The Pathfinder: July 3rd, 2025
A New Altar Emerges
In 1956, All Souls Parish made profound changes to its worship space. After discovering termite damage in the redwood structure of the first chapel and recognizing the growth of the parish in the post-World War II boom, we decided to dig down into the hillside, and build a nave supported by concrete and rebar pillars, an undercroft for meeting spaces and offices down below, and a small chapel facing Cedar Street.
Ever since I arrived at All Souls nearly 17 years ago, the altar in the Chapel of the Nativity has felt out of place with the rest of the space. The more I looked at it, the more incongruous it seemed. The design of the altar was completely different than the two prie dieu on either side, the stain didn’t match the other elements in the chapel, and it was clearly out of proportion–– much larger than the space allowed for. I was kind of perplexed. How did it end up here? Thanks to the research of our archivists, I learned the story of its provenance.
As part of that rebuild in 1956, we designed a new east-facing altar for the new Nave. (an east-facing altar is built onto the wall of a church, with the presider facing the wall, liturgical east, with the people) We then took the altar that had been crafted for the space upstairs, with those large columns and dark finish, and brought that altar down to the chapel along with the stained glass window of the Nativity that had been above it.
Fast-forward in time 70 years. Thanks to the efforts of the Living Waters capital campaign, that same Chapel of the Nativity has been refurbished––with new carpet, fresh paint, and new lighting. And soon a new altar. The large, dark-stained altar with its twin columns and interior cavern large enough to hide an entire youth group playing Sardines is now headed to be an altar of a new chapel. The longest tenured seminarian in parish history, Michael Drell, was ecstatic at the possibility of bringing this altar back to be a home altar in his new home in Washington D.C. And so it was that on Sunday, May 26th, the Reverend Emily Boring and the All Soulsians of the 8 o’clock service prayed over that altar one last time in the Chapel of Nativity before it was loaded onto a moving truck for its next life holding the Divine Mysteries.
Right now, a folding table is holding the space until the new altar is crafted. Over the past several months a couple of All Soulsians have agreed to design and build a new altar for the Chapel of the Nativity. Caitlin Lempres Brostrom, an architect of our particular vernacular, looked at the design of our altars in the Nave, considered the design of the two prie dieu and the votive table in the Chapel, and designed our new Chapel altar. Dean Williamson, a master carpenter, has agreed to build this new table around which generations of All Soulsians will gather. I am deeply grateful that Caitlin and Dean have agreed to share their gifts and skills so generously with the parish.
I visited with Dean in his shop this week and am very excited for the altar that will emerge over the next few months. It will be consonant with the pieces already in place in our Chapel, echo the altars in the Nave around which we welcome and commune with Christ each Sunday, and will be a touchstone for scores of hungry Christians for decades to come. Seventy years from now God only knows what the next altar of All Souls Parish will look like.
Peace,
– Phil +
Organ Extravaganza Recap & Update
I’m Kathleen Summerland, and my husband, Frank Heuser, and I have been coming to All Souls ever since we moved to Berkeley from Los Angeles in July of 2022. Although we are mostly retired, our careers both centered around teaching music, so the music program at All Souls is very important to us.
I had the pleasure of attending both recent Organ Extravaganza presentations hosted by Matt Wolka. Even though I’m a professional musician, I learned a LOT about our organ at those events.
Our All Souls organ needs our help, and your support. Rather than comparing organ models to cars (which can't truly be "expanded" in any meaningful way), think of gardens. One can have a simple lawn and one oak tree, and that will serve as a garden. Or, one can plant a variety of flowering plants in addition to trees and some lawn, and the area has metamorphosed into a paradise, inviting someone to stop and enjoy the shade and the fragrant flowers.
Right now our organ resembles some grass and one tree. Upgrading our organ so that it can become that inviting garden (meaning vastly expanding the variety of pipes, adding a swell box and refurbishing the keyboard manuals and controls that allow the organist access to those pipes) would transform our organ, allowing Matt and others to perform on a bigger, more flexible instrument; and allowing all of us to enjoy the cornucopia of sounds that can be found in a truly excellent pipe organ. That these extra pipes, and the capacity to add them, have been offered to our church is an unprecedented opportunity for us.
My husband and I have joined with other All Soulsians as Organ Donors, but frankly, we need more. We believe that upgrading our organ will help put All Souls on the Bay Area map in a new way and further attract people to our special church on the corner of Cedar and Spruce.
We’d love to have you join us in this project. Let’s keep this beautiful momentum—and the music—going strong!
Thanks to your generosity, we’ve already raised over $90,000 toward our $150,000 goal! These funds will help install a new swell division and breathe new life into our organ.
There’s still time to contribute! This Saturday will be the last day to give your support to this project. Until then, there are two ways you can pledge or contribute:
Use this organ pledge form.
Make your pledge or gift in Realm, under the “Next Note” campaign.
Whether through a one-time gift or a monthly pledge over the next 6 months, every donation—large or small—brings us closer to a richer, fuller sound in our sanctuary.
– Kathleen Summerland
Join the Camera Team!
Did you know…? Each week, several dozen All Soulsians join us for worship via livestream. People watch in real-time from places like Oregon, New Mexico, Texas, New York, Germany, Sweden. And others watch (or re-watch!) the service later in the week. (Fun fact: you can view all of our past services on our YouTube page).
A silver lining of the COVID-19 pandemic is that this form of virtual worship has become a staple of our life as a parish. Livestream allows us to expand the geographical boundaries of our community. And it’s a way to connect with those who are unable to join us in person, making sure that everyone has a way to participate in church.
To keep this important ministry going, we need your help! Two incredible parishioners, Charlie Myers and Jim Feeley (with the help of our sexton, Scott Garriott) have kept this ministry going for the last five years. But we need to expand the team to include new people. You may have noticed an unexpected face behind the camera last week, pictured above, filling in for a last-minute absence. As exciting as that was, we want to share the fun.
We are seeking new volunteers to be trained to run our camera and livestream during 10:30 a.m. services. No need for previous experience. Some basic familiarity with computers or cameras is great, but mostly you need a willingness to learn. Volunteers will typically serve once or twice a month.
Perks of the job:
Acquire new skills
Feel like a millennial (whether you are or not)
Admire the hairdos of your fellow parishioners from the back
Take part in a truly meaningful form of outreach and ministry.
Please contact me (Emily B) and/or Charlie Myers if you are interested. We’ll set up a time to train and shadow on a schedule that works for you.
– Emily +
Share Your Favorite
All Soups & Such Recipe—Support the Berkeley Food Bank!
We’re cooking up something special—and we need your help!
We’re creating an ALL SOULS COMMUNITY COOKBOOK filled with delicious, heartfelt recipes. Whether it’s your grandma’s secret soup or a go-to weeknight dinner, we’d love to include it. This isn’t just about good food—it’s about doing good. All proceeds from cookbook sales will go directly to the Berkeley Food Bank, supporting local families with access to healthy, nourishing meals.
How to contribute:
Click this link to submit your recipe. It only takes a few minutes!
Please send in your recipes by August 25, 2025, and feel free to include a short note about why the dish is meaningful to you.
Thank you for sharing your table and your heart with our community. If you have questions, please click here to contact Cathy Goshorn.
– The All Soups and Such Team
Alameda Deanery Update
The Alameda Deanery, a cluster of representatives from Episcopal churches in Alameda County, met for the 2nd convocation of the year in June. We heard from committee reports such as Budget and Planning, as well as news from the Deanery.
The majority of the meeting was spent hearing reports and engaging in discussion around immigration, racial, and social justice. One of the most exciting action items that came out of this gathering was the news that the Rev. Canon Eric Metoyer gave us a presentation about Social Justice Clusters—Deanery-level collaborations among parishes to work on social justice issues. The Rev. Weston Morris, the new curate at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Berkeley, has volunteered to help organize the Alameda Deanery's Social Justice Cluster. In the coming weeks, a Zoom meeting will be scheduled where representatives of Deanery parishes can share the social justice work already happening in their congregations, and we can talk about what we might do together. Anyone in the Deanery is welcome to participate. If you are interested in representing All Souls in this collaborative work, please get in touch with the Rev. Morris (curate.goodshepherd@gmail.com).
– Erin Horne, Alameda Deanery Delegate 2025
Announcements & Events
Happening This Week
SUNDAY
7 AM, Reading Between the Lines Bible Study, either in person in the Common Room or Click here to join by Zoom.
8 AM, Holy Eucharist in the Chapel. Please access the Chapel through the copper doors on Cedar St.
9:15 AM, Mini Summer Reading Group Discussion on Disability Theology in the Common Room.
10:30 AM, Sung Eucharist in the Nave. Join us via livestream here. Coffee hour after the service.
12:15 PM, Moving tables & chairs in the Parish Hall - please help if you can!
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 Chapel
Learn with Us
ADULT FORMATION
Summer Reading Group THIS SUNDAY
JULY 6th: Disability Theology Discussion Group
This week, Erin Horne and Emily B. will lead a mini reading group on the theology of disability. Room. No preparation needed. Together, we will read John 9:1-12 (Jesus heals a blind man), Mark 2:1-13 (Jesus heals a paralytic), and Luke 8:43-38 (Jesus heals a hemorrhaging woman) and discuss questions and concerns that arise from these passages and portrayals of disability and healing in the Bible. Join us at 9:15 am in the Common. Come with your questions and curiosity!
Upcoming Summer Reading Groups
JULY 13th, 20th, 27th: Jack Shoemaker will lead a discussion of Elaine Pagels’ Revelations: Visions, Prophecies, and Politics in the Book of Revelation. This group will meet in the Common Room at 9:15 am.
AUGUST 3rd, 10th, 17th: 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. This group will meet in the Common Room at 9:15 am.
Gather with Us
Dancing Saints Await You on July 13th
On Sunday, July 13, everyone is invited to see the Dancing Saints of St. Gregory of Nyssa in San Francisco. Rector Paul Fromberg will be our host and guide. The address is 500 de Haro Street, SF. Carpooling is being arranged. Start time is between 1 to 1:30 pm, depending on traffic. Bring lunch. More details can be found here in the June 26 Pathfinder. For Questions and to RSVP, click here to email Bonnie Bishop.
Big Sur Parish Camping Trip - July 18-20
Sign-ups are live for our Parish Camping Trip in Big Sur, July 18th-20th! This is a very kid and family-friendly event, including swimming, games, campfires, outdoor church, and more. See an invitation and details from Mother Rachel here, and sign up and pay online using this registration form. (Alternatives: contact Mother Rachel or sign up on a physical sheet in the narthex.)
Pray with Us
Stephen Ministers are standing by!
With the addition of three new Stephen Ministers to our team there are plenty of compassionate skilled people available to support you in a time of need. Stephen Ministers are trained lay persons who walk with you in a confidential one to one relationship to provide a listening ear, supportive dialogue, and prayer for all times of difficulty, stress, transition, loss and uncertainty. If you are interested in meeting with a Stephen Minister please click here to email the Rev Emily or click here to email coordinator Marilyn Flood.
Worship with Us
WEDNESDAY EUCHARIST
The 9am Eucharist will be in the Chapel of the Nativity for the months of July and August. Come join us for a reflection on the Saint of the day and sustenance for the rest of the week.
CHILDREN & FAMILY
Our Sunday School program has wrapped up for the year. We’ll pick up with weekly Godly Play during the 10:30 service beginning August 24th. Over the summer, we hope you will take advantage of the soft spaces at the back of the church and in the side chapel, where you’ll find snacks, books, and toys. Kids are also welcome to use the playground with adult supervision.
You are also invited to join our Parish Camping Trip in Big Sur, July 18th-20th. This is a very kid and family friendly event including swimming, games, campfires, outdoor church, and more. Sign-ups forthcoming!
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).
Serve with Us
We Need Your Help THIS Sunday, July 6th after the 10:30 Service!
Our beautiful, new Parish Hall flooring will be installed in the coming week! Please join us after the 10:30 am service to move the tables and chairs out of the closet in the Parish Hall so we can prepare for the installation.
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, click here to e-mail Cathy G.
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, click here to email Sarah O.
Open Door Dinner (ODD) will make a warm jambalaya meal for anyone who is hungry on the second Sunday of the month. Note: The ODD teams need a few people willing to drive these meals to various locations in Berkeley. If you can help, please click here to email Cathy G. If you are interested in joining the ODD team, click here to email Jennifer A.
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. They are especially seeking donations of the following items:
General hygiene products (toothbrushes/toothpaste, deodorant, soap, etc.)
Clothing
Bottled water
Please bring these donations to the red bin in the Narthex. Click here to email Beth Christensen for donation and other direct volunteer opportunities with USMO.
Ways to respond to the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Education: Learn and educate yourself on the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict dating back to the late 19th Century.
Partnership: Consider partnering with these organizations: Episcopal Relief and Development (episcopalreleif.org), Episcopal Peace Fellowship (episcopalpeacefellowship.net), and the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity (www.im4humanintegrity.org).
Advocacy: Our baptismal covenant calls us to "...strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being."
