The Pathfinder: October 24th, 2024
Time to Answer the Call
This Sunday is Ingathering Sunday! After a month of presentation, invitation and, I pray, consideration, it is almost time to offer our pledges to support All Souls in 2025. Next year, the parish wants to expand the staffing, ministry budgets and building maintenance that give us the structure for our ministry together. To support that effort, we have an ambitious goal of raising $878,000 in pledges, a 25% increase over last year.
Michael Lewis has been thinking about the unique opportunity and challenges before All Souls in the next year. I hope you will take a moment to watch Michael’s video and consider his approach to pledging.
Earlier this week everyone should have received, in the mail or by email, a pledge packet containing:
· a letter from our Giving Secretary, Maggie Cooke, with an individually-tailored invitation to consider a specific pledge range, which is a new practice at All Souls.
· a letter from Phil+ and Emily+
· a brochure about the context of the pledge drive, and
· a pledge chart
It seems more than a few people have not received their packet 8 days after mailing. I apologize for that delay. Most of the information in each packet can be downloaded here. [https://www.allsoulsparish.org/answeringthecall] If you would like the pledging invitation tailored for you, please email me at rflynch@sbcglobal.net and I will get you that information.
This Sunday morning, at both the 8:00 and 10:30 services, pledges cards will be available for the first time. To wrap up our reflections on stewardship, Nathan Brostrom will offer the sermon at both services and then we will fill out pledge cards and offer our pledges at the altar.
Beginning at about 9:00 on Sunday morning, an online pledge form will be available here. https://www.allsoulsparish.org/answeringthecall. This pledge form is part of our new Realm software. If you have a Realm profile you can go to the Giving page in your profile, click the +Pledge button and it will bring you to the online pledge form. The physical pledge cards will have a QR code that can load the online pledge form as well.
The online pledge form has a different structure than we have used with physical pledge cards. The initial entry on the online form is for an amount of money and then below that you can select how often you plan to give that amount. For instance, if you enter “$300” in the “Amount” field you must select whether to give that amount monthly, making your pledge $3,600 for the year, or give that amount annually, making your pledge $300. The form provides a summary total of your pledge in the lower right corner.
On Sunday evening we will gather, eat and celebrate the bounty of the community. The All-parish Ingathering Potluck will run from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Sunday at Saint Mary Magdalen Church at 2005 Berryman Street, just a few blocks north of All Souls. There are still spots available and I invite you to join us. You can still sign up with Realm (even if you do not have a profile already set up in Realm). After dinner we will try a new twist on large-team charades and then announce the total of the first day of pledging.
As the first phase of the Answering the Call pledge drive moves to a close, I am grateful for the thoughtful engagement of so many All Soulsians as we consider how we as a community will step into 2025. No matter the results of this pledge drive, I look forward to continuing to make church together.
–Richard Lynch, for the Annual Operating Campaign Committee
Film Screening: Crip Camp
Did you know that our very own Berkeley and San Francisco have been known as the birthplace of the disability rights movement? Join us on Thursday, November 7th at 6:30 pm for a special screening of the documentary Crip Camp, which highlights this historic movement that has made all parts of life more accessible for people with disabilities.
The film begins with a wild and enthusiastic bunch of campers in upstate New York during the height of the hippie era. We are endeared to these unique campers with disabilities as they come together to advocate for their own civil rights. This documentary has something for everyone, and deeply resonates with the human rights being challenged today. The history of the last five decades, the inner workings of the political side of gaining equality, and the personal life stories of these campers give us hope and inspiration. And the music of Woodstock is its own character in the film. You can learn more about this Sundance Film Festival award-winning documentary here. (https://cripcamp.com/)
You may wonder why we chose to show this film just days after the presidential election. The timing was not a mistake. During election week, more than ever, we want to provide concrete spaces to gather together, tune out the news, and celebrate moments in history when people have successfully challenged systems of power and fought for the dignity of those who are vulnerable. The film highlights the truth that all of us depend on each other in one way or another, and that dependency is something to be celebrated rather than feared. In a week that could feel isolating and polarizing, we invite you to explore the power of human relationships that transcend lines of identity and ability.
Join us after the screening for a lively discussion with Erin Horne, Jenny Kern and Rev. Emily Boring as we each bring a diverse and personal experience of advocacy for disability rights. Plus, your favorite movie treats and refreshments will be provided! We look forward to seeing you in the Jordan Court Community Room on Thursday, November 7th at 6:30 pm. Feel free to reach out to Erin, Jenny, or Emily B with questions.
Peace,
–Erin Horne
Notes from the Vestry: November 2024
Vestry chaplain Nathan Brostrom opened the October Vestry meeting with a call to reflect on generosity and read Isaiah chapter 58; verses 9-12. We explored the invitation to consider the ways we are called to be “repairers of the breach”.
This led to an update from Richard Lynch on the status of the stewardship campaign: its goal, recent feedback, and plans for the celebratory ingathering on Sunday October 27th.
The Vestry voted on the consent agenda and then Junior Warden Grace Telcs reported on the latest Living Waters progress that includes nearly completed bathrooms as well as an excavated, dry elevator pit with a surrounding safety barrier. Stay tuned for more updates!
Ministry liaison Nathan Brostrom reported on Finance and Personnel and Mark Wilson reported on Adult Formation and Vocations. Father Phil Brochard reported on various programs and updates including the parish transition to Realm software.
The heart of the meeting was a presentation by Lewis Maldonado and the Isaiah Project committee members present: Paul Matthew, Nathan Brostrom, and Phil Brochard. Lewis reviewed the history and goals of the project to tithe 10% of the Living Waters campaign fund in the spirit of reparation. The process involved studying and elucidating the ways that All Souls has participated in both the privilege and marginalization of historic and ongoing racial inequality in the Easy Bay. Each committee member present shared one organization chosen to receive a grant that will support needs they determine. The four nonprofit organizations, all lead by people of color, strive to meet the needs of youth and children, strengthen Native American sovereignty, and support housing for young and marginalized populations. (The names of the organizations selected will be shared in the Pathfinder soon once all applicants have been notified”. Senior Warden Sarah Kern read a motion to approve the four gifts to be given starting in June 2025. The Vestry passed the motion with enthusiasm and Emily B. led a prayer of gratitude for the hard work of the committee and the blessing of sharing on our Christian path. It was a moving meeting and a profound privilege to participate in the restorative generosity we are called to practice.
–Jenny Kern
Last Sunday, we heard from Laura Altieri as she reflected on the ways in which the All Souls community has enriched her life. You can watch her video below.
Visit our new “Answering the Call” page for more.
–All Souls Operating Campaign Committee
Living Waters Weekly Update
Planning: the process of thinking regarding the activities required to achieve a desired goal
The elevator pit is being finalized, but elevator installation is still months away.
Final grading of the courtyard is in process and the pouring of cement will hopefully happen mid-November. There are many, many steps in getting a beautiful and functional courtyard!
Egress stays the same this week and the next month. Entrance is on Cedar, emergency egress is through the sacristy (follow the signs) and porta potties are available in the off street parking and at Jordan Court.
Thank you for your tolerance as this ongoing project unfolds!
Left: New boiler and heat pump. Right: Corridor looking towards new choir storage room
Left: Corridor looking down from chapel. Right: Elevator shaft
Kitchen view from the Parish Hall
–Ann Myers and the Property Committee
Announcements & Events
Happening This Week
7:00am SUNDAY, Reading Between the Lines Bible Study either in person in the Jordan Court Conference Room or Click here to join by Zoom.
8:00am SUNDAY, Holy Eucharist in Chapel. Please access the Chapel through the copper doors on Cedar St.
9:15am SUNDAY, Adult Formation. Heretics and Creeds with The Rev. Phil Brochard in the Jordan Court Community Room.
10:30am SUNDAY, Sung Eucharist (click here to access the live stream). Enter through the Cedar St. doors.
6:00pm SUNDAY, Stewardship Dinner Sign-Up & Celebration All are welcome to join us for our annual Stewardship Celebration Dinner! October 27th from 6-8p at St. Mary Magdalen’s on Berryman Street in Berkeley. This is a super fun night together as a parish, celebrating the gifts of this church and each other. Sign-up here!
6:00pm MONDAY, Spaghetti Again Men’s Group in the Jordan Court Community Room.
6:30 MONDAY, Young Adults Group The next meeting of our 20s and 30s group will be a content-based discussion, on October 28th, from 6:30-8:00, at the home of Lizzie and Tommy Belgum. Email Tommy to join the young adult email list.
Wednesday 9am Eucharist Service, in the Jordan Court Community Room. Join us on Zoom here.
Adult Formation
This Week: “Heretics and Creeds,” led by The Rev. Phil Brochard
Every Sunday at All Souls we say or sing the Nicene Creed. You may be wondering why. Well, in a word, heresies. For four weeks in late October and into November the Rev. Phil Brochard will explain what a heresy is, why they were important to the early church, and why they continue to matter today. Come engage the tensions of a Christ that is both human and Divine, a God that is three in one and one in three, and the meaning of free will. Come to understand why you believe what you do, and quite possibly how that relates to the right belief of the Church.This class meets in the Jordan Court Community Room on the following Sundays at 9:15 am: Oct. 27, Nov. 10, 17, 24.
Children & Family
Sunday School: Sunday School (for kids pre-K through 5th grade) happens every week during the 10:30 service. Meet outside of main Cedar St. doors at the start of the service; teachers will lead you around the corner to our temporary classroom space. (If you’re late, ask an usher for directions). Children will return to church at the “Peace.”
Godly Play Training Join us to learn about Godly Play, a unique curriculum of spiritual formation for children. November 23rd, 9am to 1pm, at All Souls. Email Emily B to sign up.
To join our Children and Family mailing list, email emilyb@allsoulsparish.org
Youth Program
Youth Group happens each Sunday from 7-8:30 pm however, this week, Oct. 27th, we won’t be having our regular meeting. Instead, we welcome all youth to attend the Ingathering Dinner.
A reminder that this year, we are following a new structure for Youth Group. We will alternate between an all-grades gathering, and a high school small group, every other week of the month:
Weeks 1, 3, and 5: All grades, 6th-12th
Weeks 2 and 4: High school small group, 9th-12th
View and download our full fall calendar (Sept. - Dec.) here.
To join the weekly youth mailing list, email emilyb@allsoulsparish.org.
Justice & Peace
Film Screening: “Crip Camp,” Thursday November 7th Join Jenny Kern, Erin Horne, the Rev. Emily B, and others to view a documentary about the intersection of civil rights and disability justice, followed by a discussion. 6:30-9pm, Jordan Court Community Room.
Fundraiser for Unhoused Disabled Elders
Please see the following announcement on behalf of the Center for Independent Living:
We’ve seen a surge of encampment sweeps in the East Bay in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s April 2024 Grants Pass decision, a ruling which allows local and state governments to evict and criminalize people for camping in public even if they have nowhere else to go. In the last week alone, the City of Oakland forcibly displaced a long-standing unhoused community of primarily disabled elders at Martin Luther King Jr. Way and Grand Avenue in Oakland.
In response to the violence of these sweeps and the needs of our unhoused neighbors, Center for Independent Living is launching a fundraising campaign to serve the underserved. Their goal is to raise $5,000 to fund the cost of storage units for people who are houseless, elderly, and disabled. This fundraising ask sprung directly from urgent requests by displaced residents of Martin Luther King Jr. Way and Grand Avenue in Oakland, many of whom are Black, disabled elders. Make an online donation at this link.
Hurricane Relief Episcopal Relief & Development mobilizes in coordination with local partners to provide assistance to those affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Please consider contributing to the Hurricane Relief Fund to support relief and recovery efforts.
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. These days, they are especially seeking donations of the following items:
Bottled water, water filters or bottles, or other purification devices– anything that helps provide clean drinking water.
Basic hygiene products (toothbrushes, deodorant, bandaids, soap, etc.)
Tarps, blankets, ground covers, and other shelter items.
Please bring these donations to the red bin in the Narthex. Email Beth Christensen (beth.christensen) for donation and other direct volunteer opportunities with USMO.
Needs of the Community
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.
Everything Else
All Saints Sunday Potluck and Remembrances On Sunday, Nov. 3rd, we’ll celebrate the Feast of All Saints & All Souls. At this service, we read the names of those who have passed away in the last year. All names of the deceased on our Prayer List from the previous year will be automatically included. If there are any additional names that you would like to have read that are not on that list, please e-mail Diana here.
Additionally, we’ll have a potluck after the service in the Jordan Court Community Room from about noon to 1pm. You are invited to bring a dish that honors someone who has passed away— perhaps a favorite family recipe, or a dish that brings up memories of loved ones who are gone.
New Church Directory/Database called Realm We’re looking for some “power users” who would be willing to be trained in our new church database/directory who could then help others use the new system once we have launched it widely to the whole church. If you’re willing to be trained so that you can help others, please see Dan Hardy: danwhardy@gmail.com.
Reminder: You can listen, or listen again, to sermons on our website or our podcast channel.
