and District 1 Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker both absent, and District 4 Councilwoman Monica Wilson attending via Zoom, the motion to approve the proclamation. When asked why he wasn’t there, Barbanica said he “had a prior engagement that I could not get out of and it was not a scheduled meeting but a special meeting.” When asked the same, Torres-Walker replied, “I had to work Friday.”

Another proclamation honoring Genesis Church-Antioch recognizing the opening of their new location on the corner of E. 18th Street and Woodland Drive, was also approved by the council. Genesis purchased the building from Golden Hills Community Church which housed their Antioch satellite campus. Both are part of the same Converge denomination, formerly known as the Baptist General Conference, which was founded by Swedish immigrants to America in the 1800’s in Illinois and Minnesota. Genesis Church-Antioch Proclamation 020422

Following is the Sesquicentennial proclamation: Antioch City Council Sesquicentennial Proclamation 020422

IN HONOR OF

THE SESQUICENTENNIAL OF THE CITY OF ANTIOCH’S INCORPORATION

FEBRUARY 6, 2022

WHEREAS, for thousands of years, native indigenous Bay Miwok Tribes such as the Julpun inhabited and thrived on the land now known as the City of Antioch. Each Bay Miwok Tribe knew its land and boundaries intimately and shared the land and its resources;

WHEREAS, Twin brothers William Wiggin Smith and Joseph Horton Smith were hired to build homes and businesses in the region and were offered land in exchange for the development of land owned by Dr. John Marsh.* Later Captain George Washington Kimball and his passengers landed at the foot of ‘F’ Street, on September 16, 1850, where a new community would begin at what is now an area just east of Downtown Antioch;

WHEREAS, the community was initially called Smith’s Landing, but on July 4th, 1851 was renamed after the Biblical town Antioch, modern day Turkey, in honor of Reverend Joseph Horton Smith, who died a year earlier and in recognition that many in the new community were disciples of Christ;

WHEREAS, the town of Antioch was formally incorporated on February 6th, 1872, with the original town limits being ‘A’ Street to the east, ‘L’ Street to the west, and 10th Street to the south;

WHEREAS, at the time of incorporation the early people of Antioch were of European nationalities, including Greek, Portuguese, English, Welsh, German, Italian, and French as well as people of Chinese, Japanese, South East Asian and African descent. Living up to its claim of being a Metropolis where “the Whole World is Invited”;

WHEREAS, Antioch being at the confluence of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers was a deep-water shipping port that attracted paper mills, brick and glass factories, ceramics and distilleries. As well as an agriculture center for farmers and cattle ranchers;

WHEREAS, in 1878 the Empire Coal Mine Company, owned by CW Belshaw and Egbert Judson, built the Empire Railroad Company, transporting coal from Judsonville, West Harley, and Stewartsville, in what is present day Black Diamond Regional Park. This coal was shipped across the region, making it one of the primary energy sources at the time, thus fueling the industrial development of California including the Bay Area;

WHEREAS, in the 1940’s Midwestern, Mexican, and Filipino families came to California looking for work in agriculture, many of whom eventually joined the workforce in Antioch’s paper mill and glass factory;

WHEREAS, although global commerce was welcomed in Antioch, it is also true that historical discrimination in the form of “Sundown Ordinances,” racial housing covenants, redlining, and other forms of systematic oppression was also present in Antioch. Many of the effects of which are still felt by communities today;

WHEREAS, when our Nation went to defend freedom, Antioch residents fought in World War l, World War ll, Korean, Vietnam, Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq wars. In support of the US Navy World War ll effort, Fulton Shipyard was the first San Francisco Bay Area company to garner an “E” for efficiency and production excellence while constructing auxiliary vessels;

WHEREAS, the Bald Eagle Bronze Monument, now at the Contra Costa Fair Grounds, is one of six World War l monuments along Victory Highway, America’s first transcontinental road when it was dedicated in 1926. The Antioch Bridge was named the “Golden Link” of Victory Highway, named for its significance in connecting the northern and southern parts of California and was the Country’s first toll bridge;

WHEREAS, the City of Antioch has grown and evolved from a town of agriculture to a town of industry, and is now the fastest growing city in the San Franciso Bay Metropolitan Area and continues to draw people from different parts of the world and today is one of the most racially and economically diverse cities in the Bay Area;

WHEREAS, the City of Antioch is now a community where “Opportunity Lives Here,” a statement that is shown in the City’s investments in its infrastructure like the first Brackish Water Desalination Plant in California, industries like medical services, retail and cannabis, racial reconciliation, and other community initiatives; and

WHEREAS, the City of Antioch now desires to commemorate the milestone of its Sesquicentennial through a series of events that will begin with the anniversary of its incorporation on February 6, 2022, and culminate in a community-wide celebration on July 4, 2022.

NOW, THEREFORE I, LAMAR A. THORPE, Mayor of the City of Antioch, do hereby proclaim February 6, 2022, as the “Sesquicentennial of the Incorporation of the City of Antioch”.

We celebrate our rich history as one of California’s oldest cities with a storied past and bright future.

FEBRUARY 4, 2022

_________________________________

 LAMAR A. THORPE, Mayor

The proclamation was signed by Mayor Thorpe during Sunday’s event celebrating the milestone.

Challenge to Second Paragraph of Proclamation

*This sentence is in question and being challenged. Former Antioch Councilwoman Elizabeth Rimbault, who helped write the book entitled Images of America – Antioch by the Antioch Historical Society said she is unaware of that as part of the Smith brothers’ history in Antioch. In addition, this reporter who researched multiple books in writing The History of Smith’s Landing which is on display inside Smith’s Landing Seafood Grille is also not aware of that claim. City Clerk Ellie Householder was asked to cite the source for it and if she perhaps misinterpreted what was written about the Smith brothers early time, here as they founded the community.

By Teresa Glenn, YLI #101 President 2021-2022

We are pleased to announce the 100th celebration of our institute, Antioch YLI (Young Ladies Institute) #101. YLI is the oldest Catholic women’s organization on the West Coast. On September 5, 1887, in San Francisco, Annie M. Sweeney, her sister Mary E. Richardson and Emily Coogan founded The Young Ladies’ Institute to provide material support to a young woman who contracted tuberculosis.

YLI was founded on the Christian principles of charity and love. On February 5, 1922, 50 ladies gathered in Antioch, California, under the supervision of Grand President Ella C. Graham to organize the 101st Institute of the order. These women pledged to uphold the guiding principles and set the foundation for the following 100 years. “Antioch,” being the name of the biblical city where the followers of Jesus were first called Christians, was chosen as the institute name.

These dedicated women forged ahead, continuously providing encouragement and understanding to each other while supporting charitable works and enjoying social activities. The good deeds were an incentive for more and more women to join.

The members of Antioch #101 have loyally served Holy Rosary Church since 1922 and St. Ignatius of Antioch, a second Antioch Parish, was added in 1979. We are also proud to offer YLI to our neighbors at St. Anthony’s in Oakley and Immaculate Heart of Mary in Brentwood.

In the past 100 years, the office of president has been held by 96 unique and talented women. Leaders are plentiful with many members having served as Institute Deputy and 21 having been appointed as District Deputy. Grand Institute has benefitted from the numerous members who have served on various Grand Institute Committees. Four members have served as Grand Directors and two members, Loretta Kelley and Betty Scott, have served as Grand President.

As we celebrate 100 years of Unity, Sisterly Love and Protection, we are reminded that these principles are the precious jewels that give brilliance to our organization for they embody our love and concern for each other. These principles connect the members past, present, and future of Antioch Institute #101 in a spiritual bond of shared and cherished friendship.

We are celebrating this momentous occasion at a luncheon on Saturday February 19th at The Lone Tree Golf & Event Center in Antioch at 11:30am followed by our monthly meeting. We will be joined by our Grand President Jeanette Borges, as well as other visiting members from our sister institutes.

Here’s to the next 100!