The Pathfinder: April 25th, 2024
The Hope of the Realm
If we haven't met, I'm Dan Hardy— a relative newbie at All Souls who became a member last September. In my regular (paid) job, I work for a nonprofit in Downtown Berkeley and have been leading our efforts to use the Salesforce Customer Relationship Management (CRM) to help manage our organization. I’m hoping to apply what I have learned from working with Salesforce to this new program called Realm, a CRM system for churches.
The Realm journey started from some informal conversations Emily Hansen Curran and I had in the fall of 2023 about system pain-points, the big ones being that we rely on multiple systems to manage our operations; most ministry work and recruiting has to go through the staff; and it’s hard to understand all of the things happening at All Souls, for both staff and parishioners. Specifically the problem of relying on multiple systems to manage our operations has led to several challenges:
Fragmented Data: Congregational data is scattered across different platforms, making it difficult to maintain accuracy and consistency.
Manual Updates: Staff members must manually update each system, resulting in inefficiencies and potential errors.
Limited Access: Some systems, like Servant Keeper (the system we currently use), restrict access to only one or two individuals who must be physically present at the church office to access and update the database.
Outdated Information: As systems diverge, data tends to fall out of date, hindering effective communication and decision-making.
While all of this is mostly problems related to data collection, our inability to have current data impacts our ability to stay connected, to find each other, to make invitations, and to raise the financial support this place needs to exist.
We're still at a very early stage in the planning process with Realm, but we’re pretty excited about what we think this will mean for us at All Souls. At our recent kick-off meeting of the “Realm Transition Team” we went round the room and responded to the question, “What do you think is an important indicator of success as a church?” Here were some of the responses:
Opportunities to get involved
People connecting with each other outside of the staff team
Effective web of connections between parishioners: horizontal rather than top down
Number of interactions between people doing different kinds of things
Growth and change, in many different metrics (attendance, involvement, etc.)
How much people are interacting with our new church app and using it to connect with each other
As we went around the room there was excitement at the possibility that these things could be done with the help of this Realm tool. We believe that what Realm has to offer will help us do church better.
Here are some of the ways transitioning to Realm could be a game-changer. It can do a lot of things, but will require a lot of planning and work to get us there.
Realm’s Unified Approach
1. Single Source of Truth
Realm consolidates all church-related data into a single central location. Imagine having a unified dashboard where those with permissions (clergy and staff mostly) can access congregants’ personal information, group affiliations, giving history, and more—all in one place. This “single source of truth” ensures accuracy and streamlines administrative tasks.
2. Enhanced Reporting
Realm’s robust reporting capabilities empower ministry team leaders with real-time insights. Whether they’ll need attendance reports, financial summaries, or ministry-specific analytics, Realm provides customizable dashboards that reveal trends and patterns. Informed decision-making becomes a reality.
3. Mass Communication Made Easy
Realm offers integrated communication tools and will allow us to send group emails and texts directly from the system. Whether it’s event announcements, group announcements or ministry updates, we can reach each other with much less effort.
4. Granular Permissions
Realm’s permission settings are finely tuned. The staff can assign specific roles and access levels to staff, volunteers, and leaders. Whether someone needs read-only access or full administrative privileges, Realm ensures security without compromising efficiency.
5. Volunteer Management
Coordinating serving roles and volunteering is a critical aspect of our church life. Realm promises to simplify our volunteer scheduling (the Rota), communication, and tracking. Volunteers can sign up for service opportunities, receive reminders, and stay engaged.
6. Private Social Media and Online Community
Realm fosters community by providing a private social media space. We would be able to share prayer requests, celebrate milestones, follow-up from a conversation we had in Adult Formation, and connect with fellow members. We’ll be able to create groups of ministry teams, Emmaus groups, and different affinity groups who can then consolidate all their communications in one place. We’re hopeful that the online community strengthens relationships beyond Sunday services.
You can find a full list of Realm features available here.
A CRM database like Realm requires processes, automation, information, roles, and responsibilities. That can be a lot to change, and resistance to change is expected even in organizations with the best intentions. Even though we have a great transition team in place, it’s going to be up to all of us to make this a success.
How you can help
One of the first steps we’re working on is consolidating our membership data in one place. Here’s where we need your help. Please complete the short survey (click here) to update your contact information. We’ll also send this same survey out in an email (please only fill out the survey one time). This will allow us to finish the data consolidation and import clean data into the new system.
Then, each of you who responds will be invited to set up a “Profile” in our new Realm “Connect” app & online community. You’ll be invited to complete additional information about your sharing preferences, yourself & family, upload a new photo, share your skills, and express your interests in groups. This online community will replace “Instant Church Directory” and has a whole bunch of new features which we’ll be sharing later this year.
We’re hopeful that you’ll find this as exciting as we are and we look forward to what’s ahead!
– Dan Hardy
Living Waters Update: Report from the Town Hall
Living Waters construction is getting closer!
Another Living Waters Update Town Hall meeting last Sunday shared the good news: construction bids have come in slightly below earlier estimates, the permit process is moving forward without major changes and fundraising remains ahead of schedule.
In front of an engaged audience after the 10:30 service, the Living Waters team shared details from all facets of the project.
Patrick Tahara, Chair of the Property Committee, recapped the history of the Living Waters effort, from its initial creation of a wish list of projects in 2019, pandemic imposed pause in 2020, fundraising in 2022, planning in 2023 and now, construction preparation in 2024. Patrick believes construction will finish in the first half of 2025.
Patrick reviewed an outline of the scope of work that is covered by the current budget and planning:
An elevator serving the undercroft, the foyer and the nave will be installed roughly where the current lift is.
New electric service and new mechanicals will be installed
The undercroft will have 4 new bathrooms, new lighting, new paint and a refurbished floor. The classrooms will all have new paint, new lighting and new flooring.
The chapel will have new lighting, flooring and paint as well as a new heating system
In the parish hall, the floor and curtains will be replaced, a new heating and cooling system will be installed, the windows will be rehabbed, the southwest corner will be converted to storage, and new cabinets will be constructed along the east wall.
The kitchen will be gutted, updated and reconfigured with new appliances.
Construction will be a dynamic process. The Property Committee continues to work with WCI, the general contractor, to make small adjustments to some of the estimates for finishes within the total cost of the bids and to work with PG&E to get to a final cost for installation of the new power service.
Patrick reiterated that WCI is committed to having the nave available for worship every Sunday during construction.
Patrick shared the current budget, which shows construction costs of just over $3 million, design and permit costs of $470,000, PG&E and Living Water Campaign costs of $330,000, and a contingency of $200,000. All together, the costs continue to be $4,060,000.
That was the transition for me to give an update on the Living Waters fundraising, which like the construction planning, is a dynamic process. After recently receiving some new pledges, All Soulsians have committed just over $4 million to the Living Waters work. Based on the schedules donors set at the time of the initial commitment, we are ahead of schedule. We have received just over $2,800,000, even before year two of the campaign ends on May 31.
I will soon send out Living Waters giving statements to each donor detailing the amounts they have committed and given. If you have questions about your commitment or payments, please reach out to me.
And, since the fundraising campaign in 2022, we have had over 40 households come to All Souls. We will be inviting those households, and everyone who has not yet joined the Living Water effort, to learn about the history of All Souls, the Living Waters campaign, and how they join the effort to renew our space for our 2nd century. We are aiming to hold that event in late May.
Phil noted that the people who made commitments to Living Waters in 2022 were drawing from a reservoir of trust in All Souls that had been built over a long period of time, often decades. While not everyone will share that depth of experience at All Souls, Phil hopes that everyone will join the community-based effort to renew our spaces.
One of the goals of this renewed fundraising effort will be to fund projects that were cut from the initial scope, such as enhanced A/V systems and landscaping. This continues a dynamic process at every level.
Patrick then described the next steps for the project. Based on the lead time required to receive the elevator and some electrical switching, the Property Committee recommended the Vestry adopt the budget presented at Town Hall. At a special Vestry meeting last night, the Vestry accepted the Property Team’s recommendation. Given the work that remains with the City of Berkeley planning department, Patrick anticipates construction will begin in June.
The Town Hall was recorded on zoom. If you would like to view the presentation, please contact Emily Hansen Curran. We will look forward to another Town Hall soon.
– Richard Lynch, Chair of the Living Waters Capital Campaign
Move Over Moses! Making Way for Construction
The Exodus has begun! We’re Packing up and Moving out!
The Property Committee tapped Jill Churchman and me (Kaki Logan) to orchestrate the move into storage prior to the imminent start of construction.
With the help of the staff, we identified a few parishioners whose ministry makes them an expert in a specific area of the church. When we called to ask for their help, every one of these already busy people said, “Yes.”
During the period of construction (approx 8 months), twe will creatively find spaces to continue all our ministries: i.e. Worship, Formation, Sunday School, Choir Practice, Coffee Hour, and Open Door Dinner.
We are so grateful for these Team Leaders:
Kitchen: Pat Jones, Jeannie Koops, Renae Breitenstein, Alisa Hoffman
Parish Hall: Jeannie Koops, Pat Jones, Scott Garriott
Sacristy: Garett Estadt, Marilyn Flood
Chapel: Ann and John Cockle
Common Room and Library: Diane Haavik
Furnace room and Tool Room: Ann and John Cockle
Sunday School Rooms: Molly Nicol, Jeannie Koops
Archives: Alan Schut, Jill Churchman, Marilyn Flood
Choir Rooms: Deirdre Nurre, Caroline Putnam
Stephen Minister Resources: Nancy Pryer
Art and Sacristan Storage in Crow’s Nest: Garett Estadt , Diane Haavik, Jeannie Koops, Marilyn Flood
Acolyte Room and Crow’s Nest classroom: Emily Boring, Jeannie Koops, Molly Nicol, Jill Churchman
And, these people will be needing some practical help in the days to come.
Perhaps the spirit is tugging at your heartstrings: Come …. Come ….. Come to the church to help! Perhaps you have a special connection to some area of the church where you could help. Or a truck or hand dolly to lend. See below for a timeline and tasks.
We are managing a fluid schedule, but for now, here are our deadlines:
May 1st: Culling and Removing all unnecessary items
Sell, donate, recycle, or trash all that is no longer necessary.
June 1st: Complete the removal of all items from all rooms scheduled for construction work.
TBA (early June): Moving day to transport boxes to the storage area in the Heart’s Leap School Rooms.
(Sadly, since Heart’s Leap cannot safely remain during construction, they have found another location for their school for at least the next 5 years.) Stay tuned.
TBA: A day to haul heavy items in a truck or van or to the curb
Got time?
We could use help packing items, selling items on line, driving to donation drop-off places, or helping to move boxes into storage. We are especially looking for strong people who can safely life heavy items. Contact Jill, Kaki, or a Team Leader.
Got Supplies?
Boxes (only boxes of a consistent size for storage). Packing tape or paper. Bring them to Moving Central (Annie’s old office) downstairs in the Undercroft.
Got equipment?
A Truck or Van for hauling large items. A hand dolly. Contact Jill or me.
FYI: On Sunday, Watch for some treasures in the Courtyard that need a new home. :-)
Finally, please direct questions about moving first to the relevant ministry team leader (listed above), then to Jill or Kaki. They will be meeting regularly with the staff to answer questions.
Here we go!!!
This time of transition will also be especially challenging for staff. We will support them as best we can.
Fortunately, we won’t be wandering in the wilderness for 40 years . . . Hopefully only for about 8 months!!!
– Kaki Logan
Notes from the Vestry: April 2024
On April 17, the Vestry gathered for an extended meeting. We began an hour earlier than usual to listen to Patrick Tahara deliver the cost estimates and to view drawings of the work to be completed across the church through the Living Waters Project.
Clearly a lot of work has gone into getting the bids together and to cover all desired aspects of the project. (These updates were shared with the parish at a town hall on Sunday, April 21st.)
At 7pm, the official vestry meeting opened. Nathan Brostrom collected us together with a poem by Galway Kinnell. Next, the vestry heard an update on efforts to relocate Hearts Leap during construction. The vestry was happy to hear from several member of the Isaiah Project in person and through Zoom. As a reminder, The Isaiah Project has committed to providing grants to community organizations in four key areas: housing, children and youth services, Native American land and sovereignty. and environmental justice. Members of the team— Lewis Maldonado, Toni Martinez-Borgfelt, Christine Trost, Paul Mathew, and Mark Mattek— eight organizations that they plan to invite to apply for grants (two in each area). They are cognizant of trying to make the application process accessible and tailored to the needs of these small organizations.
The vestry discussed our role as Ministry Liaisons and the responsibilities that come along with that. Each member has a ministry to liaise with and report back quarterly on the health of that ministry. Lastly, we reviewed the Rector’s report on changes in the Holy Week Services, the search for a new Associate for Music upon Dent Davidson’s retirement, and the reapportioning of Emily Hansen Curran’s tasks between Emily B and Diana Markley.
We finished with a closing prayer and were happy to see a vestry meeting end by 9pm for once!
– Laura Altieri, Vestry Member
Faithful Families Returns!
I’m excited to announce the return of a form of ministry beloved by many people: Faithful Families! This program was envisioned and launched by the Rev. Maggie Foote, our previous Associate Rector.
The idea is simple: There are families at All Souls whose own children have left the nest for college, work, and other adventures. There are families at All Souls with young children, seeking spiritual community. Faithful Families invites these two groups to come together for a meal and fellowship, creating a kind of intergenerational connection that’s rare in our day and age.
This year, we’ve seen tremendous growth in our Children’s Ministry program. From the launch of our Godly Play curriculum for all ages, to Parish Retreat, to a Nativity Story and Children’s Choir, we’ve gathered in familiar and new ways. Faithful Families is intended to build on that growth and provide kids and families with time to gather outside of our regular Sunday activities.
Our first Faithful Families dinner will be Thursday, May 9th, at 6:00 pm. We’ll gather in the Parish Hall for a kid-friendly meal (provided by volunteers). We’ll do a short formation activity and end in some prayer, wrapping up by 7:30pm.
Families with kids of all ages are welcome! If you’re an empty nester or other adult interested in helping out with this event or others, please get in touch.
Please RSVP by Monday, May 6th by emailing Emily B (emilyb@allsoulsparish.org), including the number of people attending, and any dietary restrictions.
– Emily+
Announcements & Events
Happening This Week
Worship This Sunday
8:00am, Holy Eucharist in Chapel
10:30am, sung Eucharist (click here to access the live stream)
Wednesday 9am Service. Join the Zoom call here, or join us in person in the Nave. Password: 520218.
Reading Between the Lines Bible Study, Sunday @ 7:00a. Click here to join by Zoom, or join them in-person in the Common Room.
3rd Annual Pilgrimage to Grace Cathedral, 10:15am to 7pm Join youth from the Alameda Deanery and DioCal as we travel by foot and ferry to Grace Cathedral for dinner, fellowship, and Vespers (and meet the incoming Bishop!). Full schedule below; we’ll meet at All Souls at 10:15am. It’s not too late to sign up— email Emily B! Note: Due to the pilgrimage, there will be no regular Youth Group this Sunday, April 28th.
Adult Formation
Discovering Practices of Hope with William Stringfellow, taught by Dr. Scott MacDougall
Our social and political climate could easily lead us to despair. The same was true for William Stringfellow (1928–1985). Stringfellow was a lifelong Episcopalian with a fierce loyalty to God’s justice, truth, and love. For him, despair was not an option and active hope the only Christian response to suffering, chaos, and death. This series will ignite our own hope through his inspiring example. This will be our final class of the program year. (April 25, May 5 and May 12)
Newcomer Class with the Rev. Phil Brochard and Emily Hansen Curran
Wondering how to learn more about All Souls and connect with our community? Join us for a newcomer class, April 21 through May 12, 9:15-10:15, downstairs in the Common Room. Email emily@allsoulsparish.org with questions.
Summer 2024 Book Groups
The Adult Formation Committee is excited to announce the schedule for book groups in the summer of 2024. We will be offering three different books and hope that you will choose to participate in at least one of them. The groups will meet at 9:15am on Sundays.
June 9, 16, 23, and 30
Marilynne Robinson, Reading Genesis (Farrar, Strauss and Giroux, 2024) and the book of Genesis from the Bible. Led by Jack Shoemaker.
July 7, 14, 21
Charles Duhigg, Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection (Random House, 2024). Led by Raymond Yee.
July 28, August 4, 11
Steven Charleston, We Survived the End of the World: Lessons from Native America on Apocalypse and Hope (Broadleaf Books, 2021). Led by Marguerite Judson.
More details will follow but we wanted to share this with you now so you can start reading!
Any questions? Contact Anne Yardley at ayardley@drew.edu
Children & Family
Faithful Families Dinner, May 9th! Join us from 6:00-7:30p for a shared meal, fellowship, and kid-friendly prayer. Email Emily B to RSVP by May 6th.
Nursery The downstairs nursery is open and available to you for your use whenever you’re at All Souls. This is not a staffed nursery, so an adult must be there with your child, but if you need a quiet place to take a time out, change a diaper, let your child play or take a rest, the nursery is open for you to do all of those things. If there is a service going on that’s being livestreamed, you will be able to watch the livestream on the computer in the nursery as well.
Children’s Ministry Sunday School continues each week during the 10:30 a.m. service for children from pre-K through 5th grade. Children head downstairs at the start of the service, then return after the “Peace.” See an usher if you need directions.
All ages attend a shared Godly Play “Storytime.” Then, our youngest kids (pre-K to 1st grade) remain in the Godly Play classroom for “wondering” and “work” time, while our older kids (grades 2-5) split off for deeper investigation and exploration.
Note to Parents: We encourage all kids to return to the sanctuary after Sunday School and save outdoor playground time for later. In the Godly Play curriculum, we view the Eucharist as an important extension of Sunday School; the sacred space that we create downstairs continues and expands as we join the whole congregation upstairs. We appreciate your help reinforcing this norm!
Read more about our Sunday School program here.
Youth Program - Youth Group happens weekly on Sundays from 7-8:30 in the Parish Hall. If you are not receiving weekly Youth Program updates but would like to, please reach out to Emily B to be added to our mailing list.
3rd Annual Pilgrimage to Grace Cathedral: Sunday, April 28th Join youth from the Alameda Deanery and DioCal as we travel by foot and ferry to Grace Cathedral for dinner, fellowship, and Vespers (and meet the incoming Bishop!).
Here is the full schedule:
10:15a - Meet in the All Souls courtyard for a blessing, then begin walking to Oakland
12:15p - Arrive at St. John's Oakland for lunch and connect with other deanery youth
2:30p - Take the Ferry from Jack London Square (you'll need a Clipper Card/app)
3:00p - Walk up the hill, through Chinatown and other landmarks
~ 4:00p - Arrive at Cathedral
5:00p - Dinner
6:00p - Vespers
7:00p - make our way home, by carpool or BART
All ages (including but not limited to youth) are welcome.
Justice & Peace
Menstrual Hygiene Donations In partnership with a UC Berkeley organization called Undergraduate Street Medicine Outreach, All Souls has begun a weekly collection of menstrual hygiene products for folks in the Berkeley and Oakland encampments. Please bring products on Sundays and place them in the designated basket in the Narthex. If you'd prefer to make a monetary donation, you can write a check to All Souls and indicate "hygiene donation." Contact Beth Christensen (beth.christensen@gmail.com) with questions.
Othering and Belonging Conference Join M. Paloma Pavel and friends during Earth Week at the UC Berkeley Othering and Belonging Institute's Conference. We will engage with Professor john a. powell, Melanie DeMore, Naomi Klein and many (what do we call ourselves when we are not 'others? How about Kin!). Register here.
Needs of the Community
Sunday Hospitality Sign-Ups Coffee Hour is such a sweet time, but is even sweeter when there is food available for young and old, and even for those occasional neighbors who swing by for a cup of coffee and a pastry on Sunday mornings. If you’re able to bake or cook or purchase food for a coffee hour on a Sunday, please put your name on this document (click here). All food can be dropped off in the kitchen before the service starts.
Rides Ministry We are working to reinvigorate our Rides Ministry team, which helps provide rides to and from church on Sundays and to other parish events, especially in the evenings. If you are willing to be added to the list of drivers, please email Emily B and share a bit about your availability. We are also seeking a coordinator of this Rides Ministry team, who will assist in matching drivers with those who need rides. If you are interested in this leadership role or feel called to learn more, please email Emily B or Emily HC.
Call for Volunteers: Communications Team We are seeking volunteers to join our Communications ministry team. We welcome help in many areas: website design and maintenance, social media, weekly communications, livestream and Youtube, outreach to neighbors and newcomers, and more. If you have visions, skills, or enthusiasm in this area, we welcome you! Please reach out to Emily B.
Everything Else
Be Still Concert The Sunday Night Service crew is hosting a concert at All Souls on May 11th at 7:30p featuring the Nashville singer/song-writer Audrey Assad. Some of the Sunday Night Service musicians will be opening for Audrey, including Keith Watts and Kate Lamont. All are welcome to this free concert (though welcome to give the $25 suggested donation through the Eventbrite page here). You can read more about the musicians on the Eventbrite page.
Spanish Evening Prayer: Join seminarian Michael Drell and other volunteers for an evening prayer service in Spanish followed by a community dinner. Chapel of the Nativity, May 10, in the evening - time forthcoming.
Invitation to Confirmation On Sunday, June 2, Bishop Marc Andrus will visit All Souls and offer confirmations during our 10:30am service. Please reach out to Emily B or Phil if you are interested in being confirmed, or to learn more.
Save the Date - Parish Camping Trip, July 19-21! Join us for the annual camping trip to Big Sur this summer. Details and sign-ups forthcoming.
Weekly Sermon Haiku
Fun fact: Chat GPT can take the transcript of a sermon and generate a catchy haiku! Some are lovely, some are awful, some are worth a laugh. Below, see the poem from last Sunday’s sermon.
From The Rev. Phil Brochard’s Easter 4 Sermon:
Good Shepherd, leads on,
Through danger, keeps the wolves at bay—
Night folds into dawn.
Watch All Souls sermons on our Youtube channel, or listen to them as podcasts here.
Link to “The Call” podcast from This American Life, referenced in Phil’s sermon.
