The Fountainview Academy Orchestra and Choir, from Lillooet, British Columbia, Canada will perform the musical “Mary Did You Know” at the Antioch Seventh Day Adventist Church during the stop on their west coast tour, this Thursday, December 8, at 7:00 p.m.

This internationally acclaimed Canadian youth orchestra and choir includes in its live performances huge orchestral renditions of your favorite Christmas melodies and quiet, reflective pieces. This orchestra has toured Eastern Europe, Central America, North America, and has been broadcast internationally on Three Angels Broadcasting Network, The Hope Channel, and other networks including Canada’s premier station: CTV. They have released twelve professional albums and four DVD recordings.

The concert is free, open to the public and is enjoyed by people of all ages and backgrounds. Seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. The church is located at 2200 Country Hills Drive in Antioch.

For more information on the Fountainview Academy Orchestra and Choir, visit www.FountainofMusic.com. For more information about Antioch Seventh Day Adventist Church visit www.AntiochSDA.org or call 757-7337.

Antioch’s Church on the Rock will present the musical “O Holy Night” A Christmas Musical Celebration, this Sunday, December 11 at 4:00 p.m.

The church is located at 50 Walton Lane off Lone Tree Way in Antioch. For more information visit www.AntiochCOTR.org or call 757-4359.

By Walter Ruehlig

The public is warmly invited to the Simbang Gabi, a splendid cultural and spiritual treat held annually at St. Ignatius of Antioch Catholic Church, 3351 Contra Loma Blvd., starting December 16th and ending December 24th.

Called the Misa de Gallo (Rooster’s Mass) in Spanish, the nine-day Novena begins each morning at 5 a.m. It helps conclude Advent, a season of joyful and abundantly spiritual expectations and prepares the devotee towards greater appreciation of Christ’s taking human form.

The Presiders will be Father Robert Rien and Father Ronan Rances. After each liturgy a breakfast of native delicacies and patented Filipino hospitality will be served.

The tradition traces back to Mexico in 1587 when the Pope granted a petition of Fray Diego de Soria, the prior of the convent of San Agustin Acolmar, to hold an outdoor Mass as the church could no longer contain the growing evening crowds. The tradition further took hold to allow farmers to hear Mass before going to the fields.

It has become one of the longest and most popular among the Filipino traditions with families hanging colored lights, lanterns and elaborate parols in their windows. In the olden days the church bells would ring as early as 3 a.m. to welcome the faithful to to enter their doors before the break of dawn.

Service would begin as early as 4 a.m. Bands would often play in the streets in rural towns and priests would even be known to knock on doors rousing the parishioners with the Good Word.

For further information contact Clarita Perez at 759-4488 or Sofia Zimmerman at 978-4788.

Standing in front of Antioch City Hall after the dedication plaque and gardening were recently completed for the Peace Pole are Father Tom Bonacci, founder, and Walter Ruehlig, Advisory Board Member of the Interfaith Peace Project.

The donated pole was installed on September 21st, the U.N.-sponsored International Day of Peace, awaiting the arrival of a plaque from a Pennsylvania foundry. It is inscribed ‘May peace prevail on earth’ in twelve languages common to our area and honors all East County residents of good will.

Made of cedar it is similar to poles planted at the base of Mt. Everest, the magnetic North Pole, Hiroshima and the Great Pyramids at Gaza.

(Photo courtesy of June Kirk.)

The highly acclaimed Golden Gate Boys Choir and Bell Ringers, under the direction of Steven Meyer, will return to St. Ignatius Church on Friday evening, December 16th for a glorious evening of music for Advent and Christmas. This is the third and culminating concert of the year in the annual Friends of Music series.

Plan to join us for this candlelight performance of the great musical works composed for boy’s voices and bells. Don Pearson, Musical Director at St. Ignatius and organist extraordinaire, will perform on the magnificent Rodgers Trillium Masterpiece Pipe/Digital organ.

Last year, over 400 attended this stirring concert. A free will offering will be accepted to defray costs of the concert and the reception that follows. For more information, or to be put on a mailing list for future events call Walter Ruehlig at (925) 756-7628 or e-mail walter.ruehlig@gmail.com.

A variety of churches in the Antioch area will host alternative, safe Halloween night events, this year. Golden Hills Community Church will host two events from 6 to 8 p.m. on October 31st. At their Antioch campus, located on East 18th Street at Woodland Drive, they’re hosting a Trunk or Treat candy give-away for kids.  One sealed bag of candy per child is the entrance price. At their Brentwood campus on Lone Tree Way, the church is hosting its 26th annual, free Harvest Carnival where kids play games to win candy.  For more information visit www.goldenhills.org.

Cornerstone Christian Center, located at 1745 East 18th Street in Antioch, will again host their Halloween alternative candy-giveaway called Hallelujah Night from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. One sealed bag of candy is the entrance price. For more information visit www.cornerstonechristian.net.

And the biggest event in East County on October 31st is the annual Holy Eve Carnival hosted by Grace Bible Fellowship with free food, free carnival rides, and of course free candy! The event will be held in the parking lot at Somersville Towne Center, 2556 Somersville Road from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. For more information visit www.gbfofantioch.org.

The prestigious Friends of Music series continues with its’ second installment of the year on November 20th at 4 p.m. at St. Ignatius of Antioch Church at 3351 Contra Loma Blvd. in Antioch.

William Vaughn, one of the finest organists in the Bay Area, is the featured performer. Director of Music and Organist for St. Pascal Baylon Church in Oakland and Assistant Organist for the Cathedral of Light, Mr Vaughn will perform “A Harvest Festival of Fall Music” on the magnificent Rodgers Trillium Masterpiece Pipe/Digital organ. Each piece will highlight a feast, festival or civic commemoration that is part of the last days of the liturgical year: All Saints All Souls, Christ the King. Veterans Day, Thanksgiving and Advent.

A free will offering will be received to defray the cost of the concert and champagne reception to follow. For more information or to be put on the mailing list for future events call Walter Ruehlg at (925) 756-7628 or e-mail walter.ruehlig@gmail.com.

150 people participated in the annual Our Lady of Fatima Prayer Crusade held at Williamson Park in Antioch on October 14th. The vigil coincided with some 3,000 prayer events held that day in parks and plazas throughout America. The event was organized by Mike and Evelyn Isidro.
(Photo by Doris Radovan).