The Pathfinder: May 22nd, 2025
At the Close of a Year
Last Sunday evening was a bittersweet time at All Souls. We had the final gathering of our high school small group before the summer. In a sharing circle, we reflected on the lessons we’ll take away from this year and the things we’re anticipating– with excitement, or with trepidation– in the future.
We recognized our five graduating seniors: Jonah Brochard, Eloise de Valpine, Anders Koops-Elson, Emily Maris, and Catherine Lynch. (In the coming weeks, you can read more in the Pathfinder about where they’re headed next). If you walk by the youth room, you’ll see the seniors’ names Sharpied on the wall in the corner (with permission!). They’re the first class to leave their mark on our newly-renovated space, a tradition we’ll carry forward each year.
As this semester comes to a close, I want to take a moment to reflect on the growth of our youth program and some of the highlights of our time together.
This year, we faced a wonderful challenge/invitation: many, many youth! When all of our youth come together, we have upwards of twenty people! In response to this growth, we experimented with a new structure for our weekly youth group meetings. We alternated between an all-grades gathering (6th-12th graders), and a high school small group (9th-12th grade), both of which met on Sunday evenings.
The all-grades youth gatherings typically included a mix of games, group discussion, hands-on projects, and teaching. For example, one week we had a discussion of how we experience God through different prayer practices, and we made small Lenten clay crosses for the parish. We visited the adult Catechumenate class, where Rev. Michael Lemaire helped us ask questions like, “What kinds of genres do we find in the Bible? What is the nature of the ‘truth’ we seek through Scripture?” In one of our most memorable discussions, we debated about the church’s role in speaking truth to power. We watched sermon excerpts from Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde and discussed her prophetic witness. (To show their admiration, the youth named our giant stuffed polar bear Budde the Bear in her honor.)
The high school small group was a quieter gathering, focused on deeper discussion. We typically met off-campus, at the home of one of the leaders. Over tea and snacks, we held important and sometimes vulnerable conversations on the practice of sabbath, facing our inner fear and darkness, identifying personal values, and holding hope amid despair. The leaders and I were consistently moved by the insight, empathy, and engagement of the youth who attended.
Over this year, the youth have taught me many important things. I’ve learned to laugh more readily and often. I’ve been able to appreciate the challenges of finding one’s identity as a young person amid this political and social moment. Most importantly, the youth have modeled a way to relate to one another that’s rare and much-needed– relationships based on empathy, mutual respect, and dedication to something larger than the self. As one of our youth put it, “Church is a place where everyone is just kind, even though they don’t have to be!” In so many settings, relationships feel transactional and conditional. The youth have helped create for one another a place where belonging is unconditional and kindness is freely given.
There are a few opportunities to celebrate our youth in the coming weeks. On Sunday, June 1st at the 10:30 service, we’ll recognize our graduating seniors and send them off with a farewell blessing. We hope you’ll join us at the parish picnic that afternoon (noon-ish, at the Padre Picnic Site in Tilden Park). Then, that evening at 7:00pm, we’ll have our last all-grades youth group: a bonfire in the All Souls courtyard. Incoming 6th graders are welcome to attend as we pass the torch, so to speak, from the older youth to the next generation. As always, friends from outside of All Souls are welcome to join in.
We also ask your prayers for our upcoming high school retreat. From June 6th-8th, fourteen(!) youth and I – along with leaders Lizzie and Tommy Belgum– will spend a weekend in the Tahoe area. The theme this year is “Presence”: being present to our inner self, the outside world, and God’s companionship in all. We’ll engage in a mixture of games, team bonding, self-reflection, swimming, hiking, outdoor church, and more. Please keep us in mind during that time.
Finally, I want to take this moment to mention an opportunity and invitation. Lizzie and Tommy, two of our beloved leaders, are stepping down from youth group next year to join Emily Hansen Curran at her new St. Lucy’s church. We’re seeking new leaders to help shape and run our program next year. Leaders can be any age, not just young adults (indeed, intergenerational connection is very valuable!). Our leaders typically help with youth group on Sunday evenings two or three times a month, but we welcome involvement at any level. Working with youth is one of the most meaningful, high-impact ways to shape the life of our church– a gift that can transform the lives of youth and leaders alike. If you’re interested in joining this fun, creative, rewarding work, please reach out to me to start a conversation.
– Emily+
Senior Spotlight: Jonah Brochard
As the school year comes to a close, we’ll be sharing notes about our graduating seniors – the youth from the class of 2025 who are headed out into the world. Look out for more voices in the weeks to come!
Name: Jonah Brochard
One of my favorite memories from All Souls is the annual parish retreat, especially playing in the pool with all the other youth.
My plan for next year is to study kinesiology at Oregon State University and then hopefully become a physical therapist.
Best wishes, Jonah!
– Emily+
All May, None Must—My Yes
Many of you know the Anglican maxim "All may, some should, none must." The question for me this season has been: "All may, none must, should I?" For thirteen years, I hesitated to be confirmed, clinging to my Presbyterian roots.
Baptized at First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley as a young adult and having served as an ordained elder there, I joked about the prospect of kissing a bishop's ring. Coming from the Presbyterian tradition—governed by elders, not bishops—I maintained a respectful distance from Episcopal hierarchy.
Last June when Bishop Marc Andrus visited All Souls, parishioners could be baptized, confirmed, or received. Something within me nudged me toward a joyous yes. There was obviously no ring-kissing, though I still have some bishop-related baggage. As I like to quip, "An opportunistic confirmation. If Raymond will not come to Grace Cathedral, then the bishop will go to All Souls."
Phil encouraged me to take the Catechumenate the next time around, which I promised to do. When the class was about to start, I hesitated. I didn't relish dragging myself out on Sunday nights but felt honor-bound to attend. I went, and I'm profoundly glad I did.
Led by our beloved Emily Hansen Curran, concluding her decade-long service at our church, the experience carried extra significance. Emily assembled exceptional teachers while guiding our journeys with practiced wisdom. We gathered every Sunday during Lent, exploring liturgy, governance, scripture, and theology in a rhythm that deepened my faith.
In our final session, I posed to Phil—albeit haltingly—my own spin on the problem of evil: Why does God permit the long, painful journey of human history—rife with suffering, death, and evil—instead of ushering us straight into the new heaven and new earth? Presumably, that redeemed realm is immune from the fate that befell the first creation, combining genuine freedom with perfect love. Is it necessary for God to have us endure the trial of earthly existence, or might our final state be granted without this life?
When I began downplaying my question ("it really doesn't bother me"), Phil gently challenged me: "It bothers me too—not that you asked it, but that the question exists." Tears welled up—as they do when something touches a deep nerve. In that moment, I realized I had been dismissing the very question that mattered most to me. Phil was encouraging me to take both my question and myself with the seriousness we deserved.
The Lenten God wasn't done with me yet. Catechumens were invited to read passages Emily had selected for the Great Vigil. Never having attended one, part of me wanted to decline. Again: All may, none must, should I? I participated, witnessing Stacy's and George's deeply moving baptisms. We huddled together, keeping our candles lit on a blustery evening, fighting the dying of the light—as long as one maintained a flame, all could continue. Though I was exhausted afterward and missed the first Easter party, my journey home felt bittersweet, knowing I was parting from new friends.
– Raymond Yee
Building the Future Together: Grace Telcs on Legacy Giving
Friends of All Souls is our new invitation to support the long-term life of our parish through legacy giving. This initiative honors those who have included All Souls in their estate plans and encourages others to consider how their own lasting gifts might shape the future of our community.
Last Sunday, Grace Telcs shared a fun and heartfelt reflection on why she made the decision to include All Souls in her estate plan. For her, legacy giving became an act of love, identity, and faith—a way of expressing deep gratitude for the people, experiences, and spiritual growth she and her family have found in this parish over more than two decades.
With Grace’s permission, we are happy to share the full reflection; the video is here and the text is below. We hope you’ll take a moment to watch and read it and consider how her story might speak to your own relationship with All Souls.
If you’ve already made a legacy gift or would like to explore how to do so, please contact Sarah Kern of the Friends of All Souls team.
I would like to share with you why I included All Souls in my estate plans. Some people talk about church as their extended family, and I’m no exception. I came to All Souls over twenty years ago, when I was twenty-five years old. Since that time, I finished grad school, got married, was confirmed, launched my career, had children, and there are people here who have known me this entire time. My children were anticipated, welcomed, and baptized here. My teenage daughter, Rose, in particular is really devoted to coming to church with me. There are people at All Souls who have shaped our lives, brought me closer to God, and deeply care about us (and the feeling is mutual). All Souls has had an impact, whether you’ve been here a short time or for decades. I want other people who come after me to have the chance to experience what we have here, how we experience God here and a deeper knowledge of God, and legacy giving is a way to help ensure this.
My husband and I finally made our official will and estate plans a couple years ago after a lot of procrastination (with sincere thanks to Ed Hofmann for the consistent encouragement!). It’s genuinely unpleasant to think about our eventual deaths, but there are many good reasons to do it. In my section of the document, I included detailed instructions about a gift to All Souls after I die, along with other gifts that are important to me. Including All Souls in my plans was an expression of my own self-identity, and a way for me to reaffirm my values and what I think is important. It was critical to me to put my wishes in writing so there would be certainty about my intentions. People close to me know All Souls is important to me, but setting it explicitly, officially, in writing, means there can be no confusion, no uncertainty, no one can forget. It legally has to happen. I learned that you don’t have to be rich or have a lot of assets to make a will or estate plan. It can be very simple, and it makes your passing easier for those you leave behind if everything is officially documented.
Leaving a legacy gift to All Souls is different than giving a pledge to our annual operating campaign. Those pledges are certainly important. They help us keep the lights on and pay our staff and many other necessary things. I’m not wealthy, but what I’ve included in my will for All Souls is significantly more than my annual pledge. These intentional but unscheduled legacy gifts can help with larger projects here, help us house our neighbors, help us repair breaches, and take advantage of opportunities. They can be the seeds of exciting things, big or small. In my time on vestry I’ve seen that the generosity of others’ gifts can provide the means for our parish to have more flexibility, dream bigger, and solve problems. Legacy gifts have a potential all their own.
There is a lot more I could say to convey my sense of gratitude for this parish, and I give thanks to God for guiding and drawing all of us together. My legacy giving is one way I have found to respond with joy to God’s unfathomable love for us, and I hope you will consider this opportunity as well if you have not already done so.
– Grace Telcs
Announcements & Events
Happening This Week
SUNDAY
7:00 AM, Reading Between the Lines Bible Study, either in person in the Common Room or Click here to join by Zoom.
8:00 AM, Holy Eucharist in the Chapel. Please access the Chapel through the copper doors on Cedar St.
9:15 AM, Adult Formation Classes in the Parish Hall and Common Room.
10:30 AM, Sung Eucharist in the Nave. Join us via livestream here. Sunday School in the classroom downstairs. Coffee hour after the service.
MONDAY
7:00 PM, Reading Between the Lines Bible Study, either in person in the Common Room or Click here to join by Zoom.
WEDNESDAY
9:00 AM, Eucharist in the Nave.
Learn with Us
ADULT FORMATION
New Member Class
Wondering how to learn more about All Souls and connect with this community? Join Emily+ and Phil+ to learn more. Classes will meet in the Common Room at 9:15AM on the following Sundays: May 11, 18, 25, June 1.
Worship in the Beloved Community
Join the Rev. Dr. Ruth Meyers for this two part class.
It’s been said that Sunday morning is the most segregated hour of the week in the United States, that is, most churches have very little racial diversity. Believing that learning to worship in multiracial communities is a key aspect of building the beloved community, I set out to learn about the experience of racially diverse congregations in the Episcopal Church. In this series, we’ll learn about worship patterns and practices in these congregations, and consider what All Souls might learn from these congregations. Classes meet at 9:15 in the Parish Hall on May 18 and 25.
Monday Night Bible Study
We are offering an additional Reading Between the Lines bible study at 7pm on Monday evenings in the Common Room (click here to join via zoom). We will study and discuss the liturgy for the following week. If you would like to join, simply drop by on Monday night! If you have questions, email Emily M. (emilykmcdonald5@gmail.com). All are welcome!
Summer Reading Groups Are Coming- Order your books now!
Adult Formation is sponsoring three reading groups this summer. More details will follow but we wanted to give you a heads up so that you can order books or get them at the library!
Ruth Meyers and Bonnie Bishop will lead a discussion on Bishop Budde's book How We Learn to be Brave on June 15, 22, 29
Jack Shoemaker will lead a discussion of Elaine Pagels Revelations: Visions, Prophecies, and Politics in the Book of Revelations and the group will also read the biblical book. on July 13, 20, 27
Jane Vandenburgh and Mark Richardson will lead a discussion of Patrick Bringley's book All the Beauty in the World: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me on August 3, 10 and 17
Gather with Us
The Parish Picnic is next Sunday, June 1st!
We hope you will join us next Sunday at the Padre picnic grounds in Tilden Park after the 10:30 service. Bring drinks and sides and we will take care of the rest.
Organ Extravaganza is June 15th!
Join us after the 10:30 am worship service on June 15th for a mini-recital of organ music favorites and a by-request hymn sing-along. Learn fun facts about the history of organs, how organs work, our plans to expand our organ's capabilities and how you can become an All Souls' "Organ Donor"!
Big Sur Parish Camping Trip - July 18-20
Save the dates to join us in Big Sur for a fabulous intergenerational weekend full of food, fun, floating down the river, prayers, silence, retreat, and frisbee at the beach. We arrive on Friday evening and conclude on Sunday morning with a worship service held at the outdoor chapel on the campground. Join us!
Worship with Us
CHILDREN & FAMILY
We believe that children have innate wisdom and connection to God. Each week, we offer the following:
Sunday School: Kids from (pre-K to 5th grade) are invited to join us during the 10:30 service for Godly Play, a story-based approach to spiritual formation.
Note: The last Sunday School of this program year is this Sunday, May 25th. We will resume classes in the Fall.
Nursery: For parents with infants, there is a nursery open for use downstairs equipped with a changing table and a rocking chair.
Play Space; For families with young children, there are three “soft spaces” in the church: the side chapel, and the back of both rows of the pews. These spaces have books, toys, and room for kids to play quietly.Sunday School (for kids pre-K through 5th grade) happens every week during the 10:30 service.
Come join other All Soulsian families and kids in the courtyard after church. Please be mindful of fencing around the perimeter.
To sign up for our Children and Family newsletter, please email Emily B.
YOUTH PROGRAM
Youth Group (for grades 6-12) happens on Sundays from 7-8:30pm. Generally, we alternate between an all-grades gathering, and a high school small group (~once a month).
This Sunday, May 25th - No Youth Group (Memorial Day)
Coming up!
June 1st - Final All Grades Youth Group: Bonfire!
Incoming 6th graders welcome. Join us at 7pm in the All Souls courtyard.
Serve with Us
FOOD BANK collection is active. Please bring non-perishable food on Sundays and use the baskets in the Narthex. We also need drivers to deliver food. If you want to help, e-mail Cathy G. (ogoshca@yahoo.com).
MEAL TRAIN delivers food to others. If you are in need of meals, or if you’d like to join this team to deliver to others, email Sarah (sarahoneto@gmail.com).
OPEN DOOR DINNER (ODD) consists of a group of All Soulsians and friends that make a warm jambalaya meal for anyone who is hungry on the second Sunday of the month. This is a meaningful way to connect with other volunteers while serving the community. If you are interested in joining this team, email Jennifer A. (akiyama.jennifer@gmail.com)
Undergraduate Street Medicine Outreach (USMO) is a Cal student group that organizes outreach events every Saturday to bring food and resources to homeless encampments in Berkeley. With the colder weather, they are especially seeking donations of the following items:
General hygiene products (toothbrushes/toothpaste, deodorant, soap, etc.)
Clothes/cold weather gear
Bottled water
Please bring these donations to the red bin in the Narthex. Email Beth Christensen (beth.christensen) for donation and other direct volunteer opportunities with USMO.
Everything else…
Prayer List
To request someone’s name be added to the All Souls Parish prayer list, you can either send an e-mail to Diana (diana@allsoulsparish.org) or use this form on our website. Names will be read aloud during our 8am and 10:30am services for four Sundays. Please note: names will be removed after one month. If you’d like someone to remain on the prayer list for a longer period of time, contact Diana to make a request for an additional four weeks (or longer, if needed).
Are you missing me?
Are you looking for your favorite coat, sweater, jacket, or sweatshirt and can’t find it anywhere? It might be at All Souls! Check out the lost and found in the Narthex (see a sampling of the items below). We would love to be able to reunite these pieces with their people. If they aren’t claimed after a few weeks, we will donate them to a good home.
