GOOD NEWS Community Links

Winter 2024

The Riverside Black History Expo and Parade will take place on Saturday, February 10, 10am-5pm, outside of City Hall, 3900 Main St. Riverside. Organized by the Adrian Dell and Carmen Roberts Foundation, it is one of the longest-running Black History Month parades in California. This year, the 44th annual, it will focus on the theme, “It Takes a Village,” with a parade and over 40 vendors offering food, artifacts, clothing and books, information booths, and live entertainment. The parade will feature floats, marching bands, dance groups, and community organizations displaying their African American heritage. Throughout the day, the stage will be the setting for local musicians, dancers, and spoken word artists to showcase their skills. For information, contact (909)213-5583

Taizé Meditative Worship takes place in Riverside on the second Monday of each month, 7-8pm. Coming up are Monday, February 11, at Madison Street Church, 3991 Madison Street, and Monday, March 13, here at All Saints’. Several Riverside churches collaborate to provide this worship opportunity to the community; in addition to Madison Street and All Saints’ are First Congregational, Trinity Lutheran, and Eden Lutheran. Singing in Taizé worship is usually a simple melody and lyrics that repeat over and over, sometimes with harmony, and is meant to serve as a kind of musical centering prayer. Readings from scripture and various sources are generally short, and there are long silences. If you would enjoy helping plan the March Taizé service at All Saints’ or being one of the readers, please contact Andrea Briggs.

Evensong – 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024 – First Congregational Church 3504 Mission Inn Ave., sung by the Raincross Master Chorale and officiated by Fr. Ryan Macias. Evensong is part of the annual Riverside Dickens Festival. $10. https://www.raincrossmasterchorale.org/

Chapman University Founder’s Day Lecture, March 9- Chapman University is a private research university in Orange, founded in 1861 and affiliated with Disciples of Christ and the United Church of Christ. Every year as part of their Founders Day celebration, Chapman hosts a presentation, open to the public, by an outstanding scholar in the area of religion. This year the public lecture on Saturday, March 9 at 10am, will be given by Diana Butler Bass on the theme of “Gratitude.” Bass is an historian of Christianity, an advocate for progressive Christianity, and an Episcopalian. This is an opportunity to hear one of the nation’s leading commentators on the state of religion in the US today. Chapman Is about an hour’s drive from Riverside, and tickets to the all day event are $50. Alternatively, we may want to organize a virtual watch-party; watch this space for developing plans. Fore information and registration, visit https://events.chapman.edu/

The holy season of Ramadan begins on Sunday, March 10, and runs through Tuesday, April 9. This is about ten days earlier than last year’s Ramadan. The date is based on a lunar calendar, a bit like Easter, and begins on the night when the new crescent moon is sighted in the ninth month of the Islamic year. Ramadan is the holiest month of the year for Muslims, and fasting during Ramadan is a core Islamic practice. From sunup to sundown for the whole month, fasting Muslims refrain from eating or drinking anything, even water. Be considerate of your Muslim co-workers when planning work events involving food! The discipline of fasting is considered a way of becoming aware of all who struggle in their lives, and a way of being devoted to God (Allah). In addition to fasting, for many Muslims Ramadan is also a season of extra prayer, family time, self-reflection, and charitable giving. You may be invited to an iftar, the celebratory breaking of the fast at the end of the day, often generously and joyfully shared with non-Muslim friends. Remember, dinner won’t be served until after sunset! Many Muslims are happy to answer questions about their fast and their faith. It’s a challenging time but not a gloomy one for Muslims; if you’d like, you can greet them with “Ramadan Mubarak,” which just means “Happy Ramadan.

The 2024 CROP Hunger Walk is set for Sunday, March 17 and All Saints will once again participate. Our CROP Walk coordinator is Jim Boyer.

Late Fall 2023

Episcopal resources in response to the conflict in the Holy Land –

The war in Gaza – are you still reading the news? Are you still trying to take in the horror of this violence, or the violence happening in many other parts of the world today? Sometimes we need to be able to do something, in order to come to some sense of peace when the world seems to be in chaos.

We hope you'll stay in touch.