The Pathfinder: September 3rd, 2026
The Feast of Creation in Christ
This Sunday, September 6, All Souls will join Christians from many churches around the world to celebrate the Feast of Creation in Christ, a new feast proposed for addition to our Episcopal Church liturgical calendar. The emergence of this feast is a remarkable development in global Christianity.
It’s the first time Christians have come together ecumenically to adopt a feast in the church calendar.
For several years, All Souls has celebrated a season of creation. Our prayers and music draw our attention to the gift of creation, strengthening our commitment to climate justice and deepening our relationship with the earth and all its creatures. Emily B. wrote about this in her Pathfinder article a few weeks ago.
On Sunday, as we continue celebrating the season of creation, our focus will shift to the mystery of creation, that is, God’s act of creation, of all that is, seen and unseen. We will contemplate Christ’s role in creation, as we proclaim in the Nicene Creed, “through him all things were made.” We’ll ponder God’s ongoing work of creation and her promise of new creation in Christ. We’ll consider how all creation is filled with God’s presence.
The feast of creation has ancient roots. Eastern Orthodox churches have been celebrating it for centuries, adapting a Roman harvest festival on September 1 that marked the beginning of the agricultural and imperial year. The feast also has a parallel in the Jewish calendar with Rosh Hashanah, the celebration of the new year, marking the day of the world’s creation.
In 1989, the patriarch of Constantinople invited the whole Christian world to join Orthodox churches in celebrating September 1 as a day of prayer for creation, giving thanks for the gift of creation and praying for its protection and salvation. From this invitation, a movement to celebrate a feast as well as a season of creation gradually spread to churches around the world. European ecumenical bodies began endorsing the feast in the 1990s, the World Council of Churches embraced it in 2008, and Pope Francis recognized it in 2015.
Then, in March 2024, over 100 church leaders and theological and liturgical scholars from around the world gathered in Assisi, Italy (with more joining online), to consider how Western churches might join Eastern Orthodox churches in adding this feast to their liturgical calendars. Their hope was to establish the feast in 2025, as a way to mark the 1700th anniversary of the ecumenical Council of Nicaea (which adopted the ecumenical Nicene Creed that we recite every Sunday).
They convened again in Assisi a year later, with participation from even more churches—Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox; Episcopalians and other Anglicans; Lutherans and Methodists; Moravians and Mennonites. The World Council of Reformed Churches was present, along with the Salvation Army, the Pentecostal World Fellowship, and the World Evangelical Alliance. Nourished by daily prayer together, they dug into the theology and they debated the title of the feast. They considered biblical readings and prayers suitable for the celebration, as well as music and art. They took account of the signs of the times, the global climate crisis that concerns all of us.
When the Episcopal Church’s General Convention met in 2024, bishops and deputies adopted a resolution formally supporting the global ecumenical effort and encouraging congregations to celebrate both the feast and the season of creation. Our Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music is now considering the feast for addition to the liturgical year in our Book of Common Prayer, and it is likely to be brought before the next General Convention, in 2027.
The celebration of liturgical feasts includes readings from scripture, helping us dig into the biblical foundations and explore their meaning for us today. Our current lectionary, that is, the table of readings for each Sunday and feast of the church year, is the Revised Common Lectionary, developed by the ecumenical Consultation on Common Texts, in which the Episcopal Church is an active participant. This year, the Consultation added the Feast of Creation in Christ to the lectionary and commended a set of readings for churches. These will be the readings for our celebration on Sunday.
When we celebrate the Feast of Creation in Christ this Sunday, we’ll join Christians around the world in praise and thanksgiving for God’s wondrous work of creation. May we be strengthened by our participation in this ecumenical feast, and may our worship draw us more deeply into the mystery of Christ, through whom all things were created.
-The Rev. Dr. Ruth Meyers
Isaiah Project 2.0 is Here!
Youth Spirit Artworks and Center for ArtEsteem, two of our Isaiah Project organizations, have invited our congregation to get involved in supporting their inspiring missions. Both organizations have September opportunities for All Soulsians to deepen our connection by showing up.
If you would like to volunteer at any of the Isaiah Project organizations, please attend the mandatory volunteer training – led by Rector Phil Brochard, Wendy Calimag, Jenny Kern, and Molly Nicol -- at All Souls next Tuesday, September 8, from 6-8 pm in the Common Room. Over a light dinner (included), we will explore what it means to “bridge the gap” within a Christian context. Please RSVP for the September 8th training here.
Youth Spirit Artworks Volunteer Opportunity
“What if just a few hours of your time could help a young person feel welcomed, valued, and cared for?”
So opens the invitation for community members, including All Souls, to join in supporting the upcoming healing clinic for young people.
For the fifth year, Youth Spirit Artworks (youthspiritartworks.org) will host a multifaceted youth healing clinic focusing on cultivated tools for physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. The goal is to support young people ages 14-25 who live with housing and financial insecurity and related challenges. YSA’s vision of healing includes activities related to art and creativity, somatic wellness, meditation, equine therapy, and more. Participating organizations in this free event include Healthy Black Families, Dream Youth Clinic, Center for ArtEsteem, Hands of Healing, and many more.
The event is scheduled for September 19th, the Saturday of the All Souls Parish Retreat. The opportunity to volunteer, however, starts the week before. There are currently volunteer openings on Wednesday the 16th, Thursday the 17th, and Friday the 18th.
As you can imagine, it takes many hands to make such an ambitious event possible. Communication and Operations Manager Tamara Cosio shared more details:
For the Healing Clinic, we are looking for people (the day of) to man some art tables and community art installations. In the days prior to the Clinic, we need the community art installations and some furniture assembled. I also believe there might be some work inside some vacant tiny houses to prep them as meditation rooms and quiet places for anyone's sensory needs. Thank you so much for spreading the word and supporting our event 😃
The best way to sign up is through Mobilize:
https://www.mobilize.us/youthspiritartworks/event/996535/
For more information, please reach out to Jenny Kern at Jenkernesq@gmail.com
Center for ArtEsteem Volunteer Opportunity
ArtEsteem addresses social ills by providing opportunities for creative expression and healing to children and youth and their families in the East Bay. Founded in 1989, the organization “empowers individuals to be self-aware and inspired through art, creativity, and education, and to make positive choices to break the cycle of violence for themselves and their communities.” Its programs have served over 75 at-risk schools and their communities, reaching thousands of children, youth and families in the East Bay.
Help with archiving the Center for ArtEsteem’s artwork: ArtEsteem has requested assistance with preserving, organizing, and cataloging their artwork, which helps them both preserve their organization/community history and better prepares them to show and share that work with the wider community. We have scheduled this volunteer event for Friday, September 25, from 2:00-5:00 pm.
Specific Tasks:
Photographing works
Data entry to create a catalog of our archives
Wrapping/ storing artwork safely for better preservation and retrieval
This volunteer project is a wonderful way to meet some of ArtEsteem’s staff and see firsthand the transformational work they are engaged in through art and education.
For more information about the ArtEsteem volunteer event, feel free to contact Wendy Calimag at wcalimag@gmail.com or Lewis Maldonado at lewiscm@mac.com
Peace,
-Jenny Kern and Lewis Maldonado
Choir Returns Next Wednesday!
The All Souls Parish Choir resumes Wednesday night rehearsals next week on September 9th at 7 pm in the church. Wednesday night choir rehearsals are much more than just learning new music or reviewing more familiar music for the upcoming Sundays (usually 2-3 weeks in advance and sometimes up to 6 weeks ahead).
It is a time for the choir to find its “voice.”
Warming up our voices together and then singing in unison and in harmony creates that magical blend that no one voice can create. Naturally, there is a fun social component to our rehearsals as well with plenty of laughter, timely conversations and even prayer.
The choir also holds a focused rehearsal every Sunday morning from 9:30 am - 10:15 am. At this rehearsal, we run through all the music for that particular Sunday so that the choir can lead the congregation in song - especially the psalm and any unfamiliar hymns. If we have a little extra time, we might look ahead at a piece of music that we are finding more challenging.
Thinking about joining the choir? We would love to have you join us! Come to a rehearsal or talk with Matt (or another choir member) anytime.
-Matt Wolka, Associate for Music
It's Almost Pledge Season!
Yes, it is nearly time for the beloved annual tradition of raising money for next year’s budget!! Literally dozens of people have been eagerly awaiting the start of pledge season, and it is finally just around the corner! Join us as we officially Kick Off the 2027 All Souls Annual Operating Campaign on Sunday, September 27th, with a presentation at 9:15 am in the Parish Hall.
We'll share the leadership's vision for 2027 and how we plan to get there together.
There will be food. There will be beverages. There will be more details soon. So mark your calendars now for the opening of pledge season. This kickoff is one you won't want to miss!
-Richard Lynch, Stewardship
Second Thursday Lunch Resumes!
Many years ago, The Lunch Bunch, formed after the men’s Spaghetti Again group, came into being as a way for the women of All Souls to gather monthly for a potluck lunch. Not only did we share food, but we nurtured one another, laughed, caught up on our lives, and inspired church activities amidst busy schedules.
I first encountered The Lunch Bunch when I was off work, shepherding my six year old son (now to be 33) through treatment for cancer. I was embraced by wonderful women, Margie Faye, Kay Dreher, Gloria Blayne, and Doree Laverty, to name a few. The strength and fellowship of this group was an important part of my sustenance during this trying time and led to wonderful friendships and other involvement at our amazing church.
The Lunch Bunch, renamed Second Thursday Lunch, is due to resume Thursday, September 10, 12 pm-1 pm, after a hiatus due to the renovation of the Parish Hall. Join us and bring a dish to share! Please email Suzanne Nelson at kahiku.1@gmail.com to confirm, so we have an approximate count for our first gathering. We look forward to our reunion!
In Fellowship,
-Suzanne Nelson
Announcements & Events
Thursday (TONIGHT)
5 pm, Reading Between the Lines Bible Study in the Common Room.
Saturday
11 am, Memorial Service for Howard Perdue in the Nave. Reception following the service in the Parish Hall. Click here for livestream. Click here for the service bulletin.
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. Sunday School in the Godly Play classroom downstairs.
12 noon, Coffee Hour in the Courtyard and Faithful Friendship discussion in the Common Room.
Tuesday
6 pm, Being With 20/30’s Group.
6 pm, Mandatory Training for Isaiah Project volunteers in the Common Room (Dinner provided - see link above to RSVP).
Wednesday
9 am, Holy Eucharist in the Chapel. Please enter through the copper doors downstairs on Cedar Street.
7 pm, Choir Rehearsal in the Nave.
Gather With Us
HOWARD PERDUE MEMORIAL - September 5th
A service to remember and celebrate Howard’s life will be held at All Souls at 11 am on Saturday, September 5th. A reception will follow in the Parish Hall. All are welcome. Click here for a link to the livestream.
ISAIAH PROJECT 2.0: VOLUNTEER TRAINING - September 8th
Join us from 6-8 pm on Tuesday, 9/8, in the Common Room for a mandatory training for people wishing to volunteer at one of our four Isaiah Project grantee organizations. Led by Rector Phil Brochard, Wendy Calimag, Jenny Kern, and Molly Nicol, the training is designed to invite us to reflect on what it means to serve in a Christian context. In addition, we will learn about how cultural humility can help us build bridges and help “repair the breach”. Dinner will be provided. To sign up, use the QR code on the bulletin board in the Narthex or click here.
YOUNG ADULTS: ATTEND A DIOCAL FELLOWSHIP AND RETREAT - September 11th-13th
Young adults, ages 18-40, are invited to "Seeing and Being Seen", a weekend retreat at the Bishop's Ranch, September 11-13. The retreat will include plenty of unstructured time to relax and enjoy fun and fellowship with other young adults from across the diocese, as well as opportunities to connect and share where God is at work in our lives, worship together, and learn about opportunities for leadership and involvement. Maleah Rios will be our facilitator, leading us in prayer each morning and night as well as in a time of formation on Saturday.
The cost of the retreat is $200 for general and $150 for students, with scholarships available for those who cannot afford to pay full price. The cost covers shared room accommodations in the St. Stephen's Cottages, as well as all meals from Friday dinner to Sunday lunch.
Register to attend today! If you have questions or want more information about scholarships, please contact Hannah Elyse Cornthwaite, vicar@holyinsf.org.
ALL SOULS PARISH RETREAT - September 18th–20th
It’s time for our annual Parish Retreat on Friday, September 18th through Sunday, September 20th! 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. If you missed the 9/1 deadline to sign up, please email Mother Rachel (rachel@allsoulspairhs.org) directly for help with last minute registrations.
BEING WITH GROUPS
Being With is for anyone 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.
To foster trust and meaningful conversation, cohorts are capped at 12 participants and led by trained All Souls clergy and community members.
Who Is This For?
This course is especially designed for you if:
You want deeper connection: You’re looking to meet new people and build relationships at All Souls.
You are exploring: You are new to Christianity, grew up in another faith tradition, or consider yourself "spiritual but not religious."
You are re-examining faith: You grew up in the church, have experienced doubt or hurt, and want a safe space to process your questions.
You have big questions: You’re wrestling with thoughts about God, Jesus, and what it means to practice faith in the modern world.
What Is the Commitment?
We ask participants to commit to attending all 10 sessions. Because we hold these conversations—and the personal stories shared within them—as sacred, building a safe and trusting environment requires everyone to show up consistently.
Click Here to Sign Up for a Fall Being With Group
Schedule & Origins
When: Being With is offered twice weekly and starts the second week of September. The Tuesday evening group for 20/30s starts on Tuesday, 9/8, at 6 pm, and the Sunday evening group (all ages) starts on 9/13 at 5 pm. We will add more groups if there is interest.
Origins: All Souls is deeply grateful to the Rev. Dr. Sam Wells and the Rev. Sally Hitchiner of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, London, who originally developed the Being With curriculum.
For questions or more information, please contact Mother Rachel at rachel@allsoulsparish.org.
LETTER WRITING SESSION - September 26th
All are welcome to join us for another letter-writing session to immigrant detainees on Saturday, Sept. 26th from 2-4 pm in the Common Room. Join with All Soulsians and folks from other Berkeley congregations to engage in this important work. RSVP to Pam Maffei (pamelamaffei@icloud.com) or Cindy Townsend (hikinpsyd@gmail.com).
ALL SOULS RACIAL JUSTICE TEAM OUTING - October 4th
Join us Sunday afternoon, October 4, at the Oakland Museum of California for Mildred Howard: Poetics of Memory, her first major museum retrospective — admission is free that day. Questions? Contact Raymond Yee.
Learn With Us
ADULT FORMATION
Christian Perspectives on Money is a three-session Sunday school series exploring what the Bible — and particularly the teachings of Jesus — has to say about our relationship with money, from the broadest social level down to our own wallets and our church community. We begin by examining how money functions in society, considering how the economic world of Jesus' day compares to our own, and asking how his teachings remain powerfully relevant across that divide. In the second session, we turn inward to explore our personal relationship with money: considering money as a tool whose use reveals our deepest values, and taking up practical questions about ethical investing. Finally, we zoom out to look at the church itself — tracing the many creative ways congregations have sustained themselves throughout history, and reflecting on how a community's choices about funding its church are themselves an act of faith and shared values. Classes will be held at 9:15 am in the Parish Hall on the following days: Aug. 30, Sept. 6, and 13, and will be led by Sarah Reynolds, Jenn Ying, and Richard Lynch.
WEEKLY 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 5-6:30 pm. Both groups meet in our Common Room and use the Reading Between the Lines curriculum. Join us! Drop-ins are always welcome, too!
Worship With Us
CHILDREN, YOUTH & FAMILIES
September 13th - First Youth Group of the year! All grades (middle and high school) are invited to join us in the courtyard for a kick-off event, 7:00-8:30 pm.
Sept. 18th-20th - Parish Retreat at The Bishop’s Ranch in Healdsburg. This is a great family-friendly event. Youth are also welcome to attend on their own (there are special youth cabins and programming). Contact Mother Rachel (rachel@allsoulsparish.org) for help with any late registrations.
If you want to join the Children and Family or Youth mailing lists, please email Emily B+ (emilyb@allsoulsparish.org).
TAIZE TUESDAYS
Check back for information on a potential new series of services.
WEDNESDAY MORNING EUCHARIST
Join us every Wednesday at 9 am in the Chapel for a small, discussion-based service. All are welcome!
Serve With Us
There are lots of ways to share your talents and time! Check out the bulletin board in the Narthex to sign up for one of All Souls’ many ministries.
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.
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!
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.
Vigil at the Concord Immigration Court on the 4th Tuesday of every month. Most of our vigil is spent singing and holding signs expressing welcome and solidarity for those who are coming for an appointment at the court. We take time each month to pray, remembering immigrants in detention centers and those who have died in detention. Join us at 1855 Gateway Blvd., Concord, on the 4th Tuesday of every month, 7:15-9:30 am. For more information, contact Kaki L. or Ruth M.
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!
Last but not least
Back to School, Back to Front
Thanks to the steady and sweaty efforts of Jim, Paul, Julie, Martin, Lia, Frank, and Phil+, the Nave is back in its academic-year formation. For those who found connection with God and others in the round, have no fear; next summer will be here before we know it. Thank you, moving crew!!
Genesis Fundraiser- September 26th
Genesis an interfaith social justice coalition working to build the Beloved Community in the East Bay. Many of you have met Mary Lim (Executive Director of Genesis), who is the partner of Matt Wolka (she does other stuff too!). The Genesis "Be the Change" Breakfast Fundraiser at First Unitarian Church of Oakland will feature The Rev. Ethan Lowery as keynote speaker.
As you may remember, All Souls was the sending parish of Ethan. Ethan was also the seminarian assigned to Genesis during his time at CDSP. Ethan, who has created an amazing youth-centered ministry in Fredericksburg, Virginia, would be very jazzed to see All Souls-ians in the crowd!
Come find out what social justice work Genesis is doing and how you can support on September 26th from 8:30 am-10:30 am. Register at the QR Code on the graphic Or you can email gamaliel.genesisca@gmail.com
