The popular Christian pop rock band from Australia, Newsboys, will bring their God’s Not Dead tour to Brentwood on Saturday, February 18 for two concerts at Golden Hills Community Church. The band, formed in 1985, has released 15 studio albums of which six have gone gold.

The 7 p.m. concert has been sold out for a couple weeks, so they added a second, matinee show, starting at 1:30 p.m. with tickets still available.

Presented by Compassion International, the concerts will also feature three other groups, The City Harmonic, Anthem Lights, Abandon, and evangelist Bob Lenz.

The City Harmonic, best known for their song Manifesto, is an award winning Christian rock band from Canada. According to Wikipedia, their music is described as “nostalgic Brit-pop meets campfire sing-along mix that features raucous gang vocals along with agile, soaring anthems crafted to include the listener” ^[4] Musically, their sound is often compared to artists like Coldplay, Aqualung or Arcade Fire. In 2011 they won three Covenant Awards from the Gospel Music Association of Canada for New Artist Of The Year, Recorded Song Of The Year and Modern Worship Song Of The Year. http://thecityharmonic.com

The band members of Anthem Lights, from Los Angeles, form an innovative, high-energy pop foursome with soaring vocals and hearts bent on ministry.  According to their website, the band has “an arsenal of influences including dcTalk, Michael Jackson, One Republic, Stevie Wonder, Gavin DeGraw, tobyMac, and Justin Timberlake… [and] has fashioned a dramatic pop experience that is all their own… a rarity in today’s music scene.” www.anthemlights.com

Abandon, an American Christian rock band from San Antonio, Texas, is best known for their song Live It Out, which is featured on The Food Network and at ESPN’s 2011 ESPY Awards Show. www.abandonrock.com

Lenz speaks to about 500,000 teens and adults across North America each year through school assembly programs and faith-based outreaches and events.

Compassion International exists as a Christian child advocacy ministry that releases children from spiritual, economic, social and physical poverty and enables them to become responsible, fulfilled Christian adults. Compassion helps more than 1.2 million children in 26 countries. www.compassion.com

Tickets are just $20 and are available online at www.itickets.com/events/281007.html. The church is located at 2401 Shady Willow Lane, off Lone Tree Way in Brentwood.

For more information on the tour visit www.newsboys.com and for Golden Hills Community Church visit www.goldenhills.org or call (925) 516-0653.

The public is warmly welcomed this Saturday, January 21st to the annual Santo Nino Celebration, sponsored by the Fil-Am Club, to Holy Rosary Church at 1316 A Street, Antioch.

Join in for all or any of the festivities, which start with a resplendent 5:30 Mass with songs in Tagalog and offerings of flowers by elegantly costumed youth. At 6:45 a Filippino feast starts at the rear of the parking lot in the Father Vicente Dominican Hall. At 7:15 entertainment begins, which includes native and popular dance acts, comedy and vocal and instrumental solos. The food and show are both free.

The Celebration is one of the most festive in the Philippines, The origin dates back to the landing of Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan who was commissioned in 1519 by the King and Queen of Spain to find the Spice Islands. Instead, Magellan landed at Limawsa in the central Philippines.

He was befriended by King Humabon and Queen Juana of Cebu, who embraced Christianity. Magellan then used Cebu as headquarters for his exploration, Christianization and conquests, At the behest of the gracious King, Magellan agreed to join his fight against the neighboring Mactan tribe. He was killed.

In 1565 the Spanish organized a return expedition from Mexico. It was led by Augustinian priest, Andres Urdaneta, a world-renowned cosmographer. The natives, though, feared retribution and a battle quickly ensued. Pounded by cannon and superior firepower the natives retreated to the mountains. Their villages were decimated.

In the ashes a Spanish soldier found a wooden box with an unscathed image of the infant Jesus. It was deemed a miracle and for four and half centuries the icon has been venerated. Further devotion ensued from instances like the World War II bomb that heavily damaged the cathedral but, again, left the icon untouched.

A strong tradition of adoring the infant Jesus took root in the Philippines. The Cebu Cathedral was renovated on the 400th anniversary of the fire and declared by the Vatican a Basilica Minore, with all the attendant status and privileges.

Christian comedian and singer Mark Lowry will perform at Golden Hills Community Church’s Brentwood campus, this Thursday night during his Unplugged & Unplanned tour.

Lowry’s unique presentations have been enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of people worldwide. His latest show has a very laid back “living room” feel which goes behind the scenes and explores some of Mark’s favorite songs, friends, and experiences from the road and from his lengthy career. The project includes a contribution from his mother, Bev “Mama” Lowry.

Lowry, who has performed with the Gaither Vocal Band and at Opryland in Nashville, Tennessee, will be joined by Stan Whitmore at the piano.

Tickets are $17.00 Advance ($20 at door) and $25.00 Artist Circle (up front closer section to stage). Children 12 & under are free (except in Artist Circle Section). To purchase tickets online, click here.

The church is located at 2401 Shady Willow Lane at Lone Tree Way in Brentwood, across from the Slatten Ranch Shopping Center.

For more information about Mark Lowry, click here. For information on Stan Whitmore click here. For more information about Golden Hills Community Church, visit www.GoldenHills.org or call 925-516-0653.

the Three Kings, Walter Ruehlig, Sherry Morris and Steven Morris posing with Yadeli Garcia Ronzalez, Fernado Garcia and Jezelle Garcia. During the event children were given the opportunity to make their own colorful crowns, decorate stars and color pictures of the Three Kings. The Ballet Folklorico from Brentwood share many colorful dance numbers and children were able to have a photo opportunity with the Three Kings and take home their own photos. It was a wonderful event and everyone in attendance had a terrific time. Photo courtesy of Sharon Cross

Walter Ruehlig

True to form, Somersville Towne Center and their Manager, Sharon Cross, was a sterling neighbor and community partner this past weekend. In conjunction with Carmen and Charles Ochoa and Give Always to Others the Mall presented a Three Kings Celebration.

This is a major holiday in Mexico, and in many ways is more festive than Christmas, with boys dressing in crowns and girls in splendid native dress. It is a culmination and celebrates God, through His Son Jesus being seen in physical form.

Well over a hundred wide-eyed kids, mostly Latino Americans, and their parents, showed up Friday evening the 6th to celebrate the Ephipany, which honors the Three Kings, also known as the Biblical Magi or Three Wise Men from the East, who were sent by King Herod to follow the star and find the newborn Savior, who they found in Bethlehem of Judea.

A magnificent band played and City Councilwoman Mary Rocha emceed the event. The Three Kings, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense (a kind of incense) and myrrh (an embalming oil) were played in colorful costume by Steve Morris, Sherry Morris and Walter Ruehlig. The gifts, symbolizing kingship, deity and death, were lent by St. Ignatius of Antioch Catholic Church, which is reenacting Matthew’s accounting at this weekend’s Masses.

Bearded Steve played the Arab Scholar Balthazar; his wife, Sherry, who sewed the garments, played the Persian scholar Caspar; and Walter Ruehlig played Melchior, the Babylonian scholar. After explaining their divine mission they posed with each child for pictures in front of a manger. Aftewrads, ribboned cellophane bags containing fruit and candies were given to the children alog with cake and hot cocoa.

Stay tuned as after this year’s gushing success, next year promises to be grander yet.

The Birth of Jesus

 1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.

 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

 8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

 14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

 21 On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.

Jesus Presented in the Temple

 22 When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”[b]), 24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”[c]

 25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

 29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
you may now dismiss[d] your servant in peace.
30 For my eyes have seen your salvation,
31 which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and the glory of your people Israel.”

 33 The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

 36 There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 and then was a widow until she was eighty-four.[e] She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 38 Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

 39 When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. 40 And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.

From the Book of Luke, Chapter 2, in the Bible.  For more about Jesus the Christ, click here.

Golden Hills Community Church presents their annual Christmas musical by the Celebration Singers entitled “Hallelujah! Light Has Come.”

Performances are Saturdays, December 17 at 6 p.m. and 24th at 2 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Admission is free.

The musical will be performed at the church’s Brentwood campus at 2401 Shady Willow Lane at Lone Tree Way.

For more information call 925-516-0653 or visit www.GoldenHills.org.

Qwivander Smith autographs at a copy of her book at a recent book signing.

By Allen Payton

Through her new book, Pursuing God’s Purpose by Walking in the Now, Antioch author, business woman and pastor’s wife Qwivander Smith “paints a beautiful picture of the power of God’s everlasting love and devotion” according to the book cover.

The book offers “moving, personal testimony, life experiences and strong scriptural reference” and “is a call to all believers to walk in the will of the Lord.”

It’s based on the story of Nehemiah whose job it was to rebuild the walls of the city of Jerusalem.

Not everyone around him supported his efforts. Smith writes of three different groups of people: those who shared Nehemiah’s vision, those who just went along waiting for the time he would give up, and the naysayers and doubters who didn’t believe he could accomplish his mission.

“What has God told you to rebuild?” Smith asks the reader. “As you read this book I am confident something will be said to empower you, encourage you, and motivate you to pursue your purpose in life.”

Her first book was entitled “From My Mother’s Womb, To The Presence of The Father.”

Her books are available at Grace Bible Fellowship, where she and her husband, Pastor Kirkland Smith minister. The church is located at 913 Sunset Drive in Antioch or you can call the church at (925) 522-2017. They’re also available at her hair salon, Heavenly Hair, located at 320 E. 18th Street, Suite B, Antioch or by call the salon at (925) 706-2131.