The Pathfinder: March 26th, 2026
You Are Already Forgiven
When I first became a priest, I was reluctant to offer the Rite of Reconciliation. Reconciliation is our word, in the Episcopal tradition, for confession. It had always made me wary. One of the reasons I was first drawn to church, as a young adult, was that I found it to be a place of zero judgment.
A place where love and grace are the starting point, not something you earn through good behavior or by saying the right thing. Don’t we judge ourselves harshly enough already? Do we really need a rite whose purpose is to make us recite our wrongs?
I knew that my wariness was, in some sense, unfounded. I was reacting to a series of misconceptions about Reconciliation–misconceptions that I think many of us carry. In seminary, I’d learned about the theology behind Reconciliation in the Episcopal Church, and what I learned surprised me. In our tradition, Reconciliation isn’t about earning or re-earning God’s approval; we already have it. Forgiveness is always available, offered freely and endlessly by God. And the priest’s role in the rite isn’t to be a gatekeeper, granting or withholding absolution. We simply try our best to be a channel for healing and clarity.
Even knowing all this, I hesitated. I didn’t want to create a space where people might feel evaluated or ashamed. And I didn’t want to be seen, in any way, as a kind of authority figure who stands in the way of someone’s personal relationship with God.
Then Holy Week came around in my first year as a priest. I learned that we traditionally offer Reconciliation on Good Friday. Reluctantly, I agreed to give it a try.
For a couple hours on Good Friday morning, I met one-on-one with All Soulsians. We met in the Chapel, where the all-night prayer vigil had just ended and the air was still sweet from the flowers on the Altar of Repose. And one by one, people shared their sins. I like to describe “sin” as simply a state of separation: separation from your true self, from other people, or from God. People spoke of the ways they’ve strayed, or harmed others, or failed to live up to their own values and intentions. Promises broken. Outbursts of anger. Cycles of harsh self-critique. Turning to the same addictions, again and again, even when you know better now.
In the words people shared, I heard pain and distance, yes, but I also heard a yearning to return to connection. So together, we examined why we tend to fall into these patterns of separation—because there always is a reason. I’ve found that what we call “sin-ful” actions are usually a cry for connection or survival, or a reaction to loneliness and desperation and hurt. And often—almost always—the first step toward repair is a stance of curiosity, self-compassion, and gentleness. As each meeting drew to a close, I felt palpable relief and freedom–from the person beside me, and in myself. At the end of the rite, the priest says, “Go in peace, and pray for me, a sinner.” We all stray. We all long to return.
My experiences at All Souls transformed my understanding of Reconciliation. These days, it’s one of my favorite rites to offer and receive. Frederick Buechner once wrote, “What we hunger for more than anything else is to be known in our full humanness, and yet that is often just what we fear the most.” It seems to me that we spend much of our lives perched on that line between hungering and fearing, hiding and revealing. We go to great lengths to conceal the parts of ourselves that we feel are unacceptable, even as we long to be shown that we’re accepted. We want to lay bare what lies within us, even as we worry what will happen when we do.
I’ve come to see Reconciliation as an invitation to step right up to the line between hungering and fearing, and then step deliberately across it. It’s a chance to do what we find so hard to do: take the risk of speaking, and make our humanness known. We do this because a ritual—a rite in a Prayer Book, passed down through generations—tells us it’s possible and advisable, and gives us a form to follow. We name our wrongs directly and succinctly, in the company of people who’ve been doing this for centuries. And we do so in the comfort of a rite that promises we’re all, already, forgiven. There’s risk and discomfort, yes, but there’s also assurance. Absolution is right there, visible, on the very next page.
And that’s crucial. I’ve learned that reconciliation is never, ever about punishing. It’s about restoring relationship—or rather, letting us know that relationship has never been broken. There’s nowhere we can go nowhere where God is not. Sometimes, we need to be reminded of this truth directly and personally, by speaking whatever is weighing on us and hearing someone say, “You– yes, you specifically– are forgiven.”
So I invite you to consider Reconciliation this Holy Week. The common motto for the rite is "All may, some should, none must." In our Church, it isn’t required. It’s offered as an open invitation for those who feel called. Information shared in Reconciliation is kept in the strictest confidence. Clergy will never share what you’ve shared, or approach you about it later, unless you give direct permission. Both Phil+ and I will offer Reconciliation on Good Friday. Come by the Chapel between 10:00-11:00 a.m. (Emily) or 3:30-4:30 p.m. (Phil). You can simply drop in, or sign up for a 15-minute slot on the sheet near the door.
–Emily+
March Vestry
In the hour before last week’s Vestry meeting, Fr. Phil led an orientation to the parish’s budgetary/bookkeeping practices and documents for the incoming Vestry class. To begin the meeting proper, Sarah Bakker-Kellogg led us in reflection.
We listened to and sat with a recording of Saint Ephrem’s Rogation for Lent, a prayer sung in Classical Syriac. In reflection, we noted various consonances with our own traditions in the Episcopal Church. Saint Ephrem’s Rogation comes at the midpoint of Lent, which coincided with this meeting; as a body, we felt (gratefully) grounded or stabilized by engaging with this penitential sung prayer.
I would divide the business of the March meeting into three categories: reports and approvals; intention-setting; and a recommendation to the priesthood:
(1) Reports & approvals: The Vestry approved the minutes from our February meeting, and the treasurer’s report, budget, and balance sheets (parish-wide and for Living Waters) from January.
Fr. Phil gave two reports. First, on property: Upgrades on the organ nave chairs and altar are moving apace. The Property Team have received one bid from a landscaper and are awaiting a second; the Vestry will consider their proposal in April. As for our ongoing seismic upgrades: work on the Parish Hall is on track for completion on April 1st; the installation of new pillars in the Nave is scheduled to be finished mid-April; and we are checking on the footings in the preschool space to determine whether remediation is recommended.
Fr. Phil’s second report included reflections on the Parochial Report submitted to the diocese; some notes on Realm; a workshop he taught at a recent diocesan Leadership Day; and some potential tenants for the preschool space.
Finally, the Vestry moved to grant banking access to George McLaughlin as Treasurer, and to John Gearen as Senior Warden.
(2) Intention-setting: At our retreat in February, the Vestry spent considerable time thinking through three guiding questions set the previous year. We plan to spend roughly two Vestry meetings on each intention item. Junior Warden Molly Nicol led us in a reflection exercise in this regard, inviting us to report the questions and thoughts this element of life at All Souls raises for us, and to suggest any parishioners or ministry teams whom we might consult as we work through them. The three guiding questions are:
How do we want to be related to our neighbors?
How do we want to build kinship at All Souls?
What does it look like when we care for our core?
(3) Joyously, the Vestry moved to formally recommend Emily Hansen-Curran to the priesthood. After reviewing the Vocation Committee’s own recommendation, and hearing a report from Emily herself viva voce, we voted and celebrated with her and Vocation Committee Chair Marilyn Flood. As one Vestry member remarked, many of those in the room are All Soulsians because of Emily.
Sarah led us in a closing prayer before we adjourned, looking ahead to the Three Great Days of the Triduum.
–Lia Deihr
Help Folks Find Us!
Did you know that for many seekers, the journey to All Souls begins with an online search? You can help extend our hospitality by leaving a review on Yelp or Google. Whether you’re moved by serving in the Choir or volunteering for Open Door Dinner, your words help neighbors find their way to us.
A simple 5-star rating and a sentence or two about what you love here makes a world of difference for someone looking for a spiritual home. Sharing your experience is a powerful way to support our mission of welcome!
Share Your Story Here:
⭐ Search for "All Souls Episcopal Parish Berkeley" on Google to leave a review there!
With appreciation,
–The Staff
Tomorrow is Fish Fry Friday!
It's not too late to join in on the Fish Fry Fun! The event is March 27th, from 6-8 pm in the Courtyard. Click here to register or pay cash when you come! This will be a wonderful evening of food and fellowship! This is an event for everyone, so please invite your neighbors and friends along. Our goal is to raise $5,000 to support the Welcome and Kinship Ministries.
Our Mission: From Newcomers to Family
Hospitality is at the center of the Gospel, and at All Souls, we believe that no one should ever feel like a stranger. Our Welcome and Kinship Ministries exist to bridge the gap between "visiting" and "belonging":
The Welcome Team: We diligently work to host newcomer gatherings and provide 1-on-1 connections to help new folks get "plugged in" and find their place in our community.
The Kinship: We believe that deep, spiritual bonds are formed through shared life. We are committed to making our Annual Parish Retreat and our Big Sur Camping Trip financially accessible to all. The funds raised here will lower costs and provide scholarships for families and individuals who otherwise would not be able to attend.
Whether you come for the food or make a donation from afar, you are helping us ensure that cost is never a barrier to belonging.
The Menu
Crispy fried fish & golden potatoes
Fresh coleslaw & garden salad
Warm bread & delicious dessert
How to Participate
Suggested Donation: $15 per person (with a $50 maximum per family). All are welcome - donations not required to attend.
Tickets & RSVP: Please purchase your ticket here or pay at the event!
Can't make it? Please consider making a donation via Realm to help us reach our $5,000 goal.
Lend a Hand
Urgent need for more volunteers! We need about 5 more volunteers to help things run smoothly. Please contact Isaac Webb (isaacbwebb@gmail.com) or Cathy Goshorn (ogoshca@yahoo.com) to volunteer.
We can't wait to share this meal and the spirit of hospitality with you!
–The Welcome Team
Announcements & Events
Thursday 3/26 (TONIGHT)
5:30 pm, Reading Between the Lines Bible Study in the Common Room.
6-8 pm, Beer Garden Meet Up at Cellarmaker in Berkeley.
Friday 3/27
6-8 pm, Lenten Fish Fry in the Courtyard
Saturday 3/28
Various Times & Locations (see details below), No Kings Protests
Sunday 3/29
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.
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.
12:30 pm, Catechumenate Class in the Common Room.
7 pm, Youth Group (High School Small Group)
Tuesday 3/31
No Taize Service this week. Services resume next week at 8 pm and will run until May 19th.
Wednesday 4/1
9 am, Holy Eucharist in the Chapel. Please enter through the copper doors downstairs on Cedar Street.
Maundy Thursday 4/2
Please note: There will be no Bible Study group at 5:30 pm on this day. We will resume the following week.
6 pm, Agape Meal
7:30 pm, Solemn Liturgy with foot washing
9 pm-9 am (Overnight), Prayer Vigil in the Chapel
Give With Us
BYOF (BRING YOUR OWN FOLIAGE!)
This coming week (March 29th) is Palm Sunday. We’ll begin our services outdoors with a palm procession. If you’re able, please bring your own greenery: palms, olive branches, ferns, garden clippings… all foliage welcome! Consider bringing some to share, too. (We’ll have some traditional palms available if you aren’t able to bring your own).
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
Morning Service - 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. Please note: There will be no Taize service on 3/31.
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
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 29th: High School Small Group
April 5th: No Youth Group - Happy Easter!
To join the weekly youth mailing list, email Emily (emilyb@allsoulsparish.org).
Diocesan Confirmations & Receptions, May 2nd
Are you interested in being Confirmed and/or Received into the Episcopal Church? DioCal is offering a service at Grace Cathedral on Saturday, May 2nd at 10:00 a.m. Several All Soulsians are taking part, and we would love to help you discern whether this feels like the next step on your journey of faith. Email Emily+ for more information and to register (deadline is April 25th).
Gather With Us
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
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 12th 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).
CATECHUMENATE CLASSES
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: No Kings Day Protests on 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.
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
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!
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/
Event: Concord Immigration Court Vigil
Location:1855 Gateway Blvd., Concord
Date and Time: Fourth Tuesday of every month, 7:30-9:30 am
Contact person: Kaki Logan kaki.logan@gmail.com 510-367-9416
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.
