The Pathfinder: March 19th, 2026
Music in Lent
You may have noticed a not-so-subtle change in the music and musical rhythms during the Lenten season. During this time of the church year, musical traditions developed over many centuries have come to emphasize the actions of meditation, reflection, and journeying.
What happened to the Alleluia?
The Alleluia comes to us from the Hebrew language and means “praise God!” though I like to think of it more like “YAY! GOD!”. In a practice that began in the Middle Ages, many liturgical churches “bury” the Alleluia at the beginning of Lent, reintroducing it at the Easter Vigil when we recognize the resurrected Jesus. We usually sing the Alleluia liturgically to acclaim the Gospel reading. During Lent this year, we have been greeting the gospel reading with the chant “Open my Heart,” by Ana Hernandez.
What about the organ?
Although our organ is currently being renovated and has not been available during Lent, there are plenty of traditions around not using the organ during Lent, or not using certain brightly colored stops like the Trumpet, Mixtures, or other reeds. Again, the full brilliance of the organ returns on Easter, highlighting the brilliance of the resurrection. Our organ builders are working diligently to get the organ into shape for our celebration on Easter Sunday.
Have we been singing more unaccompanied music?
Yes, thanks for noticing! In some reformed traditions, musical instruments were excluded from accompanying singers and were only allowed to play before and after the worship service! The sound of a congregation and choir singing together, relying on each other for harmonic support, fills the space of the church in a uniquely beautiful and satisfying way. As Lent has continued, I’ve gradually played less and less of the accompaniments, and your voices have led the way.
What can we expect for Easter?
In addition to the return of the Alleluia, our Easter services will feature a brass quartet, timpani, and thrilling music from classic hymns to vibrant responses. The restraint and almost melancholy mood of Lent gives way to the unfettered joy and celebration of Easter.
–Matthew Wolka
Adult Formation in April
The Adult Formation committee is pleased to present two different classes on April 12, 19, and 26. In the Parish Hall, we offer a three-session class entitled Immigration: A Faithful Response and in the Common Room, Annie Hayes will be leading Imaginative Prayer in the Ignatian Tradition.
The Rev. Deborah Lee and other staff members of the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity (https://www.im4humanintegrity.org/) will be with us on April 12 and 19th to share their expertise and experience. IM4HI is a group that the Justice and Peace committee has supported for many years. Their core beliefs are: Welcome the stranger. Treat the stranger as your own. Compassion knows no borders. Love has no walls. They work at the intersection of spirituality and social movements. On April 26th, we will celebrate the work that All Soulsians have done around immigration and look at the current opportunities for action.
In the class on Imaginative Prayer in the Ignatian Tradition, Annie Hayes will lead an exploration of this great practice. Using our imaginations to dig deeper into scripture allows God to communicate with us in a personal, evocative way. Each week, we’ll dive into a different Gospel story and spend an extended amount of time prayerfully immersing ourselves in the scene. The last 15-20 minutes of each class will offer time for individual and group reflection on the prayer experience we just had. So whether your experience of Holy Week and Easter is leading you towards social action or deeper contemplation, we hope you will join us for one of these classes. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Anne Yardley (ayardley@drew.edu).
Hope you will join us!
–Anne Yardley
Why I Resist
As a college freshman in December 1969, the first draft lottery chose the first random group of young men to fight in Vietnam.
In May, large demonstrations culminated in the national guard shooting students at Kent State and Jackson State, and the guard coming to clear the camp-in at my own campus at the University of Denver. All this was against a background of assassinations: JFK, MLK, Bobby Kennedy, Malcom X. It rededicated me to the power of non-violence to rebuke the power of the gun.
No Kings Day is our voice, our opportunity to say no to Death, no to bombing schools, no to ICE shooting people protecting their neighbors, no to the quiet deaths in remote detention centers. In the words of ActUp, Silence=Death.
-Gretchen Donart
No Kings 3 is coming up March 28th!
It is expected to be the largest demonstration in U.S. history, and we are all invited. There will be marches, rallies, and streetside sign waving gatherings in most local areas. Ocean Beach Participants can join in making a human banner. There’s also an online protest for those who want to resist from home.
The Albany, Oakland, and Richmond events have All Souls point people to reach out to if you want to participate in community. (Please reach out if you want to be a point person in Berkeley, El Cerrito, Alameda, Kensington, SF, or another location). Go to Nokings.org for the most up-to-date information. Reach out if you have questions.
What should we bring?
You may want water, snacks, a charged cell phone, a friend, a folding chair, and you will definitely want a sign! We have a plan:
After an abbreviated Justice & Peace Ministry meeting in the Jordan Court Community Room after the 10:30 service this Sunday, 3/22, we will turn our focus to making signs! Thank you, Gretchen and Martin, for bringing materials.
For the Signmaking Event on March 22nd at All Souls:
Bring your smart, angry, funny ideas for No Kings signs! Save and bring cardboard! We will have some markers, glue sticks, and cardboard but more are welcome! We will have a few tall sticks and a staple gun, but we expect that most signs will be handheld.
Wondering how to attend?
Attend Virtually
The Indivisible Sonoma County Witticists invite you to a No Kings 3, Nk3 Drop-In Virtual Peace Rally
When: Sat, Mar 28, from 11 am - 1 pm PDT
Where: Virtual Event - Join from Anywhere
Volunteer organized - Beginner Friendly; Hosted from Santa Rosa, CA
Use this Zoom link: https://www.mobilize.us/nokings/event/906324/
Attend in Person in Cities all across the Bay
Albany 4-5pm
Point people: Beth Christensen 925-699-3476 and Tess Taylor
Meet at City Hall, 1000 San Pablo Ave., at 3:45 pm
Oakland 12pm-2:30pm
Point people: Martin, martin-ortega@att.net and Jenny 510-684-6445 (call or text day of)
The big march starts at Frank Ogawa Plaza and ends with a rally at Lake Merritt Amphitheater.
Meet at the Southeast corner of Broadway and 14th in front of Comedy Oakland at 11:45 am or head straight to the protest site and set up a chair or blanket for speeches around 1:15 pm.
Richmond 10am-1pm
Point Person: Gretchen Donart 206-235-8913
Tentative schedule (see latest at https://www.mobilize.us/nokings/event/911938/)
At 10 AM Human Billboard & 10:45 rally at the Richmond Civic Center Plaza, 2569 Nevin Ave. We will march around the block to the 11:45 rally at 25th and Barrett Ave. (Farmer's Market parking lot). Music & performance & more speeches.
Gretchen plans to be there a few minutes before 10 on the steps of the Civic Auditorium nearest Nevin and 26th. I'll participate in the Human Billboard and then check back in at the rendezvous spot. Bring water, snacks, maybe a hat, umbrella, or folding chair. Bathrooms available in the Nevin St Auditorium space, which is now the temporary home of the Richmond Library.
For more protest, rally, and march sites go to NoKings.org
The events below do not have a point person:
San Francisco
Two of many events in the City:
Human Banner SF Ocean Beach 11:30 am – 1 pm
1000 Great Hwy
Ocean Beach - Stairwell 17
San Francisco, CA 94121
Embarcadero Plaza Gathering at 11:30 am
March to Civic Center at 12 pm
At 2 pm, the rally at Civic Center Plaza will start. There will also be a resistance tabling fair at the neighboring Fulton Plaza.
Alameda 1–2 pm
Alameda City Hall - 1 pm (Fun Pre-Rally @ Chochenyo Park - 10 am-12 pm)
2263 Santa Clara Ave
Alameda, CA 94501
Kensington: 2–4 pm
Corner of the Arlington and Amherst
303 Arlington Ave
Kensington, CA 94707
El Sobrante: 1-3 pm
San Pablo Dam Road & Appian Way
El Sobrante, CA 94803
El Cerrito: 11 am-2 pm
El Cerrito Del Norte
Exact location is private. Sign up for more details.
Peace,
–Gretchen, Jenny, and Martin on behalf of the Justice & Peace Committee
Beer Garden Meetup
Last summer, I received one of the more unusual—and delightful—emails related to church volunteering to ever land in my inbox. Sarah Bakker Kellogg reached out to ask if I’d be interested in helping co-organize monthly beer garden meetups.
After decades of church involvement, I’m used to carefully weighing these kinds of invitations to volunteer: Do I have the time? The right gifts? Am I ‘called’ to this?
This time, I skipped the usual deliberation. My response was immediate: Oh yes!
Now, I’ll admit—my fondness for socializing over a good beer certainly didn’t hurt. But these gatherings are about something deeper than that. There are plenty of opportunities outside of church to grab a drink with a friend. What makes these meetups special is the opportunity to connect with fellow parishioners at a more personal level in a relaxed, unstructured setting.
Without an agenda, something interesting happens. People open up. We hear each other’s stories in ways that don’t always happen in more formal settings. And it’s through those authentic connections that we begin to build the kinds of relationships that sustain a strong and caring community that can go out and do ‘good works.’ At a recent gathering, I found myself in conversation with someone I might not normally have crossed paths with. Over the course of an hour, he shared some of the challenges he’s been facing. There was nothing to fix, no program to follow — just the simple act of listening and being present with one another over a drink. It was a small moment, but also a meaningful one.
For the record, beer is entirely optional. The only real requirement is a willingness to show up, be yourself, and connect with others. If that sounds like something you might enjoy, we’d love to see you at a future gathering!
–Paul Mathew
Wee Chalices
When I mentioned to another usher that I was asked to write an article for the Pathfinder about Wee Chalices, the response amounted to Why? We have been doing this for a long time. Everyone knows about them. “Does everyone?” “How long is this long time?” I asked myself.
In my effort to locate answers, I found planning documents dated September 23, 2020 for how All Souls would hold services in the Courtyard and an usher checklist titled “October 2020 Courtyard Usher Checklist”. There were many iterations of that checklist as we moved through COVID. COVID! There is that five-letter word that brought many changes to our lives, many of which have remained like Wee Chalices.
That fall, we gathered joyfully in the Courtyard, waving to each other, smiling and singing through our masks, listening to readings and sermons. Eventually, we received communion, but only bread. Wine in a common cup seemed out of the question.
Fast forward to Easter 2021. In bold print on the Easter Vigil April 2021 Courtyard Usher Checklist, are reminders to the ushers, “Remember BYOC (Bring your own chalice)”. “Remind people to take a cup if they forgot BYOC. Everyone needs a cup for wine or juice”.
This Easter marks five years of Wee Chalices that began as BYOC. It didn’t happen miraculously. There was planning. There were logistics. The Hobart, our commercial dishwasher, required hot water to meet a certain temperature. Finally, announcements were made and notices put in the bulletin. We were asked to BYOC and bring an additional glass or cup to share so everyone had a chalice. People went to thrift shops and bought “chalices”. The collection grew. The Wee Chalices became part of coming to church, like taking a bulletin. For many who grew up with the common cup and its significance, they looked forward to the day the common cup would return.
In the summer of 2021, we moved back into the Church. Eventually, the use of the common cup returned. The Wee Chalices continued to be part of our service by request.
Church seemed back to normal when construction began. The Church was as cold as the gray days in the courtyard. The kitchen was closed, the Hobart was gone, Wee Chalices went into storage, replaced by Dixie Cups.
About the same time, the heat came back online and the kitchen reopened. We have a new Hobart; the Wee Chalices are out of storage and available to replace the Dixie Cups. The latest Usher Check List includes “Remind people to take a Wee Chalice”. Many of the cups and glasses we use today are part of the original BYOC collection. I wonder what people are thinking as they smile or frown as they choose a Wee Chalice. I decided to ask a few people. The responses included, “I don’t think about it. It’s a habit. I just take one.” Or “I look for a cup, one with a handle because it reminds me of having a tea party with my stuffed animals and my grand parents when they came to visit.” Other decisions are based on shape, color, size or “the mood I am in.” Some people still BYOC. A glass or a cup that has a special meaning: “It belonged to a loved one”, “where or when it was purchased”, or “it’s plastic in case I drop it”.
In the process of writing this, I learned the significance of the Altar Rail being curved. It allows people at each end and in the middle to see all of the people standing or kneeling around them.
My final thoughts on Wee Chalices come from an email and what I presumed was a “typo”. It began “RE: we chalices.” We Chalices. They are our Chalices, our We Chalices. We have brought them from our cabinets and China closets or purchased them from thrift shops to share. They are ours and there for everyone.
On Sundays, we gather, one community, along the curve of the Altar Rail, sharing bread and wine, receiving the gifts of the Spirit.
–Renae Breitenstein
Sing with Us
You are invited to join us at the Concord Courthouse Vigil from 7:30-9:30 am on the 4th Tuesday of every month. Last month, we had two interlopers singing along—two very vociferous Canada Geese. They seemed to approve and want to join in.
We are harmonizing with them in this photo.
We spend the better part of two hours singing, praying, and holding encouraging signs as people come to court for their hearings. These times are very stressful, even dangerous for immigrants. So we intend to be an encouraging presence—singing and simply being there to pay attention and to let them know they are not alone.
Come join us this coming Tuesday, March 24th! We carpool, arriving in Concord at 7:30 am. A clergy person or two always comes
in support. Liz Tichner will also bring some of her parishioners this week. We would love to have you join us, even one time. You will be glad you came.
Please email Kaki Logan for details if you are interested in coming (kaki.logan@gmail.com). If you don't hear back right away, please text to let me know you emailed (510-367-9416).
–Kaki Logan
Seismic work continues on all three floors! In the parish hall, the insulation and shear wall installation is complete, as well as the drywall. Painting is scheduled to be underway in the parish hall in the next couple of days.
Contractors were pleasantly surprised to discover less than two square feet of dry rot in the parish hall walls, which has now been repaired. At this point, we are on track to return to the parish hall in time for Holy Week. If all goes as planned, the Agape Dinner on Maundy Thursday will be our first community gathering back in the space!
Work on the preschool space is the next priority. We recently learned that an additional footing will need to be poured along the wall below the kitchen. (The interior kitchen wall has already been strengthened as part of the parish hall upgrade.) The trenching has begun, and while this extra step will increase the overall project cost slightly, it remains well within the contingency built into the budget. We are estimating early May for the completion of that space.
The cement pillars in the nave are slated to be bolted to the foundation in the next couple weeks. The majority of this work will take place outside but you may see some interior pillars with taped-off upper sections: those will be done from inside.
The final phase of the seismic project will take place in the Crow’s Nest. Contractors have extended an existing short wall to the structural frame of the roof. Plywood was added to the entire wall to strengthen it. Drywall and fresh paint will be added soon. This work should be completed quickly once it begins, likely wrapping up all the seismic work by late June.
We have had many trades working on this big project, and they have been doing a terrific job.
–Ann Myers
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 & Peace in the Jordan Court Community Room, and Friends of All Souls in the Chapel.
12:30 pm, Catechumenate Class in the Common Room
7 pm, Youth Group (Middle School Small Group)
Tuesday
8 pm, Taize Service in the Chapel
Thursday
5:30 pm, Reading Between the Lines Bible Study in the Common Room.
6 pm, Beer Garden Meet Up at Cellarmaker in Berkeley.
Friday
6 pm, Fish Fry in the Courtyard.
Give With Us
FLOWER DONATIONS FOR EASTER
Donations to the flower fund are always welcome, but Easter flowers offer a special opportunity for you to remember or recognize a person, an event, or a blessing. If you would like to contribute to flowers for Easter Sunday, you can donate online, put a check in the offering plate, or mail to the office with 'Easter Flowers' in the memo. Email Diana by Monday, March 30th with the name(s) you would like included in the bulletin.
Worship With Us
HOLY WEEK SERVICES
Maundy Thursday: April 2nd
Agape Meal - 6 pm
Join us for a feast and fellowship that is interspersed with song, chant, and prayer on Thursday, April 2nd at 6 pm. This kid-friendly, family-style dinner grounds us in remembering the last meal that Jesus shared with his friends, which we commemorate together right afterwards with the Maundy Thursday liturgy. Click here to RSVP. Questions? Email Richard Lynch (rflynch@sbcglobal.net). Volunteers Needed!
Solemn liturgy - 7:30 pm
Service includes washing of feet, stripping of the Altar, and Procession to the Altar of Repose.
Prayer Vigil - 9 pm-9 am (Chapel)
On Maundy Thursday, we hold an all-night prayer vigil in the Chapel, just as the disciples were instructed to do when Jesus went into the garden to pray. We take turns in hour-long shifts, from 9 pm to 9 am (April 2nd-3rd). To sign up for a shift, add your name to the spreadsheet here, sign up in person in the narthex, or contact one of our Vestry chaplains: Jesse Kadjo, Sarah Bakker Kellogg, or Lia Deihr.
Good Friday Contemplative Service: April 3rd
Three-hour service - 12 noon-3 pm
Holy Week for Children: April 3rd
Godly Play story - 4-5 pm
Good Friday: April 3rd
The Solemn Liturgy - 7:30 pm
Holy Saturday Service: April 4th
MorningService - 9:30 am
The Great Vigil of Easter: April 4th
The First Eucharist of the Resurrection - 8 pm
EASTER SUNDAY: April 5th
Sung Eucharist - 9 am and 11:15 am
An Easter egg hunt for children (5th grade and younger) will follow the 9 am service in the courtyard.
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.
HEALING PRAYER
Sometimes our hearts are weighed down with emotions for ourselves, someone we love or our hurting world. There is a sacred space in the back of the nave on the courtyard side where you can bring your concerns and prayers. Every Sunday during Holy Communion, two members of All Souls are available to offer prayers for healing and the optional anointing of oil. We can help to carry these burdens with you. Especially during this time of Lent, as we face into our brokenness, you are held in prayer on the journey.
CHILDREN & FAMILIES
Help Us Fill Easter Eggs!
It’s almost that time of year again! On Easter Sunday, we have an egg hunt for children between our 9 am and 11:15 am services. Please help us fill these eggs with goodies! Three easy steps:
1. Pick up some empty eggs in the narthex after church.
2. Take them home and fill them with candy, stickers, toys, etc.
3. Drop off the filled eggs in the narthex any Sunday, or during Holy Week.
(Bonus: Return any empty eggs you might have kept from last year!)
Contact Emily+ with questions. Thank you!
Stations of the Cross through Imaginative Prayer and Art!
As a way to sink deeper into the themes of Lent and Easter, we are excited to offer a special art series for older kids and middle schoolers (grades 3-8). Inspired by the book Station to Station: An Ignatian Journey through the Stations of the Cross and led by Molly Nicol and Brenna Hall, older kids are invited to engage in a journey of imaginative prayer and response to the Stations of the Cross throughout Lent.
We will gather together March 1, 8, 15 and 22 in the Youth Room during the 10:30 am service. (Come downstairs when the Sunday School kids follow the wooden cross). Together, we'll learn about the history of the Stations of the Cross, practice Ignatian imaginative prayer, keep a journal and create a response - either through visual art or writing. No RSVP needed; come when you can!
Feel free to email molly.joan.nicol@gmail.com with questions.
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
5th Annual Pilgrimage to Grace Cathedral on Sunday, April 26th
You are invited to join All Soulsians and people from across DioCal as we travel by train, foot, and ferry to Grace Cathedral. We'll depart All Souls at 1pm, take Bart to Oakland, cross the Bay on a ferry, and walk up the hill for dinner and evensong (6pm) at the Cathedral. We will return to All Souls by around 7:30pm. Sign up here by April 19th, or email Emily B.
This event is especially geared toward middle and high school youth, but all ages are welcome to join in! (Total walking is about 3-4 miles, including hills).
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:
March 22nd: Middle School Youth Group
March 29th: High School Small Group
April 5th: No Youth Group - Happy Easter!
To join the weekly youth mailing list, email Emily (emilyb@allsoulsparish.org).
Gather With Us
FRIENDS OF ALL SOULS - 3/22
Friends of All Souls (FOAS), our effort to encourage legacy and planned giving, is beginning its second year with an informal conversation on Sunday, March 22, in the Chapel after the 10:30 service. This gathering is for anyone who would like to learn more about legacy giving at All Souls. We’ll share a few stories about past gifts and the people who gave us such a rich legacy.
We’ll also talk about how the church receives and stewards legacy gifts and outline several ways people can include All Souls in their estate plans while also meeting their own financial goals.
If you’re interested in thinking about how a future gift to All Souls might fit into your plans, please join FOAS in the Chapel around 12:15 on March 22. All are welcome. If possible, please RSVP here so we can plan the space and light refreshments. We will have a paper sign-up sheet in the Narthex as well.
BEER GARDEN MEET UP - 3/26
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!
March location: Cellarmaker, 940 Parker Street, Berkeley
LENTEN FISH FRY - 3/27
Bring the whole family to our Fish Fry, which will be held on Friday, March 27th, from 6-8 pm outside in the courtyard. You won’t want to miss this fun evening with delicious food! The menu will include fried fish, coleslaw, potatoes, salad, bread, and dessert.
There is a suggested donation of $15 per person with a $50 maximum per family. Invite your friends and neighbors!
Please click here to RSVP by March 24th via Realm.
Note: We are still looking for more volunteers. Please contact Isaac Webb or Cathy Goshorn via email to help. (isaacbwebb@gmail.com and ogoshca@yahoo.com)
AGAPE MEAL ON MAUNDY THURSDAY- 4/2
Join us at 6 pm in the Parish Hall for our Agape Meal! This is no regular church potluck - it’s a full feast. The eating and fellowship is interspersed with song, chant, and prayer, creating a ritual-like atmosphere. This kid-friendly, family-style dinner grounds us in our remembering the last meal that Jesus shared with his friends, which we commemorate together right afterwards with the Maundy Thursday liturgy. The festive fellowship that we cultivate around tables and over food will stay with us, but will shift tenor as we move into the Nave for the solemn service.
There, as we listen to the story of Jesus and his disciples gathered together for the last time before his Passion, we are invited to embody the story ourselves - by doing as Jesus did and gently washing each other’s feet. Then, as we strip the altar bare at the conclusion of the liturgy and process to the Chapel, I am reminded why we begin the evening gathered around tables, sharing a meal together: This night can be hard. What it signifies is difficult. We are asked to stay, to remain with Christ through his agony in the garden, and to hold vigil with him until morning. But we do not do it alone. The Agape Meal at the start of the evening reminds us that we do this in community, with the support of one another. The food and fellowship that we enjoy as the dusk falls sustain us as we walk together toward all that the night will hold.
We invite you to take part in this sacred evening by contributing to our feast. It is a modified potluck; you’ll be assigned a dish to cook/bring (pasta salad, bread, kale salad), and we’ll provide a recipe– many hands, but a shared feast!
Please RSVP to attend the dinner here. There’s an option to indicate if you’re willing to contribute food, and if so, what you can bring. If you have questions about this event, please email Richard Lynch (rflynch@sbcglobal.net).
So come join us on this holy evening! Enjoy the meal, savor it; linger in the laughter and delight in the company you share it with. May it be the nourishment we need as we journey together through these sacred days and nights.
The Agape Meal is at 6 pm in the Parish Hall. The Maundy Thursday service (which is also live-streamed) begins at 7:30 pm in the Nave.
Peace,
Learn With Us
ADULT FORMATION
See the article above for upcoming classes.
CATECHUMENATE CLASSES
Interested in getting baptized, Confirmed, or Received into the Episcopal Church? Consider taking this six-week class during Lent. Even if you missed our first class (Feb. 22nd), you are still welcome to join. We'll introduce Episcopal theology, liturgy, the Book of Common Prayer, and more. Join us in the Common Room at 12:30 and bring 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!
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 and No Kings Day Protest Sign Making
Location: Jordan Court Community Room
Date and Time: March 22, 12 noon-2 pm
Contact persons: Martín Ortega martín-ortega@att.net or Jenkernesq@gmail.com
Event: Concord Immigration Court Vigil - See the article above
Location:1855 Gateway Blvd., Concord
Date and Time: Tuesday, March 24, 7:30-9:30 am
Contact person: Kaki Logan kaki.logan@gmail.com 510-367-9416
Event: No Kings Day Protests on March 28th - See the article above
Event: Letter writing on behalf of people in detention
Location: ASEP Common Room in the undercroft
Date and time: April 18th, 2-4 pm
Contact person: Pam Maffei pamelamaffei@icloud.com or 510-928-1056
Event: Weekly Interfaith 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, 7:30-9:30 am or 12-2 pm
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.
The Bay Area Chapter of Indivisible has vast listings of events and other ways to take action.
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.
The Multicultural Institute works with immigrant populations around employment issues. Consider this as a resource about donations, volunteer opportunities, and ways to hire immigrants.
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.
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!
Open Door Dinner makes a warm jambalaya meal on the second Sunday of every month for anyone who is hungry. Teams of All Soulsians and friends take turns cooking and delivering. Email Jennifer A. (akiyama.jennifer@gmail.com) if you’d like to help!
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
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.
Everything Else
Need an XL rug? We can help!
We have two lovely Persian rugs that we no longer need in our classrooms. They are free for the taking. They are both in the 10x12 range, in blues and reds, and in great condition. A thorough vacuuming will take care of the dust. If you would like to see them, contact Ann Myers annclairemyers@gmail.com for a viewing.
