By Connie Woods

The biggest celebration within Christianity may be Christmas, but the most important celebration is Easter. The entire basis for the Christian faith is based on the events that occurred on the first Easter weekend. While Christmas is about how Jesus came to earth as a baby, Easter is about the reason he came. Christians believe the whole reason he came was to die and to rise again.

Most historians agree on these facts, which are the foundational events of Christianity:

• Jesus Christ was executed by crucifixion on the Friday during the Jewish Passover.
• He was buried in a tomb owned by Joseph of Arimathea.
• Guards were posted to keep watch over the tomb.
• On the third day, the tomb was found to be empty. His body could not be found, nor could the Roman or Jewish authorities explain what had happened to it.
• Over the next forty days, his disciples plus hundreds of other people claimed to have seen Jesus, spoken with him, eaten with him, and listened to his teachings.

These disciples (and others) went to their deaths – some through torture – maintaining that their claims of seeing a resurrected Jesus were true.

Those are the historical facts. The significance is found in the interpretation of those facts. Christians maintain that the tomb was empty and that there were post-crucifixion sightings of Jesus because Jesus had physically risen from the dead. This, combined with the apparent fulfillment of centuries-old prophecies contained in the Jewish Scriptures, firmly established the belief that Jesus was God in the flesh and that he had power and authority over life and death.

This belief in the resurrection of Jesus spread rapidly throughout the Roman Empire and it continues to spread today. For nearly 2000 years, Christians have placed their faith in this resurrected Jesus, believing his promise that he will someday return to take his followers to be with him throughout eternity.

Good News Press is an outreach Christian publication, the San Francisco Bay Area’s Christian newspaper, sharing the good news of God’s love through his Son.  The publication proclaims the gospel message and features News, Events, Inspiring Christian articles, and more! The website also features a Christian business directory.  www.goodnewspress.us

In Good News Press Spring 2021 Issue:

Read the complete edition by clicking Good News Press Spring 2021 16 pages

Significance & Historical Facts of Easter

How the Date of Easter is Determined

Just Pray No Weekend of Prayer & Fasting

What is Good Friday?

Women at the Tomb- Jesus Is Risen

A Biblical Perspective on the Border Crisis

TBN Set to air Full Slate of New Programming to Celebrate Easter Weekend

Myanmar Massacre, GFA Calls for World Prayer Amid Military Coup

God Gives Us Hope In A Crisis

Christian Leaders Ask President Biden to Support Israel & Combat Anti-Semitism by

What is the Pre Tribulation Rapture?

Remote work has Dramatic Implications

Sen. Rick Brittans’s Capitol Report of March 29: Saying “No” to Vaccine Passports

There’s a Lot that can go wrong with Vaccine Passports

Will you ditch your PC for a QC?

Romans Road to Salvation

 

Click https://us04web.zoom.us/j/6162881389?pwd=YjJpY2U1QnZhakk3aWRxYldRZnkwZz09

Will allow indoor worship services, indoor dining and movie theaters at 50% capacity, gyms at 25%

Sheriff: Jail Population Down 27% Due to COVID-19

By Daniel Borsuk

During their meeting on Tuesday, March 23, 2021, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors were given good news from the county’s health officer about COVID-19 restrictions, accepted a federal grant to assist residential tenants and extended protections for commercial tenants through June 30.

County to Enter Orange Tier on April 7

Contra Costa County Public Health Officer Dr. Chris Farnitano told supervisors that by April 7 the county should move from the Red Tier to the less restrictive Orange Tier as the county’s COVID-19 hospitalization rate begins to decline.  Dr. Farnitano said the county’s current hospitalization rate 5.8 percent per 100 persons is too high and must get to a 4.2 percent hospitalization rate.

When the county goes from Red to Orange Tiers, indoor worship services, indoor dining and movie theaters can increase from 25 to 50 percent capacity, and gyms can increase from 10 to 25 percent capacity with modifications.

Dr. Farnitano said that cutting the distance for student desks in classrooms from six feet to three feet “will provide additional flexibility for school districts to bring back students safely.”

Accept Federal Rental Housing Grant  

Supervisors unanimously approved a $514,445 Federal Emergency Rental Assistance Program grant that will assist households with up to 80 percent Area Medium Income with a priority for those up to 50 percent AMI with a funding focused to ensure rental arrears are addressed to stabilize households and prevent evictions.

The program will be administered by three non-profit housing organizations – RYSE Center, which convenes the more than 200 member West County COVID Community Care Coalition, the Family Justice Center that covers Concord. Pleasant Hill. Martinez, and the East Contra Costa Community Care Alliance.

Protections for Commercial Tenants Extended Through June 30

Supervisors unanimously approved Urgency Ordinance No. 2021-11 to continue the temporary prohibition on evictions of certain small-business commercial tenants financially impacted by the COVID-19 epidemic. This protection now continues through June 30, 2021.  Protections for residential tenants were unchanged by the urgency ordinance and last through June 30, 2021.

“As we make progress together toward ending the COVID-19 pandemic, many small businesses in our community are still struggling and need help,” said Board Chair Dianne Burgis of Brentwood. “Today’s board action will extend that helping hand for small businesses even as we continue to help eligible renters and landlords during this time. Let us continue to work together to find resources and ways to move forward.”

The ordinance also bars landlords from charging late fees to small business and non-profit tenants, and extends to August 31, 2021, the grace period to pay back rent.

Sheriff ‘s Office Responds to Public Protection Committee/Racial Protection Committee Questions: Jail Population Down 27% Due to COVID-19

In a consent action, supervisors approved a Public Protection Committee report where the Sheriff’s Office and Health Services responded to questions about the treatment of inmates in jail facilities.   It marks the first time the Sheriff’s Office has responded to questions emanating from the committee with input from the Board of Supervisors’ Racial Justice Oversight Body.

Main Conclusion:  due to the COVID- 19 pandemic, jail population is down 27 percent.

In a Feb. 18 report to the Public Protection Committee, Assistant Sheriff Steve Simpkins reported as of Jan. 15, 2021, “We have released 1,574 arrestees who were eligible for $0 bail. This information was to comply with a request on information about how many inmates were detained because they cannot afford cash bail.”

The Sheriff’s report stated, “In January and February 2020 (pre COVID-19) the Sheriff’s Office received an average of 1,753 arrestees being booked at the Martinez Detention Facility. The monthly average of arrestees booked between March 1 2020 and December 31, 2020 (during pandemic) is 946, a drop of nearly 50%.” the report said.

“The average daily inmate population in February 2020 (pre COVID-19) of all physical facilities combined was 1,093.  The average daily inmate population in December 2020 (during pandemic) of all physical facilities was 795. That is a 27 percent sustained reduction in the average daily inmate population.  This morning’s population was 715 (1/22/2021).”

“Seventy Sheriff’s Office employees from the Custody Services Bureau have tested positive for COVID-19 since the pandemic began.  All have recovered,” the report said, “and are back to work except for the most recent three who ae out for quarantine.”

 

After winning at the Oakland Diocese Chapter level, two Antioch youths and three others from East County advanced to the State Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship where they had great success.  Here are the results:

Eric Mendoza of Antioch is STATE CHAMPION in the 14-Year-Old Boys competition;

Lilyana Ponce of Antioch took 2nd Place at State in the 12-Year-Old Girls category;

Ryan Wisely of Oakley is STATE CHAMPION for 9-Year-Old Boys;

Kylie Wisely also of Oakley is STATE CHAMPION in the 13-Year-Old Girls competition; and

Brigida Coria of Brentwood is STATE CHAMPION in the 14-Year-Old Girls category

Mendoza and Ponce had won in the first round in the Antioch competition. (See related article)

The Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship is sponsored annually, with winners progressing through local, district, and jurisdictional competitions. International champions are announced by the Knights of Columbus international headquarters based on scores from the jurisdiction-level competitions.   All boys and girls ages 8 to 14 are eligible to participate and will compete in their respective age divisions.   Participants are required to furnish proof of age and written parental consent.

Council #3265 in Antioch, CA is one of 17,000 Knights of Columbus councils that make up the world’s largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in 1882 to assist working-class and immigrant Catholics in the United States, today the approximately two million members of the Knights put their faith into action through a broad range of charitable causes locally, nationally and internationally with financial contributions and hands-on service.