The Pathfinder: June 18th, 2026
Ancient Truths, New Words
This past Sunday, as I presided at the 10:30am service, I chanted the wrong words at the Sursum Corda for the first time in my 23 years of ordination. It wasn’t because I had forgotten the words, it was because they had changed. (Truth be told, I was the one who had changed them.)
For the first part of the roughly six month season after Pentecost, we have been using a Eucharistic liturgy from the Anglican Church in New Zealand, and the words that start the Sursum Corda are just different enough from the words that I’ve been used to in the 1979 Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church for decades that I misread them. And as we went through the service, I heard that I wasn’t the only one occasionally tripped up by unfamiliar words.
Over time, while I love to lean into the familiarity of not needing a book or a bulletin because the words have worn grooves in my body, I also have found it important to find new ways or approaches to speak of our salvation.
For many years now at All Souls, we have prayed about Mysteries of God using a variety of different forms, according to the seasons of the church calendar. And each time we have done so with the permission of our bishop, as they serve as a touchstone with the wider church and an icon of the unity that we are all supposed to practice. Often, we draw prayers from the four Eucharistic Prayers in the Episcopal 1979 BCP, sometimes from the three prayers that are part of the Episcopal Church’s Enriching Our Worship texts, and at other times from other provinces across the Anglican Communion.
We are incredibly fortunate to be part of a global church. Ours is not simply a tradition that has found roots in the United States––we are part of the body that exists on every continent. And because context and culture can play a significant role in how the Good News of Jesus Christ is received and lived, I have found it really enlivening to pray with words and forms from around our Communion.
Each of these liturgies has a basic form: gather in the name of God, orient our prayer towards the season, read from scripture, respond to it, name the essential truths of our faith, pray for ourselves and our world, confess our sins and receive God’s absolution, share in the Peace of Christ, tell the story of salvation, remember Jesus’ words and action, ask the Holy Spirit to be present, share the meal, and be sent back into the world.
And yet, seen through the prism of that particular people and place, the story of our Christian faith takes on a slightly different and particular flavor. It’s that particularity that has brought renewed focus to our common worship––a Eucharistic prayer in Advent with children asking the essential questions of the faith from a liturgy from the Church of England, or that powerful prayer from Southern Africa in Lent that brings us to the foot of the cross, or a liturgy that is grounded in creation from the Church of South India during Creationtide.
Yes, occasionally we will stumble because the Peace is proclaimed in different words. Or the blessing will invoke Abba, Servant, and Paraclete, ways of knowing God that might be new to us. But my hope is that as we enter more deeply week by week into these prayers, these words will help us to discover the Divine anew and trust these ancient truths once again.
Peace,
-Phil+
Affirmed & Celebrated: Penny’s Story
Young, Queer, and Faithful: My experience with faith has been a little different than that of most of the religious youth and adults that I know. I did not grow up in a church; in fact, I tried to distance myself from religion and all things God-related for many years.
I thought that most, if not all, Christians were a bunch of mean, exclusive, stuck-up people because so much of what I was hearing in the news was about their hatred toward the LGBTQIA+ community. I remember sitting in the car when my mom brought up the idea of trying out a few churches, namely All Souls. I vehemently opposed this idea for fear that I would be tossed out and humiliated for who I was.
When I first started attending All Souls, it only took me a few weeks to realize that I had been truly wrong and that Christians could actually be kind and accepting—and also queer. Who knew? Through a series of small moments, I eventually came to understand this, and that led to my feeling accepted and appreciated by the church. One of those moments came when I realized that we had not one, but two gay priests and a couple of gay seminarians. No one in the congregation seemed to mind, so I knew they wouldn’t mind the fact that I was queer. Another of those moments, and possibly the more meaningful one, was when I realized that every time I corrected a priest on my pronouns, they respected them without question.
That part of my identity has always been more sensitive, and I think that was why I was so afraid to start going to church. I, like many other genderqueer people, have struggled to figure out who I am, and I was worried that going to church would undo much of the progress I had made in accepting myself. In some ways, knowing who I was and accepting myself almost made it harder for me to open up at church. I didn’t want to be told that I was wrong about myself. I didn’t want to hear any more of the toxic messages spread by many other denominations, so I tried to hide myself. I only shook hands with a few people during the Peace, and I didn’t start receiving Communion until a little over a year ago.
Now, however, I feel truly accepted and, most of all, safe. In a world where my generation is called upon to fix all our problems while also being told that we’re coddled and need to toughen up, it is so powerful to see a community of people dedicated to spreading love and kindness. I have made so many good, hopefully lifelong, friends at this church. I have been made to feel like I belong and that I can be loved for who I am, not for who others want me to be. I still have to deal with hate from others who believe differently, but knowing that I have a church to go back to every Sunday that won’t make me feel excluded makes it so much easier. I know I don’t have to hide any part of who I am in this parish, and I will always be grateful for that.
Religion has given me a source of comfort that I didn’t know I needed. It has given me tools to navigate hard conversations with others and has given me a measure of compassion that I didn’t have before.
I really have made quite the 180 over these past four years, and I am so thankful that this church community allowed me to do that. It’s not every day that a teen feels fully respected, especially in a room full of adults. I haven’t once been told that it’s my job to save the world by a single person in this parish. Instead, I have been supported in my goals and ideas for making the world safer. This past Sunday was particularly meaningful to me. Seeing all the parishioners arrive in their rainbows and colorful clothes, seeing the pride flags among the flowers, and hearing the Collect for Pride made me so immensely happy. I don’t think I’ve grinned this much in quite a long time.
So thank you, so very much, to all my friends in this church, and to Emily+ and Phil+ for supporting me in my journey with faith. And to my parents, especially my mom, for bringing me to this church even though I so deeply opposed the idea. And thank you to all the parishioners who, through your small actions and words of kindness, have made me feel so accepted.
–Penny Armstrong
Elizabeth House Faces New Challenge
Elizabeth House, one of our Isaiah Project grantees, is facing a serious challenge. We are publishing this news in The Pathfinder in the hope that there may be All Souls parishioners who have information or contacts that may be helpful.
Elizabeth House, founded in North Oakland in 1991, is a small organization, but it makes a tremendous impact on the people it serves – women and children (primarily people of color) who have been living unhoused and in extreme poverty – by providing transitional housing. Ninety percent of the women who come to Elizabeth House were homeless for between 1 ½ and 5 years. All have experienced domestic violence, addiction, or extreme poverty. Families live at the house for an average of 18 months, but can stay up to two years. Approximately 80% of the women who have stayed at Elizabeth House go on to find safe, permanent housing and obtain employment.
Although Elizabeth House is an independent nonprofit, it was founded with assistance from St. Augustine’s Catholic Church in the Rockridge District of Oakland. The actual house that the Elizabeth House community resides in on Colby Street is, in fact, a building owned by St. Augustine’s.
As some of you may know, the Catholic Diocese of Oakland is currently in a Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceeding due to the numerous child sex abuse lawsuits brought against the Diocese. The filing of the Chapter 11 petition temporarily halted the lawsuits and provided time for the negotiation of a comprehensive settlement between the Diocese and the sex abuse survivors. In December, the Diocese and its insurance carriers offered to resolve the claims with a payment of approximately $242 million over a five-year period. The survivors have not fully accepted this proposal, and negotiations continue over both the dollar amount and the length of the payout.
The Diocese has announced that, under any settlement, it will need to close several parishes and sell their property. One of the parishes slated for closure is St. Augustine’s. Although Elizabeth House is independent of St. Augustine’s (and the Diocese), the house itself will need to be sold since it is the property of St. Augustine’s. The Elizabeth House leadership and board are interested in purchasing the property and continuing their work there if the funds can be raised and Bankruptcy Court approval obtained.
It would indeed be tragic if Elizabeth House, which was founded under the principles of the Catholic Worker movement and does so much to provide hope and nurturing to women and children, were itself another victim of this terrible legacy of child sex abuse.
Elizabeth House’s urgent need in the interim is twofold. First, they need to find a good bankruptcy lawyer who can advise and represent them in the ongoing Chapter 11 process. Second, they would like to make contact with elected officials at the City of Oakland and Alameda County, as well as Rep. Lateefah Simon’s office and the offices of Senator Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff. It occurs to us that local media contacts could also be useful.
If any member of All Souls has information or contacts that could be responsive to these requests, please contact our Junior Warden, Molly Nicol, at molly.joan.nicol@gmail.com. Elizabeth House and the Isaiah Project team would greatly appreciate any leads that might be helpful.
–—Lewis Maldonado
Summer Choir Starts This Sunday!
Summer is a great time to add your voice to the choir: we focus on music that may be familiar to you from previous involvement with choirs, or that is approachable enough to put together in a 45 minute rehearsal before church.
Our Summer Choir meets Sunday mornings at 9:30 am to run through the music for the 10:30 am service. (No midweek rehearsals!)
Come for one Sunday, or a bunch of Sundays - this is truly a pick-up group. Members of our year-round choir will be there too, so everyone can feel supported.
Hope to see you around the piano!
-Matt Wolka, Associate for Music
All Souls Parish Retreat: September 18th–20th, 2026
Please mark your calendars and save the date for the annual All Souls Parish retreat! Every September, our parish community heads to The Bishop’s Ranch—a lovely retreat center located in Healdsburg—to relax, connect, and engage in meaningful fellowship.
The Bishop’s Ranch offers something for everyone. You can join the traditional group bike ride, relax by the pool, hang out on the lawn, or get creative in the well-stocked art casita. Whatever your pace, you are sure to find renewal in this beautiful space.
Keep an eye out in the coming weeks for registration to officially open!
-Mother Rachel
Announcements & Events
Thursday (TONIGHT)
5:30 pm, Reading Between the Lines Bible Study in the Common Room.
6 pm, Beer Garden Meet Up at Headlands, 1280 Gilman St, Berkeley.
Saturday
11 am, Juneteenth Service in the Nave.
12 noon, Juneteenth potluck in the Parish Hall.
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 Common Room.
10:30 am, Sung Eucharist in the Nave. Join us via livestream here.
12 noon, Parish Picnic at the Padre Picnic area of Tilden Park.
Wednesday
9 am, Holy Eucharist in the Chapel. Please enter through the copper doors downstairs on Cedar Street.
Special Request from our Justice and Peace Ministry Team:
Please take three minutes to help. You can make a difference!
Please add your name to this petition to strengthen our work at the immigration Court in
Concord where building security illegally prohibits us from talking with the immigrants coming for their hearings. Our goal is 5,000 signatures by next week. Please forward the link to 10 people and ask them to forward it.
Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity is working with attorneys and vigil volunteers to prepare for a meeting with building management. We need the strong support of the community to take with us.
We hear the courtrooms in Concord are “chaos” with people being herded through without
representation in an attempt to deport as many as possible as quickly as possible.
Thank you very much from the All Souls Concord Vigil participants and those who must appear at the courts there! Contact Kaki Logan with questions.
Gather With Us
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. (Click here to sign up for the Potluck) . It will take place at the usual spot- the Padre picnic area in Tilden Park.
Things to Note & How You Can Help
To make this day a success, we are looking for volunteers to help with the following:
Activities: Planning games and activities for the littles.
Setup & Grilling: Arriving a little early to help set up, or heading over directly after church to help grill.
The Potluck: Bringing a side dish to share! (Click here to Sign up)
Cleanup: Helping pack everything up, load it back to the church, and leave the space tidy.
The bottom line: COME! It’s incredibly fun and a great way to move deeper into conversation and community. BRING FOOD! It’s a potluck, so it is truly what we make of it. And HELP OUT if you are able! See you there!
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.
BEING WITH GROUPS
Note: There will be no meetings held on Sundays, June 21st and June 28th. We will resume on Sunday, July 5th.
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.
What happens during Being With?
Every 90-minute group, 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 began on May 17th, 2026. Groups are kept to 12 people. The class meets at 5 pm in the Common Room. Questions? Click here to email Mother Rachel.
Learn With Us
ADULT FORMATION
Summer Book Group - June 14, 21 & 28
Join Jack Shoemaker in June as he leads a discussion of Elaine Pagels’ book Miracles and Wonder: The Historical Mystery of Jesus. As the description of her book says, Pagels “sets out to discover how a poor young Jewish man inspired a religion that shaped the world.” She explores her most ambitious subject, the life of Jesus himself. The book is a historical mystery with each chapter addressing a fascinating question. Why a virgin birth? What did it mean for him to rise from the dead? Did miracles really happen? We will roughly follow this outline:
June 14: Intro, Chapters 1-2
June 21: Chapters 3-4
June 28: Chapters 5-7 and Conclusion
Classes meet in the Common Room at 9:15 am. If you have to miss a class, feel free to attend the others.
COMING UP IN ADULT FORMATION
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 Tuama'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.”
Any questions, please contact Anne Yardley at ayardley@drew.edu.
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
DIOCESAN JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION - June 20th
Bring your friends on Saturday, June 20, at 11 AM, when All Souls will hold the official Diocese of California Juneteenth Celebration. Hosted by the Afro Anglican Commission, Union of Black Episcopalians, and All Souls, Berkeley.
Featuring: The Rev. Canon J. Sierra Reyes, Celebrant, and the Rev. Erika L Jackson-Esseim, Preacher.
It is a huge honor for All Souls, and a beautiful opportunity for us to open our doors and welcome a wider diocesan family into our space for worship, reflection, and celebration. Please consider bringing food to share for our potluck reception afterward. And, contact Mother Rachel if you would like to serve in the liturgy.
TAIZE TUESDAYS
These services will be on hiatus during the summer months. Check back in the Fall for information on a potential new series of services.
CHILDREN & FAMILIES
Sunday School (for kids pre-K through 5th grade) is currently on hiatus for the summer. Typically, we gather weekly during the 10:30 am 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.” Check back in the Fall for futher information or email Emily B+ with any questions.
To join our Children and Family mailing list, email Emily B+ (emilyb@allsoulsparish.org).
YOUTH
We are currently on a summer hiatus. Check back in the Fall for a new schedule.
Youth Group (for grades 6-12) generally happens each Sunday from 7-8:30 pm during the school year. All youth are welcome to join us for games, art, reflection, and prayer. We alternate between a middle and high school group with some all-grades events.
To join the weekly youth mailing list, email Emily B+ (emilyb@allsoulsparish.org).
LAST BUT NOT LEAST…
GREAT NEWS! The landscaping work to transform our exterior spaces along Cedar Street, Spruce Street, in our parking areas under the oak, and in the Courtyard has begun! It will likely last through the summer, as the ground is prepared, plants and pavers are placed, and our spaces are made beautiful again. Look for more information about this final element of Living Waters in Pathfinders to come!
