The Pathfinder: February 19th, 2026
February Vestry Update
The 2026 Vestry began our new year together the weekend of February 6th-8th, starting with dinner on Friday night, and continuing the retreat on Saturday at Christ Episcopal Church, Alameda. This gave us time to reflect on the year to come, especially on retreat themes of kinship and stewardship, and provided a great opportunity to get to know each other better as we start doing the work of Vestry together.
Our weekend continued after the 10:30 am service on Sunday, with a presentation to the Vestry from Joni Stickney and Kaki Logan on behalf of the Landscaping Committee. It was exciting to see an overview of the great work and design considerations to date (thank you, all!), and understandable that in adjusting to coming fire safety standards, additional costs are likely.
We then began our February Vestry meeting, with Jesse Kadjo leading us in reflection.
We picked up where we had left off our Saturday retreat, with discernment of Chaplains; Jesse Kadjo, Sarah Bakker Kellogg, and Lia Diehr are called to be Chaplains for this year. This, in turn, allowed us to formally elect our officers for this year’s Vestry: these three Chaplains, Junior Warden Molly Nicol, as we had discerned together on Saturday, Treasurer George McLaughlin, and Secretary (and Clerk) Tim Hausler. We also confirmed our 2026 Vestry meeting dates.
Phil shared his Rector’s report, beginning with the upcoming Diocese Warden’s Day, February 28th, where he has agreed to be the speaker, and Grace Telcs, fresh off two years as All Souls’ Junior Warden, has agreed to share her perspective. Next, Phil touched on the Parochial Report, which the staff will be busy compiling throughout February. Lastly, Phil mentioned the seismic work has opened the walls of the Parish Hall and found them to be in very good condition (hooray!), but lacking insulation. The Vestry voted to approve the modest additional cost of insulation ($3,500), still well within our contingency budget for the seismic project.
The Vestry next voted to approve a $5,000 gift to support St. Lucy’s Church in 2026, from our parish reserves, which we noted had recently received over $20,000 budget surplus from 2025. This was a topic we had taken up at our previous two Vestry meetings and spent some time with in retreat. Our discussions brought up a range of good and important questions – for example about what it means for All Souls, a church plant over a century ago, to be supporting St. Lucy’s as the first church plant in the diocese in decades; about how we approach this gift in light of the ongoing needs of other congregations in the diocese, and in light of All Souls ongoing support for those congregations via our diocesan assessment.
As is often but not always the case, by the time we had a common understanding and each had a chance to share our perspectives, our decision was unanimous. And, this topic touched on the ongoing question of how All Souls continues to express generosity in our community, resonating with the Isaiah Project, among others.
We closed as we began, with Jesse Kadjo leading us in prayer.
As I headed away from our Vestry meeting and toward a Sunday afternoon of coaching middle schoolers, I felt excited for our Vestry year to come, lucky to be building on the foundation laid in past years, and deeply grateful for our incredible clergy and staff, and the across-the-congregation volunteer leadership that makes All Souls.
–John Gearen, 2026 Senior Warden
Farming at All Souls?
“He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.” 2 Corinthians 9:10
Each week at All Souls, we watch as our priest breaks the bread for the holy eucharist. What wheat was lucky enough to become the body of Christ?
Where does this wheat come from? Could it be flour from Safeway or Luckys? What if that flour came from wheat plants that we grew ourselves?
In Berkeley, I am a long way from my Wisconsin farm where I used to grow wheat for my bread, but I suggested to Phil+ that perhaps we could grow our own wheat. Most food in our lives is not experienced directly. It is not sown, watered, or harvested by our own hands. We do not participate in “bringing in the sheaves", “separating the chaff from the wheat”, or “clearing the threshing floor.”
To explore this idea, I visited an Honore Farm near Petaluma run by Elizabeth DeRuff. She is an Episcopal Priest and Agricultural Chaplain. Here she has multiplied an ancient wheat called Hourani that was found by archeologists in the ancient fortress of Masada from the time of Christ.
Growing right now in the courtyard at All Souls are “grow bags” of Hourani wheat. Using seed from Honore Farm, it was planted in November, with the help of some volunteers, and it is growing! If this wheat thrives and produces viable seed, we will use it to plant more grow bags next fall. Families will be encouraged to take a bag or two home to shepherd through the growing process. We can then gather our sheaves for threshing, winnowing, and grinding. Then, dare we hope, bake our own bread for the host, eating a variety of wheat that may have been at the actual last supper.
If you have questions, please contact Kate at kate.stout59@yahoo.com.
–Kate Stout
Sign up for Camino Groups
One of the essential ways we connect is through our Lenten home groups. This year, we return to the lens of the Camino—the Spanish word for "walk," "path," or "way." We will meet weekly at various locations for five weeks beginning THIS COMING SUNDAY, February 22nd.
Soup & Story: Camino Groups (Click here to sign up)
Using a "Camino Map" to visualize the journey, groups will meet in homes for a meal and conversation. Each week offers a "traveler’s check-in" where we share:
An Oasis: A moment of joy or goodness.
A Desert: A moment that felt hard or heavy.
A Traveling Mercy: A time when you gave or received grace.
The Logistics:
Sign-ups: You can sign up based on a night that works for you or by geography. More groups will be posted as more hosts become available. Note: We are also offering a specific Camino group for young adults (approx ages 20-40). This group will take place in Berkeley on Tuesdays at 6:30 pm. Please click here to email Emily+ for more information and to sign up.
The Meal: Groups share responsibilities for soup, salad, and bread. (We will coordinate around food allergies!)
The Flow: Typically, we gather for 45 minutes of reflection followed by 45 minutes of dinner.
Attendance: While you don't need to attend all five weeks to join, the experience is much richer when the whole group travels together consistently.
Next Step: If you would like to join, host, or facilitate a group, please sign up here or email Mother Rachel.
Let’s journey together this Lent.
–Mother Rachel
Selma, Minneapolis, and the Stations of the Cross
In 1965, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. led thousands of pilgrims on a nonviolent protest walk to highlight the moral right of all people to vote and be represented. In Selma, Alabama, the protestors were met with state troopers, local police, and local lawmen in a violent and deadly clash where pilgrims experienced tear gas, clubs, and bullets.
Those involved in a pilgrimage protest march together to demonstrate commitment, determination, faith, and sacrifice through the physical act of walking and standing in solidarity, prayer, song, and reflection.
This past year, we have seen thousands of men, women, and children walk together in protest and pilgrimage. Marchers have been racially profiled, attacked, and killed by masked, untrained military police. And yet, people continue to bear witness. Buddhist monks walked from Texas to Washington, D.C., to stand for peace. The people of Minneapolis continue to show courage and faith on a daily basis.
In our own Christian tradition, pilgrims every year retrace the steps of Jesus as he bore the weight of humanity on his shoulders, carried his cross, suffered humiliation, and spoke truth to power at the risk of death.
Since 2007, All Souls has provided an artistic interpretation of the Stations of the Cross. With the 50th anniversary of the Selma March in 2015, a group of Arts at All Souls members collectively proposed photographs from the event and spent some time discerning the significance of each station and photo. Along with the team, they consulted with parishioners Gloria Bayne, Gloria Fleming, and Marsha Thomas-Thompson as well as Fr. Horace Griffin, in order to gain the perspective of our African American brothers and sisters. This year, we are fully aware of the sacrifices and pilgrimages our fellow human beings of faith have undertaken since the time of the crucifixion and resurrection, and are continuing today.
–Diane Haavik, Arts at All Souls
Announcements & Events
Sunday
7 am, Reading Between the Lines Bible Study in the Common Room or click here to join by Zoom.
8 am, Holy Eucharist in the Chapel. Please enter through the copper doors downstairs on Cedar Street.
9:15 am, Adult Formation in the Common Room.
10:30 am, Sung Eucharist in the Nave. Join us via livestream here. Sunday School in the Godly Play room.
12 noon, Coffee Hour in the Courtyard & Justice and Peace Meeting in the Chapel.
12:30, Catechumenate Class in the Common Room.
7 pm, Youth Group - Middle School Group
Tuesday
8 pm, Taize Service in the Chapel
Thursday
5:30 pm, Reading Between the Lines Bible Study in the Common Room.
Justice & Peace Events and Resources
Each week, the Justice & Peace Team will share events and resources for All Soulsians to learn more and get involved. Please send prospective calendar items to Jenny Kern Jenkernesq@gmail.com and Martin Ortega martin–ortega@att.net
EVENTS
Event: Justice & Peace Ministry Meeting
Date and Time: Sunday, February 22, 12:15 pm
Location: Chapel at All Souls
Contact persons: Martín Ortega martín-ortega@att.net or Jenny Kern Jenkernesq@gmail.com
Event: Concord Immigration Court Vigil
Date and Time: Tuesday, February 24, 7:30-9:30 am
Location:1855 Gateway Blvd., Concord
Contact person: Kaki Logan kaki.logan@gmail.com 510-367-9416
If you are interested in attending a vigil, but the time above doesn’t work for you, the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity (IM4HI) hosts vigils multiple times a week. Click on the link below to register/rsvp.
Event: Weekly Interfaith Vigils Court Vigils
Stand in solidarity with detained immigrants and their families. RSVP here
Vigils take place at San Francisco immigration courts, 100 Montgomery St. and 630 Sansome St., Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, 8 to 10 a.m. or 11:45 to 2 p.m.
Vigils take place at Concord immigration court, 1855 Gateway Blvd., Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. or 12 to 2 p.m.
Event: Letter-Writing to Immigrants in ICE Detention Centers
Date and Time: Saturday, February 28, 2 pm
Location: Common Room at All Souls
Contact person(s): Pam Maffei pamelamaffei@icloud.com or Cindy Townsend hikinpsyd@gmail.com
Join us for a letter-writing session on Feb. 28, at 2 pm in the Common Room. We will be writing in support of individual immigrants. Please RSVP to either Pam or Cindy (emails above) so that we can get an estimate of how many detainees at the California City prison we can include. Tea, sweets, and all materials will be provided. All are welcome.
If you are unable to make it and would still like to write a letter, email Pam or Cindy for more information.
Event: No Kings Day Protests
Date and Time: March 28; various times tbd
Location: Bay Area and National
Contact: https://indivisibleeb.org
The following events are from the newsletter Together We Will Albany-Berkeley (TWWAB).
Overpass Visibility Dance Party I-80: Every Friday, 6-8 pm on the University Ave. pedestrian/bike bridge. More info here. Check out the video from last week!
TWWAB Berkeley Rush Hour Resistance: University Ave. bike/pedestrian overpass on I-80. More info here.
Face Down Fascism: Every Friday, 4–5 pm at the corner of Gilman and Santa Fe. Bring signs and noisemakers!
College and Ashby Protests: Every Friday, 4:15–5:15 pm with Indivisible Elmwood. More info here.
El Cerrito Due Process Protests: Every Friday, 3–4 pm in front of DAISO at El Cerrito Plaza. Sign up here.
Stand Up for Immigrants Protests: Every Saturday, Grocery Outlet, San Pablo, 11 am–12 pm. Sign up here.
RESOURCES
5calls.org - 5 Calls is the easiest and most effective way to make a political impact. Find information on issues that are important to you, as well as phone numbers to elected officials, so you can have your voice heard.
Stand with Minnesota - Across Minnesota, ICE continues to stop, harass, and detain people regardless of their citizenship status. Normal life in Minnesota has been interrupted, as schools have been forced to close or go virtual, as people live in fear of leaving their homes or going to work. Minnesotans are organized and activated to respond to this violence. This website has compiled a directory of places to donate/help.
Important Reminder & Rapid Response Hotlines: If you see immigration enforcement, don’t engage—document what you can safely, and call your county’s Rapid Response hotline.
Stay Informed and Take Action with the Episcopal Church
The Episcopal Church Office of Government Relations represents the church’s priorities to the US government in Washington, DC, and offers several ways to connect to their work:
Weekly network calls, Thursdays 10-10:30 am Pacific time, provide information about current events, policy developments, and legislation coming before Congress. Register here.
Weekly immigration update, Tuesdays, 10-10:30 am Pacific time. Register here.
Weekly prayers, released every Friday, prayed aloud on Mondays at 8:45 am Pacific time, name concerns, offer prayer for those who are vulnerable, and seek God’s guidance as we respond. More information here.
Global Partnership monthly calls, 1st Wednesday of the month, 10-11 am Pacific time, consider how the church can address human needs, engage in peacebuilding, and build healthy, mutual relationships. Register here.
Take action by writing to your legislators and other government officials, with Action Alerts. Learn more and sign up here.
Learn With Us
ADULT FORMATION
The Book of Judges - Feb. 22nd, March 8th, 15th
This is not the book of Judgement! Judges was a term for the early leaders of Israel before the period of the Kings that began with Saul and David. This book is full of great old stories and offers a window into early Israel, its self-understanding, its understanding of God, and some of its worship practices. We will look at Deborah, an early female leader of Israel, as well as Gideon and Samson. Each class will focus on one story, so there is no need to attend all to enjoy one. Classes meet in the Common Room at 9:15 am.
Adult Formation Advisory Panel seeks your input!
The Adult Formation Advisory Panel will meet in early March to begin selecting books for our Summer Book Groups and classes for the 2026-2027 year. Now is the time for your input! Please send ideas for books and any ideas/suggestions for classes to Anne Yardley at ayardley@drew.edu, preferably by Feb. 28th. We welcome your thoughts and ideas!
CATECHUMENATE CLASSES
Interested in getting baptized, Confirmed, or Received into the Episcopal Church? Consider taking this six-week class during Lent, starting this coming Sunday, Feb. 22nd. We'll introduce Episcopal theology, liturgy, the Book of Common Prayer, and more. Join us in the Common Room at 12:30 and bring a lunch. Questions? Email Mother Rachel (rachel@allsoulsparish.org).
BIBLE STUDY GROUPS
All Souls hosts two weekly Bible Study Classes each week. In addition to our Sunday morning group (meets from 7-8 am), we are now offering another group on Thursday evenings from 5:30-6:30 pm. Both groups meet in our Common Room and use the Reading Between the Lines curriculum. Join us! Drop-ins are always welcome, too!
Worship With Us
TAIZE TUESDAYS
Each Tuesday, from 8-8:30 pm, we hold a community-led program of silent meditation, prayer, and chants from the Taize tradition. The spring series will run through Tuesday, May 19th.
CHILDREN & FAMILIES
Next Faithful Families Dinner on 3/15. Mark your Calendars!
We are excited to bring back Faithful Families dinners! Join us for a time of intergenerational fellowship and learning. We will start with a shared meal. Then, there will be time for shared prayer practices, activities for kids, and a space for parents to connect and discuss important questions of faith. Families with children of all ages (kids, teens, young adults) are welcome to attend. Sundays: March 15th, and May 3rd, 5-6:30 pm. Please click here to email Emily if you would like to attend.
Sunday School (for kids pre-K through 5th grade) happens every week during the 10:30 service. We follow Godly Play, an approach to spiritual formation that features storytelling, hands-on learning, and wondering. Shortly after the service starts, children follow a teacher, carrying a cross, downstairs to the classroom and return to church at the “Peace.”
To join our Children and Family mailing list, email Emily (emilyb@allsoulsparish.org).
YOUTH
Youth Group (for grades 6-12) generally happens each Sunday from 7-8:30 pm.
Join us on Sunday evenings from 7-8:30 pm for games, art, reflection, and prayer. We alternate between a middle and high school group with some all-grades events.
COMING UP:
Feb. 22nd: Middle School Group
March 1st: High School: Mixer @ Christ Church Alameda (dinner + pool party!)
To join the weekly youth mailing list, email Emily (emilyb@allsoulsparish.org).
Gather With Us
BEER GARDEN MEET UP - 2/26
Join us on the last Thursday of every month between 6-8 pm when All Soulsians meet up at a different beer garden to connect - for a drink, a bite, a chat, a game, etc. This is an all-ages, intergenerational event — we would love to see everyone there!
February location: Los Moles, 6120 Potrero Ave, El Cerrito
Serve With Us
Coffee hour isn’t just about coffee and cookies—it’s about community. After worship, we gather not only to enjoy a bite to eat but also to welcome newcomers, catch up with friends, and strengthen the bonds that make our parish family so special. To keep this ministry thriving, we invite everyone to take part, as they are able.
Each week, we ask a few parishioners to bring refreshments—homemade treats, fruit, or simple snacks—to share. Your contributions help make our hospitality warm and abundant. Please click the Coffee Hour Sign-Up link to support this ministry. We ask for someone to lend a hand (literally) as “host” in support of Scott, and folks to provide some treats (enough to feed 10-15).
Your help will make coffee hour a joyful expression of Christian community and welcome!
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.
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:
Waterproof tarps (NEW request)
Bottled water, or water filtration devices
Clothing, particularly large shoes, socks, and jackets/sweaters
Hygiene supplies and toiletries, particularly wet wipes, toothbrushes, soap
Menstrual pads and diapers
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.
