The Pathfinder: July 16th, 2026
Mayo Clinic – A Spiritual Pilgrimage
My shuttle from the hotel was the Pink Line, and the front of the vehicle was decorated with flamingo signs and figurines. Bess, our unfailingly cheerful driver, was dressed in a pink sweater, pink Crocs, and a headband from which sprouted two pink flamingos. The first thing you see when the shuttle drops you off at Mayo Clinic is the wheelchairs.
Not just 10 or 20 but hundreds and hundreds, an armada of blue wheelchairs waiting patiently for their riders to alight.
Almost everyone you see is in a pair – a husband escorting a sick wife or a wife helping a sick husband. But also, a father helping the 20-something son who lost a leg. Children who bore a resemblance to their wheelchair bound parent minus 30 years. In Europe, people flock to shrines at Lourdes or Fatima because they are known to be places of healing. In a way, the Mayo Clinic is the American Lourdes; people come here from the world over to find healing. Instead of Christian faith that Lourdes runs on, the Mayo Clinic runs on science – but the goal is the same. That is why I am here, hoping for healing.
When two young people stand at the altar to be married, their vows often say “for better or for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health.” They don’t linger on the meaning of those words. They are young and “health” and “sickness” seem far removed. And you never know who will be the sick one or the healthy one. My wife Maureen and I have sometimes speculated about which of us will go down first. She is a bit older but eats a lot healthier. I have heart disease in my family, but she has Alzheimer’s in hers. No one knows who will be called upon to do the hard work of the vows.
As I watched the couples at Mayo, one in the wheelchair and one pushing, it was touching to see that in a world filled with divorce, betrayal, and broken promises, some people really do keep their wedding vows. The love and care I witnessed- an understanding smile, an arm around the shoulder, two gnarled hands entwined brought me to tears. I began to realize I was at a holy place. I was like Moses at the burning bush, needing to take off my shoes because I was standing on holy ground.
Despite having excellent doctors who are part of the Stanford medical group, after five years they have still not been able to figure out for sure why I am increasingly unable to walk or stand for long. My local doctors endorsed the idea of trying to get another opinion from Mayo.
My application was accepted, so I set off for Rochester, MN, a town of 120,000 about an hour’s drive southwest of Minneapolis. How this gleaming chrome and glass 19-story skyscraper came to rise out of this flat prairie farmland is amazing. You can see it from afar, the way a traveler in France can see from a great distance Chartres Cathedral rising out of the cornfields.
After four days, I came away from Mayo Clinic with good news and bad news. The good news was that they settled on a diagnosis – I had peripheral neuropathy, a nerve disease probably of genetic origin. The bad news is that it is a disease with no known cure. However, my Mayo physical therapist assured me that a lot can be done to manage the disease and slow the decline through balance and strengthening exercises. I left feeling hopeful and determined to diligently do the work I had been assigned. As I walked out the door of the Mayo Clinic for the last time to board the pink flamingo shuttle, I glanced over at the armada of empty blue wheelchairs, and I remembered my visit to Lourdes where there is a room filled with hundreds of crutches and old wheelchairs left behind by those who had experienced healing. I wondered about the lives of those who had recently ridden Mayo’s blue wheelchairs. I hope they found some healing at this holy place. And my heart swelled with deep gratitude and thanks to God that as I left, I was walking, however poorly, and not riding.
-The Rev. Dr. Bill McNabb
Look at our Beautiful Nave!
An unexpected delight of the new EMBER ordinance (which prohibits planting within 5 feet of the eaves of a building) is that the beautiful architecture of our Nave will now be in full view! These fire restrictions, along with safety concerns, prompted us to design new safety railings along the deep window wells that line the Nave.
One of the 4 landscape contractors who viewed our site had very good ideas about how to solve our safety issue with these deep window wells. Code dictates a railing at least 42” high with openings no larger than 4” square. So, as pictured in the photos below, a welder is hard at work creating these new railings.
Also, the removal of plantings 5 feet from the eaves exposed a drop-off at the entrance to the nursery school area, so a new railing will be installed there as well.
Although we will miss the opportunity of planting closer to the Nave and the Parish Hall, we will enjoy the expansive feeling of increased openness in our courtyard. So beauty and safety are walking hand in hand as we progress in our landscaping endeavor.
–Kaki Logan
Assistive Listening System Coming Soon
One of the last accessibility promises of Living Waters was to provide well-supported assisted listening in our church, to be as inclusive as possible. Within the next few weeks, All Souls will be conducting a trial of a new assistive listening system in our nave (the main worship space). We invite you to help us test a small demo system next Sunday, July 26, after the 10:30 am service.
The test will probably take less than 30 minutes. Our goal in the test is to see how well it works for people who need hearing assistance. We have two receivers with headsets. Also, if you have current-generation hearing aids with Auracast, please bring them so you can try it on your own device.
This system will provide improved audio for parishioners and visitors who have a hard time hearing our Sunday services over the church’s sound-system speakers. With a small receiver, congregants will be able to hear the service through headphones and ear buds, as well as through hearing aids that support t-coil (telecoil) systems or the Auracast wireless standard. Many recent Android smartphones should work directly with the system; users will wear their own headphones or earbuds. (Apple has not yet announced support for Auracast, but is expected to by early 2027.) The bottom line is that the assistive-listening system will be easy for congregants to use and provide a better worship experience.
We are planning on a second assistive-listening system for the parish hall as part of a sound system upgrade there, once it has been proven in the nave. Together, those two systems will help All Souls increase accessibility for worship, formation, lectures, and other events.
The system we are evaluating is based on Auracast technology. Click here to learn more. There is also a good explanatory video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9f0-3g4k4I
If you're interested in trying out the system on Sunday, July 26, get in touch with one of us. We're usually loitering near the livestream camera and sound system in the back of the Nave near the Narthex (lobby area).
–Jim Feeley and Charlie Myers
The act of passing things on…
As we approach the end of our renovation at All Souls, I thought people might like to know where all the extraneous objects we cleared out went. As many of you know, clearing rooms out allows you to sort your stuff and make decisions on what is truly useful to you. Imagine doing this for the entire church! It was a mind-boggling task taken on by a group of loyal organizers, led by Jill Churchman. Here are a few items that are now being enjoyed by others.
Rugs previously used in the classrooms were given to college students.
Serviceable things went to the corner of Cedar and Spruce as well as Oxford and Spruce. ODD pots were used in a drum solo before being snapped up!
Goodwill took their share of household things like vintage punch bowls with dozens of glass cups, lace tablecloths, etc.
Urban Ore: old metal pipes, PVC pipes from very old art pieces
Facebook Marketplace buyers took:
vintage choir robes, possibly to wear at first 'No Kings' march?
trash/recycle center went to Pittsburg home where family hosts parties and classes
old pews to a tattoo parlor in Modesto and an art installation in San Francisco
old coffee table to young neighbors on Oxford
Our most recent donation, an old Ricoh copier/printer, went to the mission church of Holy Child and St. Martin Episcopal Church in Daly City. The Rev. Jureck Fernandez and three of his parishioners arrived with a pickup truck and lots of enthusiasm for the task of moving the copier/printer. It took some real muscle from these men, plus a gardener, to load this super-heavy machine into their truck, but it was accomplished! They were very grateful for the donation, and it is lovely knowing it is being used in another church.
Thank you also to the Rev. Canon Laura Eberly for connecting us with HCSM!
So, there you have it! Thank you, Jill and Kaki, for being expert recyclers. As rooms get totally put back together in the next couple of months we will no doubt pass on a few more things!
-Ann Myers, Property Chair
Announcements & Events
Thursday (TONIGHT)
5:30 pm, Reading Between the Lines Bible Study in the Common Room.
Friday
Parish Camping Trip in Big Sur Begins!
Saturday
Parish Camping Trip in Big Sur Continues
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.
10:30 am, Sung Eucharist in the Nave. Join us via livestream here.
12 noon, Coffee hour in the Courtyard begins and Parish Camping Trip in Big Sur concludes.
Wednesday
9 am, Holy Eucharist in the Chapel. Please enter through the copper doors downstairs on Cedar Street.
Gather With Us
JUSTICE & PEACE COMMITTEE MEETING - September 26th
All are welcome to join the Justice & Peace Committee for a meeting in the Common Room on Sunday, July 26th after the 10:30 am service.
ALL SOULS PARISH RETREAT - September 18th–20th
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!
BEING WITH GROUPS
Please note: No meetings on July 12th and 19th. We will resume on Sunday, July 26th.
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.
ALL SOULS PARISH CAMPING TRIP HAPPENING THIS WEEKEND!
Please keep everyone in your prayers.
Learn With Us
COMING UP IN ADULT FORMATION
July 12, 19, and 26
Heart of a Stranger by Angela Buchdahl
Join the Rev. Mark Richardson and Anne Yardley in the Common Room at 9:15 am to discuss this fascinating memoir by the first Asian American Rabbi, Angela Buchdahl. Angela Buchdahl is the child of a Jewish American father and a Buddhist, Korean-born mother.
July 12th: Chapters 1-8, covering Angela’s early years through high school.
July 19th: Chapters 9-17, taking her through her early jobs.
July 26th: Remaining chapters of the book, detailing her time as the Senior Rabbi of Central Synagogue in New York City.
Feel free to join us even if you haven’t finished the reading!
August 2, 9, and 16
Jane Vandenburgh 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
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).
Housing Request from an All Soulsian
A parishioner from All Souls, Francesca Raphael, is seeking a room to rent in the East Bay. She is glad to help out with chores and cleaning, and has prior experience living with elders as a live-in advocate, companion, and helper. Her budget is $600/month. If you have an extra room, or know of any people or places that may be a good match, please reach out to fgr.alameda@gmail.com
