The Pathfinder: May 14th, 2026
Looking for Ways to Serve?
I was recently thinking about all the ways that we serve All Souls and each other. This verse came to mind: “Now there are varieties of gifts but the same Spirit, and there are varieties of services but the same Lord, and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone.
To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of powerful deeds, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits,…All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses. For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.” (1 Cor 12:4-12)
There are so many ways in which God invites us to care for our beloved church family. We take time in the fall to discern how we as individuals and as a collective will pledge to cover and go beyond the projected budget for the coming year. Each of us makes a promise to our church family to pitch in to cover the bills, support staff salaries, and continue to sustain our commitment to community organizations. While these financial commitments are vital to the thriving life at All Souls, how might we serve in other ways throughout the entire year?
What else do you offer in time, talents, and service? What gifts has God given you which you can share with All Souls? Where does your deep gladness meet the needs of our beloved community?
As you prayerfully ponder these questions, please consider the following ministries that could use your loving care.
Parish Life: This invaluable ministry organizes, prepares, and hosts cherished social gatherings throughout the year. We are in need of 4-5 people who enjoy party planning and creating a welcoming atmosphere for all people to gather. If you love Christmas parties, celebrating Christ’s Resurrection at the stroke of midnight on Easter or simply gathering to enjoy good food and conversation, Parish Life would love your generous contribution of creativity.
Communications: As you can probably imagine, there are countless paths of communication within and outward-facing at All Souls. Here are just a few of the ways your unique gifts could serve our community: photography, website maintenance, social media engagement, keeping website content current by sharing knowledge of the many ministries at All Souls, or helping shape our overall messaging so that All Souls is welcoming to all. There are many ways to contribute, and this vital ministry can benefit from whatever time, skills, and creativity you feel called to share. The more people involved, the stronger our outreach and connection will be.
Adult Formation: People who serve on this committee are teachers, authors, people who have worked in an undergraduate or graduate academic setting, and anyone who is passionate about how we learn together at All Souls. They review adult class proposals for each academic year and plan the calendar so it provides a wide variety of classes for our learning and growing together. Members of this ministry also review and plan the summer book groups we offer at All Souls. If you have ideas for potential classes or simply enjoy attending these Sunday morning learning opportunities, this may be the ministry where your gifts would be highly valued.
Sacristans: What is a Sacristan, you may ask? These are the wonderful people who work behind the scenes before every service to ensure all of the materials needed to adorn the space and distribute the sacraments are prepared and beautifully reflect the themes of the liturgical calendar. Sacristans meet every Saturday morning to iron linens, polish the silver, trim the candles, and help to organize the Sacristy. (the room behind the altar area in the Nave) We could use a few more Sacristans so there is more space in between times when members are scheduled to serve.
Arts at All Souls: We are blessed with an abundance of gifted artists at All Souls but could always use more creativity and passion to provide artistic connections to God’s presence within our worship spaces. This ministry helps organize the art installations throughout the liturgical year and schedules the work parties where one installation is taken down and the next one set up.
Open Door Dinner: If you enjoy directly serving anyone who is hungry, perhaps consider assisting with this ministry. ODD serves a hot meal on the second Sunday of every month. We can always use your service in setting up, cooking, serving, cleaning up, and delivering meals to places in the local area where people are experiencing homelessness.
If you feel called by God to serve in any of these areas, please email, call, text, or talk to any of the following Vestry members of All Souls on any Sunday. We look forward to getting you connected and widening our breadth of gifts at All Souls through service.
206.850.8886
925.788.0243
215.459.1195
–Erin Horne
Christian Theologies from Women’s Experience
We often hear about men’s experiences in the Bible, but less so about women. From May 17 to the 31st, we’ll explore theological and spiritual understandings from women with different lived experiences.
Each voice opens up an opportunity to examine the breadth of God’s relationship with contemporary women’s voices in similar and different ways.
As a seminarian, I remember learning how feminist theology came out of a particular standpoint, in that era typically from white women’s experience, and how it certainly didn’t speak for all women. This opened up a lifelong passion to listen and learn about others’ contexts and how they can create differing viewpoints.
On May 17th, we begin with Womanist theology, emerging from African American women’s experience. Our guest speaker will be Dr. Angela Lintz Small, a Ph.D. student at the Graduate Theological Union, draws on Valerie Miles-Tribble’s work emphasizing the role of social justice in faith-based leadership. Dr. Small also holds a Ph.D. in sociology, focusing on African American independent schools.
May 24th will feature Asian feminist theologies, with guest speaker Dr. Yanan Lu, who receives her Ph.D. from the GTU on May 21. Her dissertation is on ecclesiology from the perspectives of Chinese Christian women. Dr. Lu has been teaching at a seminary in Henan Province, in central China.
On May 31st, we will explore Mujerista theology and feminist theology from Caucasian women’s experiences. Special thanks to Gabriela Merayo, an Argentinian Anglican and feminist colleague for resources on Mujerista voices. We will conclude comparatively with these differing voices.
Everyone is welcome.
–The Rev. Dr. Paula Nesbitt
Friends of All Souls: A Second Year of Lasting Commitment
Nineteen households have now joined Friends of All Souls by including All Souls in their estate plans and letting us know about the legacy gift. Last Saturday, FOAS gathered for its second annual reception to celebrate those who have made this commitment to the future of our parish.
Seventeen people joined us for the occasion. The afternoon included a reflection on the importance of honoring the giver as much as honoring the gift. We shared the story of Georgiana Davidson, a former parishioner who moved from Berkeley around 2000 and from whose estate All Souls received a generous $30,000 gift in 2024. We were, and are, grateful for her generosity, but found ourselves unable to fully recognize her. No one in the parish could recall her, and All Souls had no record of her connection to the community. Some detective work turned up that she had been a professor and administrator at Cal with a deep interest in religious history — especially popular piety in Italy during the Counter Reformation. We know we missed much of the fullness of her life and her place in this community's story.
Her story points to something we want to do better. All Souls also occasionally receives stock gifts that arrive in our brokerage account with no clear identification of the donor — leaving us guessing at the source and unable to offer thanks.
We want to honor the gift and the giver. To that end, FOAS has introduced a planned giving packet for those who have included All Souls in their estate plans. The packet includes a data sheet describing the structure of the gift (but not the amount), so a future stewardship team can identify and acknowledge it properly. It also contains a reminder sheet for a trustee or executor, noting that the estate plan includes a gift to All Souls, with a request to notify the parish of the donor's death and whether a funeral or memorial plan is on file.
The heart of the packet, though, is an invitation to create a Legacy Portrait — a personal reflection of five to seven paragraphs guided by prompts about how and why the giver came to All Souls, what has mattered to the giver here, and how the giver may have experienced God in this community. These portraits will be kept on file and used, after a donor's death, to fully and accurately honor their gift and their story.
If you have made the decision to include All Souls in your estate plan and haven't yet connected with FOAS, we would be glad to get you a gift packet — and to make sure you receive an invitation to our third annual reception next spring.
–Richard Lynch on behalf of Friends of All Souls
Support an Immigrant neighbor
ASEP has three communities forming around the support of people at risk because of their immigration status. Each team is open to all, even as a core community is forming for each.
Each team is supported by the Justice and Peace Ministry and our “sister” organization, IM4HI.
1. Letter-Writing
Pam Maffei and Cindy Townsend lead our monthly letter-writing to people in California immigration detention centers. Contact them if you would like to write a letter to a detainee.
2. Concord Court Vigils
The Rev. Dr. Ruth Meyers and Kaki Logan lead the Concord Court Vigils at 7:30 am on the 4th Tuesday of each month. These contemplative times of prayer, singing, and a brief liturgy, with encouraging signs held high, are a much-appreciated support to the people coming to their immigration hearings. All immigration hearings in the Bay Area are now held in Concord, with the San Francisco court having closed. Come join us just once, or make it a consistent part of your spiritual discipline. Contact Ruth Meyer or Kaki Logan if you would like to attend a vigil. Bring a friend. We will help you find a carpool.
3. Accompaniment
Toni Martinez-Borgfeldt leads our Accompaniment team, forming in support of a Salvadoran woman newly arrived in Richmond. IM4HI provides training and support as this team of 5 to 8 people walks alongside her for 6 months. We will listen, learn, and offer support with the intent of helping her develop self-sufficiency. Our congregation will be kept apprised of the relationship and may be sought to offer various supports or resources over time. Please contact Toni if you are interested in receiving the training to discern if this is a ministry for you.
Thank you,
–The Justice and Peace Team
Adult Formation Series on Immigration
If you missed the Adult Formation series on Immigration that was held over the course of three Sundays in April, we’ve attached some of the slides. Click here to hear the audio from each class and to see the full slide presentation from each of the three classes.
April 12th: Detention
Detention Budget 2025: $45 billion
April 19th: Noncooperation
Loss of Democracy has been stopped with strong civil resistance in 51% of cases. If stopped, 54% of these pivot to being more democratic than previously.
April 26th: Accompaniment
ASEP assists one person for 6 months. The goal is self-sufficiency.
If you have any follow-up questions on this adult formation class, see Kaki Logan. Thank you to all who were able to attend.
–The Justice and Peace Team
Announcements & Events
Thursday (TONIGHT)
5:30 pm, Reading Between the Lines Bible Study in the Chapel*.
*Location has changed to accommodate the film screening tonight.
6:30 pm, Building Interfaith Bridges Film Screening of Live and Become in the Community Room. The film will start at 7 pm
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 Parish Hall 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 (High School Small Group)
Tuesday
Taize Service at 8 pm in the Chapel. Next Tuesday, May 19th, will be the last service in this Spring series.
Wednesday
9 am, Holy Eucharist in the Chapel. Please enter through the copper doors downstairs on Cedar Street.
Gather With Us
BUILDING INTERFAITH BRIDGES MOVIE NIGHT - TONIGHT, 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 to escape famine and 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
Questions? Email Paul pmathew1000@gmail.com.
BEING WITH GROUPS
You are invited to join our very first Being With small group. Being With is for anyone 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.
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 .
BEER GARDEN MEET UP - May 28th at 6 pm
Join other All Soulsians to connect at a local beer garden - for a drink, a bite, a chat, a game, etc. Drop by for as long as you are able. This is an all-ages, intergenerational event. See you there!
May location: Fieldwork, 1160 6th St, Berkeley
RACIAL JUSTICE MOVIE NIGHT - May 29th
The Racial Justice Committee invites everyone to a film screening of “Crash” (2004) a crime drama directed by Paul Haggis that explores racial and social tensions in Los Angeles through a series of interconnected stories involving diverse characters over a 36-hour period. The characters’ lives intersect in unexpected ways, revealing prejudices and biases. The film won three Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and is known for its complex, interwoven narrative and exploration of racism, class, and human connection.
Date: Friday, May 29
Location: Common Room
6:30 pm: Noshing. Please bring snacks And drinks to share
7 pm: Movie starts
After the movie we will have a small discussion. Everyone is welcome!
PARISH PICNIC - June 21st
Just after the 10:30 am 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!
Christian Theologies from Women’s Experience
We often hear about men’s experiences in the Bible, but less so about women. From May 17 to the 31st, we’ll explore theological and spiritual understandings from women with different lived experiences. Each voice opens up an opportunity to examine the breadth of God’s relationship with contemporary women’s voices in similar and different ways.
Please join us at 9:15 am in the Parish Hall on May 17, 24, and 31st for conversations with Rev. Dr. Paula Nesbitt and her guests, Dr. Angela Lintz Small and Dr. Yanan Lu. For full details on this series, see the article above.
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!
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 B+ (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 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).
