Representatives from Antioch Chamber of Commerce and City Council join Church@Antioch Pastor Chris Williams (with scissors), his wife Emery, and members of the A Team from their church to cut the ribbon at their new offices on Saturday, September 26, 2015.

By Allen Payton

Business, city, church and community leaders of Antioch joined Pastor Chris Williams and his wife Emery, and church members for the ribbon cutting and reception to officially open the Church@Antioch’s new offices, at the Venture Commerce Center in Antioch, on Saturday, September 26.

Launched, earlier this year, the Church@Antioch holds its Sunday services at Black Diamond Middle School. Their new offices also provide rooms for small group Bible studies and meetings.

Before the ribbon was cut, Antioch Chamber CEO, Dr. Sean Wright shared some thoughts.

“I want to thank everyone for coming out to support Chris and the church, today,” he said. “Thank you for everything you’re doing for the community with work and worship.”

City Councilwoman Monica Wilson spoke on behalf of the city.

“Thank you for bringing your church to be part of our community and your community to be part of our community and promoting the positivity,” she stated. “Let us know what we can do for you and I wish you guys much success.”

Pastor Larry Adams of Golden Hills Community Church, which helped launch the Church@Antioch, was asked to speak.

“What we do together as Christians is serving the Kingdom,” he said. “We were thrilled to have a small part to help them get off the ground. And God’s the winner of this. Some day Black Diamond Middle School is not going to be able hold this church.”

“Wow,” Emery Williams exclaimed. “I just want to say I’m very thankful to God for each and everyone of you. Thankful for my husband and the vision God has given him. We are actually literally living a dream.”

Finally, Pastor Williams spoke to those gathered.

“Although we’re new as a church, to this city, I’ve lived in Antioch for 15 years,” he stated. “God kept me here to develop a burden and its through having a burden that vision is birthed.”

He then thanked members of his church.

“We could not do any of this without the A Team at the Church@Antioch,” Williams continued. “Thank you for being here. My wife and I are just honored of God for him using us.” For more information on the Church@Antioch, visit their website at www.churchatantioch.org.

Honoring families of all shapes and sizes, bring your pets for a worship service and blessing, Saturday, October 3, 9:30 a.m., at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 1360 E. Tregallas Rd., Antioch. For more information visit www.stjohnsantioch.org.

Inside one of the mobile shower units by Shower House Ministries.

By Jerri Langlais

Finally, there’s some good news for the homeless in our community, starting this Sunday, September 13. Showerhouse Ministries, led by Ken Rickner, is bringing a shower trailer to L Street near the marina, in Antioch’s downtown, at 10:00 a.m. He has given the name Showers of Hope to the effort.

The trailer can be moved to different locations to provide showers and other items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, combs and deodorant, and there will be other ministries coming alongside who will be bringing socks, underwear and clothing, and haircuts, for those who until now have had little or no access to bathing facilities and these other items. It will have two regular shower stalls and one larger one to accommodate handicapped persons.

While doing outreach on the streets, Ken saw the need for showers, and the brokenness, too, and felt the need to do something about it. And after much prayer, he had a vision of a trailer and heard the words “Showerhouse Ministries.”

Not knowing where to start, he heard the Lord say, “Go through one door at a time.” So he started working without plans or drawings and using his own money, he began the project starting with the purchase of a trailer and shower stalls in July, 2014.

A friend stepped forward and offered to help with plumbing needs, and he also called on the help of an electrician friend. Ken knew he was going to need fresh water storage, a pump to move the water, a heating system such as propane tanks, a generator for power, and waste water collection tanks, while providing privacy, all within a self-contained unit.

The project turned out to be a little more complex than Ken had anticipated, but he was compelled to continue. After approximately 10 months of building, the trailer is finished.

“Dialing it in and going through a bit of red tape took some time, but we are now ready to go,” Ken said. “I could not have done it without the help of a few individuals and the prayer support of others.”

He offers special thanks to the following who helped make the Showers of Hope a reality:

Mike and Chuckie from Butlers Plumbing, Brentwood

Frank with Salucci’s Electric, Oakley

Fred with Fred’s Welding, Oakley

Doug Hardcastley of Hardcastle’s RV, Oakley

Showerhouse Ministries Showers of Hope Kickoff — Sunday, Sept 13th, 2015, 10:00 AM, L Street near the marina, downtown Antioch

This is a new and growing ministry, and we want to network with other people and cities. There are many ways to be involved. Please feel free to contact us at Showerhouseministries.com or “like” their Facebook page by clicking here.

By Cheryl Worden

Have you ever wondered how you could reach the kids in your neighborhood with the gospel of Christ or if it was possible to have a Christian Club in an elementary school? Child Evangelism Fellowship® can help you.

Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF®) is a Bible-centered organization composed of born-again believers whose purpose is to evangelize boys and girls with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and to establish (disciple) them in the Word of God and in a local church for Christian living. Founded in 1937, CEF now has active ministry in over 190 countries of the world and every state in the United States. There are currently eight CEF chapters in Northern California. The chapter for Alameda and Contra Costa Counties is called CEF NorCal East Bay. One of the main ministries of CEF is the Good News Club^®.

What is a Good News Club^®? Children ages 5 to 12 years gather once a week for 90 minutes in schools, homes, community centers, churches and apartment complexes, to hear an exciting Bible lesson, memorize scripture, sing inspirational songs, learn about missionary work and play fun-filled review games. Last year, we had Good News Clubs in several schools in various school districts, as well as recreation centers. Hundreds of children enroll each year in Good News Clubs throughout Antioch, East County and the East Bay.

We partner with churches who want to reach out to kids in their community. We provide training, low-cost teaching materials and make arrangements to meet in a school or other community location.

If you would like to be part of this exciting ministry, you can inquire about how to start a Good News Club by calling our Antioch office at 925-777-0107.

Worden is Ministry Coordinator for CEF NorCal East Bay

Rev. Christy Parks-Ramage

First Congregational Church of Antioch and Community Presbyterian Church of Pittsburg Rally Sunday kicks off Back-to-Sunday School as Rev. Christy Parks-Ramage shares scripture, song, praise and fellowship outdoors.

Worship service will take place at Highlands Ranch Park located at 1784 Buchanan Road in Pittsburg, followed by a potluck picnic. Hot dogs and condiments will be furnished along with drinks. Please bring a side dish to share.

Whoever you are and wherever you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here. We recognize, celebrate and give thanks for the many diverse gifts of God among us. Everyone is invited to participate in community and worship 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.

For more information call 925.757.4094 or visit www.eastcountysharedministry.org.

A procession of children brought flowers to Father Vicente, (center left), at the beginning of the multi-cultural mass in his honor, at Most Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Antioch, on Saturday, August 29, 2015.

Bea Neal greets Fr. Vicente in the receiving line, as Fr. Roberto looks on

By Allen Payton

Parishioners and guests filled the Most Holy Rosary Catholic church sanctuary on Saturday, August 29 to celebrate the Father Francisco Vicente’s 60 years of priesthood with a multi-cultural mass. A reception followed, allowing all who wanted to personally greet, kiss and congratulate the beloved priest, who has served the Antioch church and Oakland Diocese for 40 of those 60 years.

Father Vicente is a member of the Dominicans order of Catholic priests, founded by the St. Dominic, known as the Order of Preachers, with the designation O.P. after their names.

According to the church’s website –

“Father Francisco Vicente, O.P., came as pastor in 1975, and began the residency program at Holy Rosary for Dominican Brothers studying for the priesthood. Holy Rosary has been home to approximately 20 Brothers over the years. In March of 1979, also under the pastorate of Father Vicente, the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults, or RCIA, was developed.

Father Vicente celebrates 60 years in the priesthood.

In January, 1993, after serving nine years as Assistant to the Master of the Dominican Order at its headquarters in Rome, and Judicial Vicar for the Oakland Diocese, Father Francisco Vicente returned to Holy Rosary as pastor. Training began the following June for Life Teen, a program to bring teens into a relationship with Christ through the Eucharist, teachings, and examples of the Core Group.

On Jan.3, 2002 Father Jordan Bradshaw took over as pastor and Father Vicente went on a well deserved sabbatical.

Father Jordan left in July 2009 and Father Roberto Corral, O.P. once again returned to Holy Rosary Parish and currently is the pastor. Holy Rosary is a parish of over 3,000 families and is continuing to grow and develop under Father Roberto Corral, O.P., Father Francisco Vicente, O.P. and Father David Bello, O.P.”

Most Holy Rosary Catholic Church is located at 1313 A Street in Antioch. For more information call (925) 757-4020 or visit their website at http://holyrosaryantioch.org.

Parishioners in the receiving line to greet and congratulate Father Vicente (top right center).