The Pathfinder: February 27th, 2025
We Need to Party More
You might remember that in 2023 the U.S. Surgeon General declared that we’re in a loneliness epidemic. In his opening letter in the Surgeon General’s report, Dr. Vivek H. Murthy wrote that “[l]oneliness is far more than just a bad feeling—it harms both individual and societal health.
It is associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety, and premature death. The mortality impact of being socially disconnected is similar to that caused by smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day,4 and even greater than that associated with obesity and physical inactivity. And the harmful consequences of a society that lacks social connection can be felt in our schools, workplaces, and civic organizations, where performance, productivity, and engagement are diminished.”
The declaration of this epidemic is sensible, given the years we just came through with the shelter-in-place that the pandemic put us through, but still surprising. I’m more adjusted to the idea that there would be a Surgeon General’s warning on a packet of cigarettes than on staying home on a Friday night.
Then, the Atlantic ran an article, just a few weeks ago, that caught my attention. The title of the article is “Americans Need to Party More.” The author writes, “[r]oughly one in eight Americans reports having no friends; the rest of us, according to my colleague Olga Khazan, never see our friends, stymied by the logistics of scheduling in a world that has become much more frenetic and much less organized around religion and civic clubs. “You can’t,” she writes, “just show up on a Sunday and find a few hundred of your friends in the same building.”
Ha. Those of us who still belong to a religious institution and community have this sort of baked into our lives––we can show up on a Sunday and find a few (maybe not hundreds in this denomination) close friends in the same building. Sunday mornings aren’t necessarily a party, but they are real moments of engagement with other people, in space, and for a purpose. (But also, we do throw real parties: Mardi Gras, the Stewardship Dinner, the receptions following the Easter Vigil and Christmas Eve, to name a few.)
One of the essential ways that we connect and engage with each other here at All Souls, one of the ways that we really “party,” if you will, is through Lenten home groups, where we gather in each others’ homes weekly, during the five weeks of Lent, for conversation, connection, and a meal.
This Lent we’re framing these groups through the lens of a Camino––the spanish word for “walk,” “path”, or “way.” We’re trying on what it looks like to view the path towards Easter as a journey, with weekly milestones (each Sunday) along the way. In our groups, or as an individuals (if you’re unable to join a Camino group), you’ll be able to use the map to help visualize and conceptualize this journey. In the weekly gatherings of Camino groups there will be time for personal reflection and then sharing around some of what happened in your week: an oasis, a moment of joy or goodness; a desert, a moment that was hard or heavy; and a traveling mercy, a time when you gave or received a grace.
For those hoping for a clear breakdown of the logistics:
First, you sign up for a night that works for you (you can sign-up here), or sign-up based on geography.
Next, you’ll hear from the host of your group with details such as their home address and anything you might need to know about coming to their home for the first time.
Groups begin the first week of Lent, March 9th and will run through the week of April 6th.
You do not need to attend all five weeks in order to sign up, but I do believe the time will be richer if everyone can attend as much as possible.
Your group will meet consistently on the same night of the week for those five weeks (and usually in the same spot, though occasionally folks decide to share the hosting responsibilities).
Each week, a different person/family is responsible for the soup and/or salad and/or bread, and this is usually figured out at the first meeting (though you’ll want to work through food allergies prior to that first meeting).
The structure of the night is typically that you will gather first for conversation around the year’s theme, for about 45 minutes and then move into dinner for about 45 minutes. Groups with kids in them will often flip this order, however 🙂
In one of the more profound moments in the piece in The Atlantic, the author writes, ”my point is that we are obligated to create the social world we want. Intimacy, togetherness—the opposite of the crushing loneliness so many people seem to feel—are what parties alchemize. Warm rooms on cold nights, so many people you love thumbtacked down in the same place, the musical clank of bottles in the recycling, someone staying late to help with the dishes—these are things anyone can have, but like everything worth having, they require effort. Fire trucks, after all, don’t come from nowhere—they come because we pay taxes.”
It’s not easy to commit to showing up, mid-week, in a home with people you don’t yet know, but it’s the kind of tax that we pay to make the lives we really want, and, if the Surgeon General is right, the lives that we really need.
Go ahead and sign-up by clicking here. Let’s journey together this Lent.
–Emily HC
Next Tuesday: Join Us for Mardi Gras!
Lent in nearly upon us! Next week (Tuesday, March 4th), we’ll mark the threshold of this new liturgical season with a centuries-old tradition: our Mardi Gras/Shrove Tuesday party.
With origins in medieval Europe and modern fame in New Orleans, Mardi Gras is a celebration that includes feasting, music, parades, and decorations. The feast emphasizes abundance in contrast to the discipline and moderation of Lent. Here at All Souls, we take part in Mardi Gras through a communal dinner with music, fellowship, and food.
Traditionally, the Vestry and Youth have cooked jambalaya for the whole parish. This year, due to ongoing construction in our kitchen, our party will have a fun twist: many cooks! If you’re able, we invite you to cook and bring a batch of jambalaya to share with our parish community. Innovations are welcome! (Vegetarian jambalaya? Vegan jambalaya? Spicy jambalaya?... the options are endless). If you’d like, you can enter your dish to be evaluated by a panel of very fine and discerning Jambalaya Judges. Perhaps you’ll win a prize! (And bragging rights until next Lent!).
Here are some other details about the night:
We’ll gather at 5:30p on March 4th in the Parish Hall. Jambalaya will be provided by your fellow All Soulsians. We’ll provide salad and drinks, and the youth will cook everyone pancakes! (There will be gluten free options).
After dinner, around 6:45, we’ll gather in the courtyard for a bonfire, where we’ll fire our homemade clay crosses to use in spiritual practice throughout the year. If you’ve taken some home to decorate, please bring them back on Tuesday night.
Some practical ways you can help:
We still need 6-8 people/households to bring jambalaya. Sign up here to volunteer.
We are looking for 1-2 more electric griddles for pancake-cooking! (Our stove is not yet functional). If you have one to loan, please email Emily B. (You could even drop it off this Sunday if you can’t come early on Tuesday evening!)
If you’d like to come early (~4:30) or stay late (~8:30) to decorate or clean up, we’d welcome your support!
Finally: our Mardi Gras/Shrove Tuesday dinner is also our annual Youth Program fundraiser. If you’re able, please consider a donation of $5-10 for kids 12 and under, $10-15 for adults, $35 max for families (credit cards or Venmo accepted; QR codes will be provided on each table). If you’re cooking jambalaya, feel free to consider the cost of materials as your donation for the evening! And if cost is a barrier, please join us anyway.
The funds we raise this year will go directly to our Youth Program as a whole: Youth Group, acolyte program, deanery-wide activities, immersion trips and retreats, and more. As many of you have seen, youth have a central presence at All Souls these days. We offer an all-grades youth group (6th-12th grade) as well as a high school small group, and we regularly have 15-20 youth in attendance! You’ve likely noticed our excellent acolytes helping to lead worship each week. In sum, it’s an exciting time of growth for youth at All Souls, and we’re grateful for your continued support. You can read more about the tenets and goals of our Youth Program here.
So– we hope that you will join us this Tuesday, bringing All Soulsians of all ages and friends from outside of our community, too. The event is family-friendly and intended to be welcoming for all.
See you there!
Emily B+
An Update on Immigration Action Efforts
The Justice and Peace Ministry Team is reinvigorating our efforts to support the immigrant community which is increasingly threatened by actions of the current administration.
On January 31st, four All Soulsians (Getechen Donart, Margaret Sparks, Elena Ramirez, and Kaki Logan) attended the “Pack the Court” event in Concord on behalf of Jose Ruben Hernandez, a leader in the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity (IM4HI). Jose has been unjustly detained and injured awaiting his appeals to move through the lengthy court process. While the government is no longer opposing Jose’s appeal, the immigration judge must still write an opinion.
On Wednesday, February 19th, four All Soulsians (Elena Ramirez, Richard Page, Kaki Logan, and the Rev. Dr. Ruth Meyers) attended the Press Conference and Vigil in San Francisco, also sponsored by IM4HI and endorsed by the Episcopal Diocese of California. Fifty-five faith groups co-sponsored this event which coincided with the anniversary of the commemoration of the Japanese Internment during WWII. We were joined at the event by four members of the First Presbyterian Church, Berkeley, both our congregations having a clergy member accompanying us.
Also, this week Richard Lynch is assisting Erkhembat Lasran in his request to the Congresswoman Lateefah Simon of the 12th district to track the progress on his stalled appeal for his two sons to join him in this country. The All Souls Justice and Peace Team supported Erkhemat in his seven year process which finally resulted in a positive outcome in January of this year. Erkhembat had long hoped to bring his wife and sons to safety in this country as well, but his wife was murdered before his case was finally decided.
Members of All Souls have been participating with the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity (IM4HI) since its inception. It is a well established group and reliable partner in the Bay Area to support efforts for justice and peace.
Their website states: “For more than twenty years, the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity has been joining hands with people of faith to act on [their] core beliefs. We defend the humanity of the immigrant and fight for the rights of the incarcerated. Working at the intersection of spirituality and social movements, we mobilize congregations to take a stand on issues of social justice like immigration and mass incarceration, and we engage people of faith to develop their own leadership so they can stand up against racism, discrimination and the political challenges of the day. We bring a faith voice to social movement coalitions, providing a compassionate religious perspective amidst the clamor of angry political actors.”
You are welcome to reach out to any of the All Soulsians mentioned above to find out more about their experiences. If you are interested in joining or being apprised of the activities of the Peace and Justice Team, please contact Gretchen Donart, the Chair of this ministry group. In the days to come, support of parishioners will be very important as we seek to express our values and to support the vulnerable among us.
–Kaki Logan on behalf of the J&P Team
Overhaul: to renovate, remake, revise, or renew thoroughly
I think that one word and its definitions pretty much sums up our Living Waters experience! Choose any one of those words and it can be applied to an area of work. Our spaces are coming alive again and it is so exciting! Take a walk around, where you are allowed, and see if you can put a word to the work involved in that space. Hint: some areas have more than one part of the overhaul equation!
Although we are turning rooms over for use, work is still in progress! If you have questions or concerns about what you see, please contact Ann Myers @ annclairemyers@gmail.com for clarification.
Egress continues through both Narthex doors and out the nave to the Jordan Courtyard. Remember to bundle up when the temperatures are expected to fall!
Left: Concrete poured in elevator pit. Right: Painted the elevator shaft
All: Parish Hall cabinets
–Ann Myers and the Property Committee
Announcements & Events
Happening This Week
SUNDAY
7:00 am, Reading Between the Lines Bible Study, either in person in the Common Room or Click here to join by Zoom.
8:00 am, Holy Eucharist in the Chapel. Please access the Chapel through the copper doors on Cedar St.
9:15 am, Adult Formation in the Jordan Court Community Room.
10:30 am, Sung Eucharist in the Nave. Join us via livestream here.
12 noon, Movers and cleaners needed to move the tables and chairs back into the Parish Hall! Please help if you can!
7 pm, Youth Group - All Grades, making clay Lenten crosses
MONDAY
Young Adult Group Gathering, March 3rd
The next meeting of our 20s and 30s group will be a social gathering on March 3rd, 6:30-9pm, hosted by Tim Hausler. We’ll be making and eating some jambalaya and prepping ingredients for more jambalaya the next day (for the All Souls’ Mardi Gras celebration!). If you want to join the Young Adults email list and/or WhatsApp group, please email tommylbelgum@gmail.com.
TUESDAY
Mardi Gras Celebration, March 4th
As we look toward Lent this year, we also look forward to the traditional feast and All Souls favorite: our Mardi Gras/Shrove Tuesday party! Join us for our jambalaya and pancakes in the Parish Hall beginning at 5:30pm. We’ll also have a bonfire and burn last year’s palms from Palm Sunday. This year’s party will have a twist: many cooks! Due to our ongoing kitchen construction, we invite you to cook jambalaya at home and bring some to share.
We’re looking for 12-15 people/families to cook and bring jambalaya for our community. We will provide our traditional recipe if desired, but you’re also welcome to use an old favorite recipe or try a new one this year. There will be judges to taste-test and hungry All Soulsians to feed.
Sign up here if you are willing to cook some jambalaya!
Additionally, we are looking for electric griddles to cook pancakes! If you have one (or several) you’re willing to let us borrow, please email Emily B.
Our Mardi Gras/Shrove Tuesday dinner is also our annual Youth Program fundraiser and awareness night. If you are able, please consider a donation of $5-10 for kids 12 and under, $10-15 for adults, $35 max for families (credit cards or Venmo accepted; QR codes will be provided on each table). If you are a jambalaya cook, your shared meal is considered your donation! If you are able to give more, please do. And if cost is a barrier, please join us anyway!
WEDNESDAY
Ash Wednesday Services
Join us for a Eucharistic service with the imposition of ashes at one of our three services on Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Services are at the following times and locations:
7a in the Chapel on Cedar Street
12p in the Nave on the corner of Spruce & Cedar
7:30p in the Nave on the corner of Spruce & Cedar (this service will also be live streamed).
Lenten Home Group Sign-ups
Lent is approaching and we're planning on doing Lenten home groups again! We are still seeking a few more hosts. If you're able to offer your home as a meeting place for a group, please fill out your information (neighborhood, day/time preference, accessibility, etc.) under one of the “Group Host” sections on this form. To sign up: If you would like to attend a group, you can add your/your family’s name(s) to this sign-up sheet. There will be a physical sign-up sheet in the narthex on Sunday, too.
If you have questions about this, please email both Emilys! emily@allsoulsparish.org, and emilyb@allsoulsparish.org.
Adult Formation
Theology and Evolutionary Biology with the Revs. Emily Boring and Mark Richardson
Is there purpose or direction to evolution?
How do we define knowledge?
Do cells or genes have “agency”?
What kind of evidence makes something true?
These are just a few examples of the kinds of questions that we’ll encounter in this class– questions that both science and religion, in turn, have tried to address. Our course will begin with a brief history of the relationship between evolutionary biology and theology, dating back to the early responses of theology to Darwin. We then explore various ways or methods of approaching this relationship still present in our culture. Finally, we will turn to contemporary case studies, exploring the possible theological implications of recent advances in genetics and evolutionary theory. Our class isn’t an argument between science and religion, nor is it an attempt to “reconcile” opposites. We come from a stance of curiosity and integration, exploring how these two disciplines mutually inform one another and meet in lived experience. Join us in the Jordan Court Community Room at 9:15 on the following Sundays: Feb. 9, 16, 23 and Mar. 2nd.
Catechumenate Classes
Are you hoping to be baptized, or Confirmed, Received (this means that you were confirmed in another tradition before now), or Reaffirmed (this means that you were once Confirmed in the Episcopal church, but you would like to renew your confirmation) in the Episcopal Church? Consider the Catechumenate! It's basically a 6-week crash course on the Episcopal Church. This class is also great if you're just wanting to learn more about what the Episcopal church believes about God, humanity, the Bible, or how to use the Book of Common Prayer. The class will be taught during the six Sunday evenings of Lent from 7-8:30 in the Common Room: March 9-April 13th. Reach out to Emily HC if you're interested, emily@allsoulsparish.org.
Children & Family
Sunday School (for kids pre-K through 5th grade) happens every week during the 10:30 service, in our newly-renovated classrooms in the undercroft! Enter the narthex and walk down the stairs. There will be signs, and/or an usher can help you find the way. Children return to church at the “Peace.”
Come join other All Soulsian families and kids in the courtyard after church. Please be mindful of fencing around the perimeter.
To sign up for our Children and Family newsletter, please email Emily B.
For Both Kids and Youth: Summer Camps!
It’s that time of year… time to sign up for camp! Kids and youth from All Souls have loved attending camp in two places: Bishop’s Ranch (the same place we have Parish Retreat, near Healdsburg), and St. Dorothy’s Rest. Both have roots in the Episcopal tradition and have programs for all ages (and some for families, too). You can find more information about St. Dorothy’s here, and Bishop’s Ranch here.
For children: It can be especially fun to go to camp at the same time as other kids from church! If you’re interested in coordinating dates, please reach out to Brenna Hall, an All Souls parent (brenna.k.hall@gmail.com).
Youth Program
Youth Group (for grades 6-12) happens on Sundays from 7-8:30pm. Generally, we alternate between an all-grades gathering, and a high school small group (~once a month).
This Sunday (March 2nd) is the ALL GRADES Youth Group, making clay Lenten crosses
Coming up:
March 9th - High School Small Group
Download our Spring (March/April) 2025 calendar here. To join the weekly youth mailing list, email emilyb@allsoulsparish.org.
Justice & Peace
Open Door Dinner (ODD) happens once a month on the second Sunday. If you are able or interested in helping put the meal together or deliver some meals to the camps around Berkeley, please email Jennifer Akiyama.
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. With the colder weather, they are especially seeking donations of the following items:
General hygiene products (toothbrushes/toothpaste, deodorant, soap, etc.)
Clothes/cold weather gear
Bottled water
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
A seminarian at CDSP, Karla Koon, needs temporary help with some domestic chores as she deals with medical treatment. If you are interested in joining a temporary ministry team to provide assistance (between now and the end of May), please contact bonniekbishop@myyahoo.com.
Everything Else
Daylight Savings March 9th!! Don’t forget to change your clocks.
2024 Contribution Statements: They are already prepared and ready for download on Realm. You'll see a blue button that says "2024 Contribution Statement" on your Home Profile Page, and also on your Giving Page. If you aren't registered yet on Realm, or if you have trouble, just email, text or call Maggie Cooke, Giving Secretary, and she will have an email out to you (or a hard copy mailed if required) within an hour or so. Don't hesitate to ask... but it's a great feature of Realm to see your Giving at any time.
Maggie Cooke, Giving Secretary
Realm Support (3rd Sunday of every month): We have a new church online directory, database, and community - and you are invited to join! If you are a member here, you should already have received an invitation from Realm. If you’re new and looking to join (or didn’t get an email invite), then see Emily Hansen Curran. For anyone interested in learning more about Realm, who need help troubleshooting any problems logging in, or using different features, we’ve got folks who will be at coffee hour on the 3rd Sunday of each month after the 10:30 service with laptops ready to answer your questions and help. Come by and get the help you need.
New E-mail Service: You might have noticed, but we have shifted our mailing service from Squarespace to Constant Contact. Hopefully this will not impact any or many of you, but in case it matters, please add allsouls@allsoulsparish.ccsend.com to your contacts. This will hopefully ensure that the Pathfinder arrives in your inbox and not your spam folder.
