The Pathfinder: July 25th, 2024
Final Bar Line: No Repeat Sign
Dear Ones,
I am a mixed bag of emotions as I write. Not only am I ending my time with you, but I am retiring from my long vocation as a Leader of Song. How does one put nearly a half century into perspective? How to adequately express some of those feelings about these past two years? I will let memories and gratitude do the heavy lifting.
It has been a joy for me to serve with this dynamic staff. Our meetings are filled with serious, playful, prayerful planning; and I have come to treasure them so dearly. I will miss the wonderfully strange and effective rituals of randomly choosing a prayer leader and time keeper by spinning an online wheel. I will miss the deep sharing, the poetry, occasionally a tear or two, and always the raucous laughter that comes naturally to a group of people who love God and each other honestly and openly.
I will miss meeting week in and week out with the Choir and Angel Band; a holy rhythm of prayer and song that blesses us all. Their time and effort help bring our song to life. They sing and play with the Spirit and with understanding, and they know that leading this congregation’s song is a genuine calling. These are marks of true service, and it is a beautiful thing.
It has been my honor and joy to minister alongside all of you as we worship. I hope you know that it’s never felt one-sided. You have ministered to me as well: Not just with your robust singing and willingness to try almost anything (which is a Music Leader’s DREAM!) but also when my health took a turn there was such an outpouring of love and help from you all. Just when I think I know what gratitude is, you all come along and expand it! I often wonder, do we sing as a response to the urging of the Holy Spirit, as she propels us to bold action in our community and the world? Or does the very act of singing move us to those acts of grace and healing? In the end the “correct” answer is unimportant. The truth is that All Souls makes a difference right here in this neighborhood and far beyond. You all will have a special place in my heart as I move into retirement.
There’s a simple prayer we use in choir whenever we meet. It’s most recently attributed to The Royal School of Church Music as “The Chorister’s Prayer,” however there’s evidence to suggest it comes to us from 12th to 13th century manuscripts. Whatever the case, the prayerful words have always been important to me, and they seem fitting as I prepare to take my leave from this amazing congregation:
Bless, O Lord, us your servants who minister in your temple;
Grant that what we sing with our lips we may believe in our hearts;
And what we believe in our hearts we may show forth in our lives.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
–Dent Davidson, Associate for Music
Big Sur Camping Trip Highlights
Big Sur 2024 was an event to go down in All Souls history, with a whopping 21 kids on the trip this year. We floated, hiked, jumped off rocks, swam, prayed, roasted marshmallows, and ate some pretty amazing camp food. Please enjoy the photos of this year’s trip. We hope you join us next year!
–Emily Hansen Curran
“Though We Are Many, We Are One Body”: Call for Lay Eucharistic Ministers
Toward the end of a Sunday service, a Lay Eucharistic Minister (LEM) might come to the altar to receive a small black box and the name of a parishioner to visit.
We say, "Though we are many, we are one body, because we all share one bread and one cup." The box contains a small communion set with wine and bread that have been blessed during the service.
After many years of being a LEM myself, I am now a beneficiary of this very special ministry. The LEMs come to my house directly from church with bulletins and sometimes flowers from the altar. We read an abbreviated form of the service and share communion. I hear about the sermon and, importantly, the thanksgivings of our community. On Sunday mornings I happily anticipate receiving my visitors, knowing that they will bring the joy of the service along with the small black box.
We are seeking new volunteers to join this meaningful ministry team. Time commitments are flexible; often, our LEMs sign up to do visits once a month. Please speak with Bonnie Bishop, Emily Hansen Curran, or Emily B to learn more.
–Mardie Becker
Living Waters Weekly Update
Work has begun! Changes have already started on the Living Waters Project, an exciting time! We received our permits from the City of Berkeley and the construction team began on site this week. Here are a few housekeeping rules to follow during this time.
We encourage you to enter church through the copper doors on Cedar Street. Beginning August 4th, those doors will be the only point of entry.
Bathrooms are available in the undercroft down the narthex stairs (the old choir vesting room area). There are two of them. (These will go away next week but porta potties will be available).
Handicapped accessible bathrooms are available at Jordan Court. Ask an usher for directions.
Courtyard demo begins Monday, July 29th. Next week will be LOUD!
The undercroft will be closed during the week. The chapel can be accessed via the outside copper doors on Cedar St.
The Wednesday 9am service will continue to meet in the Chapel.
There will be many “off limits” areas in the months to come. Please obey signage so everyone remains safe.
Please direct questions about space use to diana@allsoulsparish.org
We will post photos showing progress! This is a time for us all to be patient and understanding for any inconveniences encountered. A new and improved building is coming!
Look out in this part of the Pathfinder for weekly updates on what you need to know.
–Ann Myers and the Property Committee
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 Eucharist Service. We will continue to meet in the Chapel (enter through the copper doors) during construction. Zoom will be unavailable this Wednesday, July 31st, but will return the following week.
Reading Between the Lines Bible Study, Sunday @ 7:00a. Click here to join by Zoom, or join them in-person in the Jordan Court Conference Room.
Farewell to Dent This week is our last Sunday with Dent Davidson, our beloved Associate for Music. Join us after the 10:30 service (around 12:15) in the Jordan Court labyrinth courtyard for a reception celebrating Dent’s retirement.
Adult Formation
Book Group: We Survived the End of the World: Lessons from Native America on Apocalypse and Hope, by Steven Charleston. Led by the Rev. Marguerite Judson.
If, like me, you are feeling overwhelmed by the political, social and climatic changes around us, come spend time learning from Bishop Steven Charleston about different ways in which leaders of four First Nations helped their communities to face and survive the devastation of settler invasions which remade their worlds. Drawing from the histories of individual prophets from the Seneca, Shawnee, Wanapams and Paiute nations, and the world view of the Hopi, Charleston points to our call to be prophets in our own communities - to love the earth and speak truth and compassion in the midst of the political, cultural and climatic tides which frighten us.
July 28, Chapters 1-3 (82 pages)
Aug. 4, Chapters 4-5 (55 pages)
Aug. 11, Chapters 6 through Epilogue (62 pages)
Join us on Sundays at 9:15 in the Jordan Court Community Room. (July 28, August 4, August 11).
Children & Family
Save the Date: Godly Play Training! September 7th, 9a-1p, at All Souls. As our Children’s Ministry program continues to grow, we are actively seeking new volunteers to lead and assist our Sunday School lessons. Join us to learn about the Godly Play curriculum and train as a Storyteller. Email emilyb@allsoulsparish.org for more information or to sign up. Parents are especially encouraged to attend and consider joining our teacher team.
Youth Program is on hiatus for the summer. We’ll return after Labor Day on Sunday, September 8th.
Justice & Peace
Boost the Vote! “…it is the church’s responsibility to help get souls to the polls.” - Presiding Bishop Michael Curry
This important effort is still ongoing! Please consider taking part:
The All Souls Justice and Peace team invites you to help increase voter turnout by writing letters, following these easy steps:
Pick up from church 20 individual names, addresses, paper, & envelopes
(The names come from Vote Forward’s analysis, identifying citizens in low voter turnout areas)
Write non-partisan notes to encourage voting
Add postage
Return to Janet or a church basket to be mailed on Vote Forwards’s assigned dates
Ask for 20 more…?
Contact Janet Chisholm, jgchisholm@aol.com to request materials or to ask questions.
Undergraduate Street Medicine Outreach 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. In addition to ongoing menstrual product donations, there is need for the following items: power banks, phone chargers, batteries, general hygiene and first aid products, and size 8 women’s shoes. Please bring these items to the red bin in the Narthex. Email Beth Christensen (beth.christensen) for other volunteer opportunities with USMO.
Needs of the Community
Stephen Ministry When you experience unusual stress or navigate a major life transition, the support of a Stephen Minister could be helpful. To explore this possibility, contact Madeline Feeley, a Stephen Leader, at 510-495-4512 or madelinefeeley@gmail.com.
Meal Train If you are in need of meals, or if you’d like to join this network to deliver food to others, please email Sarah Oneto at sarahoneto@gmail.com.
Community member request: Teresa Vosper is looking for a twin or XL twin mattress. If anyone has one to spare, please reach out to either Teresa or Emily Hansen Curran.
Giving at All Souls
Hello! I am Tim Sullivan, a newish member of All Souls working on the upcoming fall pledge drive. This year we are planning to highlight the experience of All Soulsians and the possibilities for our congregation. We’ll have more information to share about the campaign soon. In the meantime, we would like to know more about what brings you to All Souls.
We have had a few conversations in our “Why All Souls” project and would like to offer the question to everyone in the congregation. We have developed a survey with open-ended questions to seek to understand the “Why” of your All Souls’ experience. I invite you to take the survey, or contact me with any questions about the project. I will be glad to hear from anyone and look forward to hearing your stories. You can contact me at sullivantim50@gmail.com.
Everything Else
Restroom Access During Construction: At this phase of construction, the two downstairs bathrooms closest to Spruce St. (old choir vesting room) are open for use. Other temporary toilets will be installed in the area of the Spruce Street parking spaces soon. Those needing accessible restrooms are encouraged to use the restroom in Jordan Court, just outside the Community Room.
Safety Notice: As Living Waters construction gets underway, please stay away from the courtyard area and respect all posted safety signs. Thank you!
Homecoming Sunday: August 25th after the 10:30 service You are invited! Whether you’ve been coming for a while and are returning from summer, or you’ve been away for a very long time and hoping to reconnect, or if it’s your first time: welcome home. Come celebrate the start of the new year with us.
Save the Date: Parish Retreat Join us at Bishop’s Ranch for our annual Parish Retreat, September 13th-15th. More info and sign-ups to come!
Flowers on Sundays at Church If you are interested in dedicating the flowers in the Church on Sunday mornings to a loved one or a particular remembrance, please fill out this form and indicate which day you would like to contribute the flowers and what you would like the dedication to say. The dedication will appear in our printed materials on the Sunday you have selected. The suggested contribution for flowers is $75, which can be paid to All Souls either electronically or by check (see the giving page on our website for more information there), and be sure to write in "flowers" in the memo line.
Please contact Maggie Cooke for any questions, giving@allsoulsparish.org
