From the Associate Rector
On Needing Each Other
I saw a meme the other day that said “All I want is to live through ‘precedented’ times.” I can’t think of anything that I have related to more in the last several months. It boggles the mind to really sit down and think about all that we have seen and lived through over the past year. I know it will take years to unpack and understand all that has taken place, but in all of this confusion and brain fog, one thing is more clear to me now than ever before: we need each other.
We need each other in a big way.
Very early on in Covid while we were still living in Cincinnati, Andrea and I had been at home alone for a few weeks without seeing anyone. One afternoon we got a text from a friend saying that she and her 3 year old son were walking to the park down the block from our house. We went on to our porch to wave hello and chat for a few minutes from a distance as they passed by. While we were outside, another mutual friend of ours drove by and chatted with us from her car. The whole interaction lasted maybe 10-12 minutes, but it lifted my spirits for at least a week.
After that, our friend started texting us every time she and her son walked to the park, and it became a new routine for us to come out and wave at them and talk for a few minutes. Soon, we were seeing them almost every day. We carved out a new ritual in the midst of the pandemic that had stripped our lives of every other ritual that involved seeing other humans in real life.
I’m sure that many of you can think of stories like this of your own. Maybe you started talking to your neighbors more than you had before. Maybe you started up a new Zoom call with family members that live far away that you didn’t used to talk to very often. Here at All Souls, volunteers have been reaching out by phone to other members of the community as well, and will continue to do so into the future.
When it first started to become clear that we were going to be in this thing for longer than three weeks, we sought each other out. Not in the ways that we had before, but we got creative and made it work because we needed to know that we weren’t in it alone. Heck, I even played Monopoly via Zoom with people. That’s commitment!
After some of us were able to take a brief trip to the surface for air, doing things like outdoor worship and formation, eating outdoors at restaurants, etc., we have once again been forced into a time of distance and isolation.
This got me to thinking that there is no time like the present to revisit some of the ways in which All Soulsians are available to care for one another.
First, we pray together. Through worship on Sundays, and in our own individual prayers we are praying with and for one another. If you have specific prayer requests, we have created a new form on our website for you to send your prayer requests to Phil and me, and for them to be added to the Prayers of the People in worship. No one sees these prayer requests other than Phil and me, and unless you request it, your name will not be added to any public prayer lists.
Second, we support one another through conversation and listening. Phil and I are available to talk with you about anything that’s on your heart. You can use that same form to request an email or phone call from one of us, or you can contact us directly to let us know what is going on with you. Our cell phone numbers and email addresses are in the directory.
I will hold Zoom “office hours” on Thursdays from 1:00-2:00pm beginning next week (1/21). Drop in and chat for a few minutes. I still haven’t met so many of you, and I’d love to get to know you better, so feel free to drop in even if you don’t have anything pressing to talk about!
Lastly, we know that the needs that are coming up right now are sometimes more tangible than a prayer or a listening ear. If you’d like to request a Meal Train, or if you need a one time meal, or help with an errand like picking up groceries or prescriptions, you can visit the All Souls Support Desk to arrange to receive help with some of those things.
We’ll get to those “precedented” times again someday, but for now, please lean on and lean into this community for support.
In peace,
Maggie+
Update from Jordan Court
All Souls Episcopal Parish (ASEP) has entered into a joint venture with Satellite Affordable Housing Associates (SAHA) to develop housing on ASEP’s former parking lot and its Parish House land. The building, Jordan Court, will have 34 low-rent units for seniors, and a community room. In addition, the building will have Church offices, and two 3 bedroom apartments for clergy or affiliates of All Souls. These spaces are leased to All Souls in return for leasing its land to the joint venture.
Jordan Court will have four stories over a concrete garage, built into the slope from Oxford Street up to All Souls. The Oxford wing of the building will have the affordable units on its four levels. The Cedar Street wing will have a community room on the first level. The ASEP administrative offices will be on the second floor. The third and fourth levels will each have an apartment. A labyrinth will be in the courtyard.
Jordan Court is named in honor of Ann Jordan, an All Souls parishioner and benefactor.
The Design Of Jordan Court
All Souls wants Jordan Court to be a harmonious neighboring building of which it can be proud.
The building follows a classic order. It has a base, a body, and a capital. The base (foundational) is a darker gray stucco. The body (major component) is a medium gray. The base and body step up the hill on Cedar. The capital (top level) is a lighter gray, and its windows are flush with the facades.
The theme of the Oxford facade is bay windows. They allow plentiful and balanced light into the stacked senior living units. As a counterpoint, the theme on Cedar is recessed windows. The rooms on Cedar are not stacked, given the diverse uses on the stories. Bay windows are not practical. The window types of both themes add depth to their walls and enliven the exteriors by casting dynamic shadows. The Oxford/Cedar corner, with two levels of bay windows, acts as a transition between the two themes.
The entrance to Jordan Court is accentuated by a story and a half of glass with two canopies. Also, at this corner the fourth story is cut back and replaced with a deck.
One of the overriding considerations during the design process was to reduce the perceived height of the building. The long bands of unifying trim between the base and the body, and also between the body and the capital, will be white. The trim around the windows will also be white, as are the window frames. That trim will be detailed to accent the horizontal elements. The roof overhang (eaves) will be green, to replicate the color of the eaves and trim on All Souls.
In addition to being harmonious, the design seeks to be calm, timeless, peaceful, orderly, functional, spiritual, welcoming, proportional, and wholesome. We thank SAHA for cooperating with us in taking the lead as the design client, and to the Director of Design at HKIT for respecting and implementing our feedback and input.
With respect and gratitude,
Kirk Miller
Candidates for Vestry
Kim Wong
I’ve been privileged to worship at All Souls with my family for the last twenty-one years and was originally attracted to its combination of family friendly services, accessible liturgy, beautiful music and welcoming community. Over the past two decades, I have served on the vestry, been on various fundraising/capital campaign committees (including what was then the “new” playground!), taught Sunday School, served as an usher and have also been a long-time member of the Children and Family Committee. I have felt extremely fortunate to raise my own daughter at All Souls and watch her progress through Sunday School, Youth Group, the Confirm Not Conform program and beyond.
In my day job, I am a Program Director in a San Francisco nonprofit working as a preschool director for three sites that serve low-income children of color. I have put on an extra hat at my agency during the pandemic and am now unofficially known as “the first responder” for the hours that I have spent working to keep the staff, children and families safe. During this time, I have been so grateful to worship at All Souls and view serving on the vestry as a chance to give back to this community that means so much to me, especially during such transitional times. In addition, I have also recently completed the “Sacred Grounds” program. I am excited about the interplay of this with my daily life and work along with the added possibilities of addressing racial justice concerns in our church community and beyond.
Kirk Miller
All Souls has been my religious and spiritual home for the past 19 years. I was raised in the United Church of Canada. After grad school at Cal, I undertook an informal comparative study of religion. (The 1970’s at UC Berkeley caused one to re-examine all aspects of one’s life). As primers, I read all of Joseph Campbell’s books. More studying led me to practicing at the San Francisco Zen Center.
One of the insights I had while practicing Zen was that I was, basically, a Christian. I then worshiped at Grace Cathedral and St. Barnabas in Denver. After relocating to the East Bay, and doing some “church shopping” in Oakland and Berkeley, All Souls became my church. I found it to be diverse, inclusive, intelligent, wholesome, welcoming, supportive, and with a sense of community. All Souls clergy can also be described by the above adjectives, among others: they are insightful and articulate, offering passages from scripture to address specific contemporary problems and/or solutions.
I have been a long time attendee of the All Souls Spaghetti Again group, and became a member of its executive committee. Also, I am serving on the Jordan House steering committee. I was honored to be heavily involved in the design of the building and am now observing its construction on behalf of All Souls.
For my day job, I am an architect and project manager. My portfolio includes, among other building and design types, affordable housing, minor and major renovations, and universities and seminaries. My extracurricular activities have been heavily involved in community affairs, including fund-raising. I have served on the boards of government agencies and non-government organizations. Among those NGO’s is the National Asian American Coalition.
If elected to the All Souls Vestry, it will be my honor to continue observing the construction of Jordan House. Also, I can give input on the renovations of All Souls, offer insights into future capital campaigns, and help ensure that All Souls continues with its programs for racial justice.
Nydia MacGregor
My family relocated to this side of the Bay from the Peninsula more than a year ago. We joined All Souls at that point. But, this is not my first All Souls rodeo. My husband, Nat, and I raised our now young adult daughters (Madison and Georgia) in this parish. Along with my parents, we were active members for more than a decade. So this feels very much like a homecoming.
We originally joined All Souls because our children could be authentically themselves here, could explore their own connection to the sacred through play, music, and service, and would be loved by a varied, generous community. In the end, this is what our entire family found. Whether through music, service, mission trips, or making, delivering, and breaking bread together, each of us was transformed by the amazing, blessed community that is this parish. In spite of having “missed” a decade of All Soulsian life, I still sense the curiosity, longing, and openness of this community journeying together.
I am on the faculty at Santa Clara University, teaching Strategy, and Strategic Change Management, and co-teaching a wonderful course called, Spirituality and Business Leadership. My additional role is as Faculty Director of MBA and online programs where I work on curriculum, faculty development, and program strategy. I hold a BA from UC Santa Cruz in History, an MBA from UC Davis, and a PhD in Organizational Behavior and Industrial Relations from UC Berkeley. When I’m not involved in work for students, faculty, or family, I enjoy gardening, walking in the hills, travel, and feeding friends and family vegetarian feasts whenever the opportunity presents itself.
In the past at All Souls, I’ve been lucky enough to contribute to music (in Angel Band) and to (the predecessor of) the Meal Train, as well as to support our Godly play classroom. I was a regular on parish retreats and summer campouts. Finally, more recently in our parish in Menlo Park, I served on the Vestry for one term and organized a couple of our Women’s retreats.
Healing. Contemplative action. Generosity of spirit. Care for one another. If called to the Vestry, it would be an honor to apply my talents in service to this community as we walk this journey of faith together.
Kate Garrett
It is an honor to introduce myself to the broader All Souls community. My name is Kate Garrett, and I became an All Souls member in the spring of 2017. In the past four years, I’ve been a greeter, contributed regularly to the food drive, attended a variety of adult formation classes, and participated in a wonderful Sacred Ground group. If given the opportunity to serve on the vestry, I hope to learn more about All Souls’ ministries and to contribute in any way I can to a parish that has become so dear to me.
I grew up in Beloit, Wisconsin, in a nominally Christian but non-practicing family. In 7th grade, my best friend invited me to join her choir at the Presbyterian church down the block. I agreed, and beyond singing in the service almost every week for six years, I came to find solace and inspiration within that congregation. When I left home in 1980, I continued to sing in that choir every Christmas Eve; even after my parents passed away, I would stay overnight to sing in the service and then drive up to my brother’s place in Madison on Christmas morning. When First Presbyterian closed its doors, I realized that it had always been my church, even from so far away, and now I was truly church-less. I remembered my dear friend Rebecca Whitney mentioning her congregation, so I asked her about it, and she invited me to All Souls.
I was immediately drawn to the powerful community here. I loved the way children ran up and down the aisles during the service (something I truly miss in the livestreams), and I treasured speaking with parishioners of all ages at formation hours. On the night of the 2016 election, I remember thinking, “thank God I can go to church on Sunday.” As I did so many decades ago, I have found solace and inspiration at All Souls.
Beyond All Souls, I have worked for 25 years at San Francisco University High School, filling many roles, including English teacher, Academic Dean, and currently as one of the college counselors. I am single, and share a home in Elmwood with a good friend who has come to feel like family. I enjoy reading, watching sports (go, Warriors), and I very much look forward to meeting or reconnecting with each of you in person one day soon.
Shawn Adderly
Hi I’m Shawn
I live in Berkeley and was born and raised in Miami, Florida by two great parents. I attended Palmer Trinity, an Episcopal school in Miami, where I went to Eucharist regularly. For college, I attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of Vermont where I received my undergrad and grad degrees respectively and spent time at the University of Michigan Ann-Arbor. During undergrad, I attended a non-denominational Christian church.
I moved to the Bay Area in 2015 and have been attending All Souls since 2017. Episcopal churches have always suited me because of their commitment to tradition, openness and intellectualness. I also like hearing hymns played on organs!
When looking for a new church in Berkeley, I searched online, and came across this statement that someone wrote, “Don’t expect this church to force you to check your brain at the door.” And I thought this sounds like the church for me! I fully support our church’s commitment to fighting discrimination, climate change, reducing inequality and being good stewards to others in an increasingly complex world. At All Souls I’ve been a member of several committees including the stewardship and capital campaign committees. I am also an usher and occasionally repair minor facilities issues around the sanctuary.
Professionally, I work for a large energy company headquartered in San Francisco (soon to be in Oakland, near Lake Merritt). In my job there is no room for darkness, as we aim to keep the lights on all the time. Outside of work I enjoy watching tv, volunteering, dancing, biking, traveling, fixing things, debating, programming and watching the NFL.
Building Bridges
Building Bridges: Pray for the Peace of the City
With Guest: Mayor Jesse Arreguín
Sunday January 24 at 2:00pm
Join us for the next in our series of Building Bridges programs with St. Paul AME Church and Congregation Beth El – this time with guest City of Berkeley Mayor Jesse Areguin. Building upon our conversations about isolation and connection back in November, in this session we’ll broaden our horizons to focus on our wider Berkeley/East Bay community.
Grounding our conversation in Jeremiah 29:7, we’ll discuss our role as members of religious communities and envision together a city and region in which all people are whole and at peace. Grab an afternoon snack and a beverage of choice as we gather around our screens to learn, laugh and support each other through this challenging time. Whether you’ve participated in previous Building Bridges programs or this will be your first, all All Souls adults and teens are welcome.
Please sign up for the session at this link:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYqdu6tqjMqHtYJ4EI4WgeNGHnmkZbP6vho
You’ll receive the Zoom login information after you sign up as well as a reminder email with the link on the day of the session.
Announcements
Sunday Live Streaming News
Join us at 9am on Zoom for what was our outdoor, courtyard worship service. Or (and!) join us for the live stream of Sunday’s 11:15 service, which can be accessed through our website or by tuning into our All Souls Episcopal Parish Facebook page. Click here to watch on Sunday morning.
Adult Formation Class this Sunday
We have three class offerings this Sunday
- Reading Between the Lines Bible Study. Contact Daniel Prechtel, dprechtel1@gmail.com, to join that Zoom call at 10:10am.
- Praying with Scripture taught by Madeline Feeley and Toni Martinez Borgfeldt
10:10 Virtual Formation Class on Zoom (click here for class link) 1/10, 1/17, & 1/24
Looking for new ways to pray? Resolved to make 2021 a Year of Prayer?
Join Tonantzin Martinez-Borgfeldt and Madeline Feeley as we explore ways to use scripture in our daily life. We all desire a closer relationship with God, but it’s often hard to hear the Spirit in such a noisy world. Perhaps the Bible can help us center and focus that desire. Each session, we’ll use texts from the week’s lectionary and introduce you to practices designed to enrich your prayer life. You’re welcome to attend as many sessions as you can. We look forward to praying with you!
- Newcomer Class taught by Emily Hansen Curran and the Rev. Phil Brochard
10:10 Virtual Formation Class on Zoom (click here for class link) 1/10, 1/17, & 1/24 Anyone is invited to participate in our Newcomer Class, starting this Sunday, but you are especially welcome if you have started attending All Souls within the last 6-8 months or so. This is a 3-week class taught by the Rev. Phil Brochard and Emily Hansen Curran where we’ll look a little at the Episcopal church generally as well as the history of All Souls in exploring what it means to be a member at All Souls.
Missed the previous week’s class?? Not to worry, we’ve got you covered. We’ll be recording all of the Adult Formation offerings and loading them to the Adult Formation page of our website. Click here to get there and access the class recordings.
Children & Family News
In-person Children’s formation is temporarily on hold as we are under a new Shelter in Place order, but Children’s Chapel resumes this week via Zoom at 10:10! If you’d like to receive updates about this, but do not subscribe to the Family Bulletin, please email Maggie Foote (maggie@allsoulsparish.org) for more information.
Youth Group News
Youth group resumes this Sunday at 7:00pm via Zoom. Hope to see you all there, and if you have a young person in your household in grades 6-12, and do not receive updates about Youth Group events, please email Maggie at maggie@allsoulsparish.org to be added to the list!
Stephen Ministry: We are here for you!
2020 was a challenging year, right?! Most of us have been struggling and overwhelmed. You are not alone. Stephen Ministers understand and are available to listen, support and pray for you. We can offer you a confidential caring relationship or an occasional phone call to help you through these ever-changing times. Contact Maggie Foote at (513) 309-1079 or Madeline Feeley at (510) 495-4512 so we can be there for you.
Sacred Ground Small Groups!
We are launching another round of Sacred Ground groups! What is Sacred Ground? It is a film and article-based dialogue series on race and faith written by the Diocese of the Episcopal church for people looking to examine their notions of race and whiteness. You can read more about the program on the National Diocesan website here.
Back in June, we did our first round of these small groups and had about 80 or so parishioners go through the curriculum together. Because of the response and success (the impact the curriculum had on our lives) of this initial round, we have decided to continue to offer these small groups.
Details: these groups meet for 10 sessions, which can be spaced out as works for the group, but the suggestion is to meet every-other-week for 20 weeks. You should budget about an hour and a half per week of readings or meetings for the 20 weeks. When the groups meet will depend on the availability of the group, which you can indicate by filling out this interest form.
Evening Prayer via Zoom
Here is the link for the Thursday night BCP Compline, which starts at 8:30 PDT:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/78630294068?pwd=cmdoenJYRWUwR2J6QkhxSHNsakt0UT09
Meeting ID: 786 3029 4068
Passcode: Compline
Soulcast
Check out Season 2, Episode 17 of the Soulcast!
Ongoing Canned Food Drive
The ASP Food Drive continues to pick up and deliver food for the Berkeley Food Pantry on a weekly basis. Food contributors and drivers participate every other week. Please email Cathy: ogoshca@yahoo.com for more information.
Wednesday 9am Service
Join the Zoom call here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86087951049?pwd=THNxbjlqMm5zdjc5RGNLWkFrZk16QT09
Meeting ID: 860 8795 1049 Password: 520218
Meal Train
If you are able to help provide some meals for parishioners in need, please contact Cathy Goshorn to help out! We are in great need at this time to help care for each other––please consider helping other All Soulsians in need by providing meals or gift cards for meals. You can reach Cathy at ogoshca@yahoo.com.
Ordinations
Will Bryant (our current seminarian) will be ordained a deacon at the Cathedral of All Souls in Asheville, North Carolina, on January 16th at 11a ET (his ordination was delayed due to an illness at the Cathedral in North Carolina). Will is deeply thankful to everyone at All Souls Parish for all the support he has received over the last two years. All are invited to watch the ordination as it will be live-streamed on the Cathedral’s website at https://allsoulscathedral.org/virtual-connect.
Annual Meeting
This year’s Annual Meeting is January 31st at 10:10a on Zoom! Click here to register for the meeting (you must register to attend!)
Lectors
Wanting to be a remote lector for Sunday morning’s 11:15 service? Let me know and I’ll get you trained. Email emily@allsoulsparish.org.
Around the Diocese
Coming Soon – Good Shepherd Mutual Aid Education
As part of Good Shepherd’s efforts toward community engagement and social justice work, Gordon Gilmore and the Rev. Bill Trego will be co-facilitating a course/reading group on mutual aid strategies (via Zoom.) The course will meet every other Sunday beginning January 17, 2021 from 1:30-2:30 and plans to meet 7 times in total.
The idea of this course grew out of Good Shepherd’s anti-racism and Black Lives Matter initiatives, and the goal is to educate by reading texts on mutual aid strategies, horizontal organizing, and solidarity networks. The hope is that from this course we can develop a solidarity network in the north-/south-/West Berkeley areas, potentially joining forces with ones that already exist. The formation of such a solidarity network would serve to assist in resisting systemic oppression.
In this course, the goal will be to explore the texts together, everyone bringing their experiences in working with the community and critical lens to bear on the texts we are engaging and the strategies they suggest. The texts will look at the history of such strategies and organizing in the history of the church, such as Dorothy Day and the Catholic Workers Movement, as well as in revolutionary groups that often inspire liberation theologies, such as the Black Panthers. We will also look at strategies for such organizing in the present day, and brainstorm with one another about how best to implement these strategies.
If you’re in the Berkeley area and are interested in joining the conversation, please contact Gordon Gilmore at ggilmore462@gmail.com