The Pathfinder: May 7th, 2026
Worth the Wait
Like many Christian congregations in the United States, the late 1940s and early 1950s were a time of great growth and transition for All Souls Parish. As the post-World War II boom was in full swing, demographically and economically, All Souls decided to fundamentally change the campus.
The old wooden chapel, found to be full of termites, was torn down, the Parish Hall reduced by roughly a quarter, and the hillside along Cedar Street was dug out. Future editions of the Pathfinder can explore the effects of these many changes, but I’d like to focus on one of the creations of that building project: the Chapel of the Nativity.
Built to house smaller services, the prominent visual feature of the Chapel is the only surviving stained-glass window from the previous chapel on the corner of Cedar and Spruce, a depiction of the Holy Family. Traveling to this new Chapel of the Nativity with the stained-glass window was the large altar from the previous chapel. Built for a much larger space and designed for different way of celebrating the Eucharist (with the presider facing liturgical east, the same direction as the rest of the congregation), last year we gifted that altar to our former seminarian Michael Drell and it now resides with him outside of Washington DC.
For the last year and a half two All Soulsians have been working on an altar that will better fit the space in the Chapel of the Nativity. Caitlin Lempres Brostrom, graciously and thoughtfully designed the altar, and then Dean Williamson generously and skillfully crafted it. (in the interim, a sturdy plastic folding table had the time of its life as our altar for several months)
Made from mahogany, the same wood of the two prie dieu on either side of the altar, as well as the small votive altar in the chapel, the design of this new altar is both simple and elegant. It echoes some of the form of the pieces around it, while also clearly existing as an altar, a table for made for a holy meal. Designed specifically for this chapel, and in conversation with it, our new altar fits stunningly well. (in a marriage of function with form, it also has a very convenient shelf within it to store missal stands, altar cloths and candles)
On Wednesday of Holy Week, at the 9 o’clock Eucharist, we blessed the altar for its first use of hopefully thousands more to come. One of the prayers from our 1979 Book of Common Prayer was particularly resonant, “We give you thanks, O God, for the gifts of your people, and for the work of many hands, which have beautified this place and furnished it for the celebration of your holy mysteries. Accept and bless all we have done, and grant in these earthly things we may behold the order and beauty of things heavenly; for Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.”
A seminarian from nearly a decade ago, Aaron Klinefelter, once referred to All Souls as, “a maker church.“ By that he meant that we were a parish that has people who are artists and artisans, and who find great meaning and purpose in creating the art and the sacred objects of this congregation. Aaron was spot on, and in the time that I have served as your Rector I have become deeply grateful for this characteristic, and for the generosity and generativity that emanates from it. You can see that charism in our Paschal candles, the ways our children reflect on Scripture, and in our seasonal art.
May this altar be an emblem of that charism as it serves as the locus for life-giving feasts for generations to come.
Peace,
–Phil+
Organ Update
Since our last update, significant progress has been made on multiple fronts of the organ restoration and expansion project. Much of this work has taken place behind the scenes, but it represents major steps toward bringing the full instrument to life.
One of the largest recent efforts has been the completion of nine new stops for the enclosed division. Each rank of pipes has undergone cleaning, repair, rescaling (change in length/diameter), revoicing (change in how the pipe produces sound), and reracking. These processes ensure that the pipes not only function reliably but also contribute musically with clarity, balance, and character. In addition, three existing stops within the enclosed division have been repositioned on the windchests. This adjustment allows for greater tonal flexibility, improving the organ’s ability to support a wide range of repertoire and liturgical needs.
Work has also progressed on the organ console and control system. The console (see picture) has been constructed from four pews that were previously part of the church, as well as wood reclaimed from several disposed Bay Area organs. The stop jambs incorporate recycled components from the former console of St. Ignatius in San Francisco, blending history with new purpose. The keyboards, originally from St. Maria Goretti Church in Scottsdale, Arizona, have been rebuilt and are ready for installation in the near future.
In the side chapel, the new enclosed division is beginning to take shape. A steel frame has been installed to support the expanded instrument, and the windchests are now in place. Before the pipes can be installed, the next step is constructing the swell box. The swell box is the enclosure that allows the organist to have dynamic control over the instrument’s volume by means of a foot pedal. The previous instrument lacked this feature and, once completed, it will provide the new instrument with the capability of much more expressive playing and accompaniment.
–Daniel Gonzalez
Women in Early All Souls’ Years
As the Archivists continue to sort and catalogue the materials of the parish, they have unearthed fascinating stories, including the roles of women in leadership at All Souls at the early years of the congregation.
The following article was written by Marilyn Flood, a member of the Archive Task Force.
In March 1926, the 20-year old All Souls congregation elected its first Vestry as part of transitioning to full-fledged parish status within the diocese. Up to this time, All Souls had been represented on the St. Mark's Parish Vestry, which handled all financial and property affairs for the Berkeley congregations comprising the Parish under Rector Edward Lambe Parson's Municipal Plan.
In this pre-1926 arrangement, each of the constituent congregations had a church Board that managed/coordinated non-Vestry activities and functions. All Souls, in contrast to all other St. Mark's congregations, included women on its church Board.
When All Souls became a parish (independent of St. Mark's) in 1926, and had to elect its own Vestry, it was solely male as mandated by diocesan and national church policy. This left the status of other church leadership undefined.
In late 1928, the Vestry prompted the formation of a committee to identify ways and means to approach the problem of reducing parish financial indebtedness. The January 1929 Annual Meeting attendees elected a group of 8 men and 7 women to tackle this problem.
Then in early 1929, the Rector appointed a Parish Council, with representatives of all the activity groups within the parish (Altar Guild, Boy Scouts, Choir, Church School Service League, Daughters of the King, Girls Friendly Society, St. Agnes Guild, Servers Guild, Vestry, Womens Auxilliary, Womens Guild, Young Peoples Guild) with a preponderance of women members.
In 1930, with a worsening economic environment, the shortfall in 1929 pledge fulfillment and reduced pledges for the 1930 year, the Vestry decided to invite the Parish Council to meet jointly quarterly in order to deal with the parish's serious challenges.
This four-year All Souls evolution from pre-parish structure to joint meeting of Vestry and Parish Council preserved the mandated male composition of the Vestry while explicitly continuing the practice of including women in congregational leadership.
–Marilyn Flood
Confirmation, Reception, and Reaffirmation
Last weekend, some of our community traveled to Grace Cathedral for the annual service of Confirmation, Reception, and Reaffirmation. Two All Soulsians were among the more than sixty candidates from around the Diocese.
Vicki Carlton was received, and Maggie Cooke reaffirmed her faith. Congratulations to them! It was a truly joyful, moving day.
The next diocesan Confirmation service will be in May 2027. If you are interested in being confirmed, received, or reaffirming your faith, we would love to accompany you on this journey. We encourage adult parishioners to take our catechumenate class next Lent for preparation. Emily+ will be offering a confirmation class to high schoolers beginning this fall. Feel free to reach out to any of the staff to begin this conversation.
Peace,
–The Rev. Emily Boring
Announcements & Events
Thursday (TONIGHT)
5:30 pm, Reading Between the Lines Bible Study in the Common Room.
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 classes in the Chapel and 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.
7 pm, Youth Group (Middle School Small Group)
Tuesday
Taize Service at 8 pm in the Chapel. These Spring services will run until May 19th.
Wednesday
9 am, Holy Eucharist in the Chapel. Please enter through the copper doors downstairs on Cedar Street.
MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR KATE MURPHY - MAY 14th
It is with heavy hearts that we share that Kate Murphy, beloved of St. Aidan's, San Francisco, All Souls, Berkeley, and Christ Church, Alameda, died on Tuesday of this week. Kate and her wife Angela were stalwarts of our early service and bible study for many years. A Service of the Resurrection will be held at Christ Church, Alameda on May 14th at 2:30 pm. May she rest in peace and rise in glory.
Gather With Us
BUILDING INTERFAITH BRIDGES MOVIE NIGHT - May 14th
The All Souls Parish Building Interfaith Bridges team is hosting a movie night on May 14th, showing "Live and Become" - a 2005 French film about an Ethiopian Christian boy who is infiltrated among Ethiopian Jews in order to escape famine and to emigrate to Israel. The film tells of his growing up in Israel and how he deals with the secrets he carries: not being Jewish and having left his birth mother.
Date: Thursday, May 14, 2026
Location: The event will be in the Common Room (basement level) of All Souls. Enter via the Lower level doors on Cedar Street.
6:30 pm: Gather - please bring a snack to share.
7 pm: Movie
9:10 pm: (Optional) Small group reflection and discussion
9:30 pm: Adjourn
To help with planning, please RSVP pmathew1000@gmail.com.
BEING WITH GROUPS
You are invited to join our very first Being With small group. Being With is for anyone who’s curious about faith or wondering if Christianity has something meaningful to offer them. In this 10-week small group, we seek out the sacred simply by paying attention to our lives — and the lives of those around us. The class meets at 5 pm in the Common Room starting May 17th. Questions? Click here to email Mother Rachel.
What happens during Being With?
Every 90-minute group begins with a question. For example, I wonder where in your life you find the most meaning? Then we listen to a brief teaching and move on to a group conversation. Participants are encouraged to listen to and openly receive what each person shares. Together, we’ll come to see how our stories are interconnected.
Our pilot Being With group will begin on May 17th, 2026. Groups are kept to 12 people. To inquire about joining, email Mother Rachel at rachel@allsoulsparish.org .
PARISH PICNIC - June 21st
Just after the 10:30a service, we’ll all head up to Tilden Park for a church potluck and picnic! We’ll have a BBQ fired up with burgers and hot dogs, and maybe even play a favorite pastime of ours: a corn hole tournament. If you can help out with the picnic, please see Jeannie Koops. No RSVP necessary.
ALL SOULS PARISH ANNUAL CAMPING TRIP - July 17th–19th
Registration is now open! Join us for a weekend of togetherness at our private spot on the river behind the Big Sur River Inn. Whether you want to float downstream, let the kids splash in the swimming hole, or chat under the stars, it’s a sweet time for all.
Where? Santa Lucia Campground, Big Sur
Everyone is welcome: Invite a friend and get your tent ready!
Early Bird Option: Limited spots are available to arrive one day early (July 16th).
Sign Up:Click here to register on REALM or on the sheet in the narthex.
Volunteer: We need help with campfires and activities! Click here to email Mother Rachel and to lend a hand.
Learn With Us
ADULT FORMATION
Belonging at All Souls: Newcomer & Membership Class
Are you new to All Souls or looking to deepen your commitment to this community? Join us for a four-week journey exploring our worship, our shared life, and what it means to call this parish home. The class meets Sundays in May (3, 10, 17, and 24th) from 9:15–10:15 AM in the Chapel. No RSVP required—all are welcome!
Isaiah Project Class
Join us THIS SUNDAY, May 10th, at 9:15 am in the Common Room as the Isaiah Project team will update us on the work of Youth Spirit Artworks, one of our grant recipients. It is the hope of the Isaiah Project that, in addition to disbursing the grant funds, the All Souls congregation can find ways to be in relationship with the grantee organizations. The Adult Formation sessions on May 3 (Elizabeth House) and May 10 offer an opportunity to be in conversation with two of the organizations, to learn more about their work, and to better understand the ongoing challenges they face.
YSA was founded in 2007, as a response to the enormous employment challenges of unhoused and low-income youth. Young people, especially people of color, facing housing instability have overwhelmingly experienced abuse and neglect, mental and physical health struggles, and lack of access to public resources. YSA works with transitional age youth by providing art training, job training, leadership training, academic aid, wellness support, and housing support, including the building of Tiny Homes.
https://youthspiritartworks.org
Please join us on May 10 for conversation with the leadership of this remarkable organization.
COMING UP IN ADULT FORMATION
Summer Book Groups 2026
The Adult Formation Committee is happy to announce the schedule for our summer book groups this year. We will send more information as the time draws nearer, but wanted to get this information out now so that you can start reading. For now just a few short teasers! Any questions, please contact Anne Yardley at ayardley@drew.edu.
June 14, 21, and 28
Jack Shoemaker will lead a discussion of Elaine Pagels' book Miracles and Wonder: The Historical Mystery of Jesus. As the description of her book says, in this book Pagels “sets out to discover how a poor young Jewish man inspired a religion that shaped the world.”
July 12, 19, and 26
Mark Richardson and Anne Yardley will lead a discussion of Angela Buchdahl's book Heart of a Stranger. “From the first Asian American to be ordained as a rabbi, a stirring account of one woman’s journey from feeling like an outsider to becoming one of the most admired religious leaders in the world.”
August 2, 9, and 16
Jane Vandenburgh and Jenny Kern will lead a discussion of Glenn Jordan and Pádraig Ó Tuam's book Borders and Belonging: The Book of Ruth: A Story for our Times. “A leading poet and a theologian reflect on the Old Testament story of Ruth, a tale that resonates deeply in today's world with its themes of migration, the stranger, mixed cultures and religions, law and leadership, women in public life, kindness, generosity and fear.”
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
For more information and/or to send prospective calendar items, email Jenny Kern at Jenkernesq@gmail.com.
IMMIGRATION
Event: Concord Immigration Court Vigil
Location:1855 Gateway Blvd.Concord
Date and Time: Last Tuesday of the month from 7:30-9:30am
Contact: Kaki Logan kaki.logan@gmail.com 510-367-9416
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 for the Good Shepherd Food Pantry. 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.
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
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:
May 10 - Middle School Small Group
May 17 - High School Small Group
May 24 - Final Youth Group of 2025-26 (All Grades)
To join the weekly youth mailing list, email Emily B+ (emilyb@allsoulsparish.org).
