From the Rector
Treasures Old and New
“And Jesus said to the disciples, ‘Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.” (Mt. 13:52)
Every year as we approach the most intense and seminal time of the church year, Holy Week, as a parish we face a number of decisions about how to inhabit the events of the life of the Christ from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday. What will we do this year? How will we embody each of these days so that we can come close to the hopes, the fears, the pain, the intimacy, the confusion, the incredulity, and the joy that we have accounts of thanks to the earliest followers of the Christ?
One of the characteristics of the Anglican tradition is our reverence for the practices that have preceded us, coupled with a desire to make them new in our time and place. Largely thanks to the travel diary of a 4th century nun named Egeria, a pilgrim to Jerusalem from Spain in the 4th century, we have an ancient set of practices, a map if you will, to the ways that Christians have walked this week for millennia. And, over time we have found new ways––through music and poetry and silence and ritual––to bring these practices to life.
In planning for this Holy Week we’ve kept many of the tried and true practices that we have developed over decades at All Souls: the overnight vigil in the Chapel as Maundy Thursday turns into Good Friday, the stories from seven All Soulsians as part of our contemplative Three Hour service on Good Friday, and the midrash with our stories at the Easter Vigil being some of them.
And, we are adding in or deepening new practices: a new structure to our Palm Sunday liturgy, an Agape meal on Thursday evening before the foot-washing and Eucharist, a new translation of the Passion from John’s Gospel for the evening Good Friday service, the simple Holy Saturday service in the Chapel, and entire first part of the Easter Vigil in our courtyard with stories around the campfire (bring warm jackets and blankets), brass and timpani for Easter Sunday.
One of the truths that I’ve learned to trust over years as a priest is that the treasure of the Kingdom, in this case entry to the transformative Mystery of the Crucifixion and Resurrection, is available to us––if we are willing to be present. I invite and encourage you to make the space this next week to follow the path that countless Christians have found to be the way of life, along the way finding treasures old and new.
Peace,
Phil+
From the Vestry
Update on the Living Waters Capital Improvement Projects
On Sunday, March 26th, the Vestry invited the congregation to hear updates about the Living Waters capital improvement projects and requested feedback from the congregation as we continue our discernment process.
As the Vestry considers the proposal it has received from the Property Committee as to which capital improvement projects to undertake, it wants to share the context within which it will be making its decisions. When the contractor gave an initial estimate for the cost of our wish list, and the deferred maintenance and infrastructure to support the work, the total was over $8 million, well above the $4 million we raised in the capital campaign. Some of the projects turned out to be much bigger and construction costs are much higher than we anticipated and the reality of an aging building and 60 years of deferred maintenance requires us to address many things.
The Property Committee used its judgment and expertise to make choices, tradeoffs and compromises to develop a scope of work we can afford. In its proposal, we can take up work that is at the heart of each of the four Living Waters pillars. We can do transformational work.
The Property Committee discerned, with unanimous agreement, that it would seek to support significant projects from all four pillars of the Living Waters campaign.
Some of the highlights:
Carbon Neutrality
Although full carbon neutrality is cost prohibitive at this time (to replace our current gas furnace with an electric heat pump would cost about $1 million), we can proceed with upgrading the electrification of the campus. Doing so will reduce our carbon footprint now and will set the stage for future updates to achieve our goal of full carbon neutrality.
Complete Accessibility
The Property Committee was unanimous in its recommendation to include an elevator as part of the proposal, and evaluated two possible sites, neither of which reach the Crow’s nest:
Spruce Street – we could use the western half of the Spruce street steps to build an entrance enclosure and an elevator that serves the nave and undercroft. Doors would open into the Narthex and the current robing rooms on the east end of the undercroft. With this option, we would continue to use a lift to serve the transition between the sanctuary and the Parish Hall.
Courtyard – we could enclose the space outside the current entrance into the foyer and build an elevator with doors that would open directly into the Nave on the main level, requiring a panel of stained glass to be removed but also permitting us to entirely remove the current lift. This option is more costly than the Spruce Street option.
The Property Committee is continuing to evaluate the feasibility of both sites, but based on current information it has recommended the Spruce Street location.
Continued Vitality
The Kitchen – The proposal includes full funding the Kitchen upgrade – slightly altered layout and new stove/oven, new sinks, cabinets but, due to costs, maintaining the existing footprint.
The Parish Hall – The proposal includes full funding for the Parish Hall, including a new floor, new storage for tables and chairs, new curtains, and repair of the two large parish hall windows. People have called the Parish Hall our living room and we can make it much more comfortable.
Deferred maintenance – This covers many of the projects we have to do to protect our current building and avoid higher costs in the future. We need to repair rotting parts of the roof, replace gutters, and we need some exterior painting.
Communal Flexibility
Chapel – The proposal recommends refreshing the chapel; installing a new heating and cooling system, new lighting and painting the space.
Undercroft – The proposal includes substantial work in the undercroft – removing some walls to make larger rooms, improving the lighting, painting the space, and making the kitchenette accessible.
Other – among other projects included in the proposal are irrigation and landscaping, some upgrades for the space we rent to Heart’s Leap, and Audio Visual upgrades.
There are some items that will not be addressed in the proposal. The Crows’ Nest will become used as storage space and programming will be transitioned to spaces that are fully accessible. The choir skylight would remain as it is, and the proposal does not recommend replacing the pews in the nave or replacing the playground surface.
Following the presentation, the congregation provided feedback for the Vestry to consider as it discerns a path forward with the Property Committee’s proposal. The Vestry provided two prompts for feedback “Now is the time to complete these three projects….” and “I also want the Vestry to know…” Using the go-around model, each member of the congregation was provided the opportunity to share a response to two prompts with the others at his or her table and those comments were recorded by Vestry members.
Here is a link to the feedback the Vestry received from the congregation on Sunday. If you were not present, you may click here to share your responses to the prompts.
Here is a link to the information provided as handouts during Sunday’s meeting: scope of work highlights and schematics and features.
The details of the projects, their costs and what is to be included in the contracted scope of work can shift a bit over time. But the process itself is dynamic and the Vestry will make those decisions as they come up.
We are coming out of a long period of information gathering where there was not much news to share. We anticipate that as we move forward there will be more opportunities for updates as decisions are taken and the projects become more developed. We will be updating the congregation with a regular cadence so that we are all moving forward together.
We also recognize that each of us is coming together from a slightly different place and with slightly different priorities and now we know that we will have to make tradeoffs and difficult decisions as part of this process. We want to move from a place of gratitude, recognizing that we are blessed with the abundance to achieve many improvements to our cherished buildings and grounds. After Easter, the Vestry will convene to take next steps and you will hear more from us as we proceed.
-Sarah Kern
From the Associate Rector Search Committee
Update on the Search for our New Associate Rector
In case you missed the announcement back in February, our dear Maggie Foote will be leaving All Souls at the end of June. While she will be sorely missed, we do have exciting news. Your Associate Rector Search Committee has just finalized and posted a full-time Associate Rector position with the Diocese of California (see posting here). Please spread the word.
Over the past month, the search committee has spent time listening to the perspective of the congregation, collecting input from our current staff, and discerning with the Vestry and Rev. Phil the important elements of this critical member of our staff. As All Souls continues to emerge from the pandemic, the full-time Associate Rector will play a key role in the operational areas of church life, focusing on:
- leading family, youth, and children’s ministries,
- providing pastoral care, and
- creating and implementing parish communications, including the website, newsletter, social media, and other forms of outreach.
In addition to these roles, the Associate Rector will support liturgical leadership in all its seasons, newcomer incorporation, retreats, and the day-to-day coordination of our network of lay leaders.
All Souls is still in the process of re-building, both figuratively and literally. We are looking for candidates who will meet us in the moment. As outlined in the job posting, the ideal candidate will be able to create a shared vision, will have the ability to attract and inspire an active group of volunteers, will have the skills to build a robust family and youth ministry that integrates programming for all ages, and will demonstrate flexibility in the process. The Associate will lead our community as we strive to live justly; they will appreciate our diverse congregation. More than anything, we are seeking a leader who trusts deeply in Christ and understands how to practice that trust.
Beginning on April 24th, the search committee will review candidate submissions, including a cover letter and resume, an OTM profile, and sermon samples. The committee will interview potential candidates and hopes to present a recommended candidate to Rev. Phil in early June. We understand that there are fewer candidates than there are open positions, so please do spread the word!
Should you have questions or be interested in learning more, the Associate Rector Search Committee team members include Senior Warden Sarah Kern, Irina Wolf Carrière, Jeannie Koops, Michael Drell, Richard Lynch and Sharon Chipman.
-Irina Wolf Carrière
Save the Dates
- April 6-8, Holy Week
Weekly Worship
Join us for worship this week:
- 9am, in-person, indoors
- 11:15am, in-person, indoors. (click here to access the live stream)
- 5p, the Sunday Night Service, in-person, indoors, in the Chapel.
You can access the live stream through our website or by tuning into our All Souls Episcopal Parish Youtube page. Click here to watch on Sunday morning.
If you miss a Sunday, you can always catch the sermon on our homepage or as a podcast, anywhere you listen to podcasts!
Wednesday 9am Service
Join the Zoom call here, or join us in person in the Nave at 9a. Password: 520218.
Formation
Adult Formation Classes
- Reading Between the Lines Bible Study @ 7:30a. Click here to join by Zoom, or join them in-person in the Common Room.
- Reading Between the Lines Bible Study @ 10:15a. Click here to join by Zoom, or join them in-person in Phil’s old office, (now called the Shadrach Room).
Coming up in Adult Formation:
Mission, Race, and Empire: April 16, 23, and 30
Dr. Jennifer Snow, Associate Professor of Practical Theology at CDSP, will give a series of three talks on the history of the Episcopal Church in the context of Mission, Race, and Empire, drawn from her forthcoming book from Oxford University Press. The talks will draw from the complex interactions of the church’s mission and identity with the British Empire and the expansion of the United States through indigenous lands; the history of enslavement, emancipation, and Civil Rights; the development of a theology of “welcome” and inclusion in the 20th century; and contemporary debates, conflicts, and uncertainty about the church and its mission in the modern world.
Children, Youth, and Family News
Nursery The downstairs nursery is open and available to you for your use whenever you’re at All Souls. This is not a staffed nursery, so an adult must be there with your child, but if you need a quiet place to take a time out, change a diaper, let your child play or take a rest, the nursery is open for you to do all of those things. If there is a service going on that’s being livestreamed, you will be able to watch the livestream on the computer in the nursery as well.
Sunday School This week, join us for Children’s Chapel during the 9:00am service where we will hear the Palm Sunday story and learn to make palm crosses! Children are invited to follow the Children’s Chapel leaders down the center aisle after the gospel reading, and rejoin their families before communion!
Youth Youth in grades 6-12 are invited to meet in the “Fiery Furnace” downstairs in the undercroft for a check-in on Sunday mornings. Youth Group Continues this week for Grades 6-12 at 7:00pm in the “Fiery Furnace”
Confirm Not Conform will not meet this week.
Faithful Families the next Faithful Families will be Thursday, April 27th from 5:30-7:15pm! Join us for dinner, intergenerational formation, and a short evening prayer service.
Save the Date! Youth Walking Pilgrimage to Grace Cathedral: May 21st after the 9am service for grades 6-12! Click Here for more information.
Email Maggie for more information about Children, Youth and Family Ministries at All Souls.
Episcopal Summer Camp Registrations are Now Open!
Episcopal Camps across the country are starting to open for registration, including the Diocese of California’s not one, but TWO summer camps: St. Dorothy’s Rest, and The Bishop’s Ranch. You can find more information about the dates, age ranges, and cost for each camp at the links below:
Other News & Notes
Holy week schedule:
Holy week is the week leading up to Easter Sunday, where we follow the path of Christians who for centuries upon centuries have been gathering together to retrace these last steps of the Christ. While the week’s services are meant to be experienced as one service spread out over several days, please join for any or all that you are able. Here is the schedule for the week (*live streamed services):
Maundy Thursday
- 6p Agape Meal
- 7:30p Eucharist, with the Washing of Feet, Stripping of the Altar, and Procession to the Altar of Repose*
- All-night prayer vigil (sign-up here!)
Good Friday
- 12-3 Contemplative Service (with poetry, silence, song, and prayers)
- 4-5p Holy Week for children
- 7:30p Eucharist with reserved sacrament, reading of the Passion Gospel, and Veneration of the Cross*
Holy Saturday
- 9:30a Holy Saturday liturgy
- 8p The Great Vigil of Easter, with lighting of the New Fire, and the First Eucharist of Easter*
Flowers for Easter?
After the austere sticks in the quire for Lent, we hope for a burst of flowers on Easter. Can you/Would you help make this happen? If yes, write a check in any amount with “Easter flowers” in the memo line, or use the electronic giving link and choose “Flower Fund” before Palm Sunday, April 2. Contact Maggie Cooke for any questions at dmcooke92@comcast.net.
Sacred Earth Conversations
Join Sacred Earth: Growing Beloved Community on April 22nd at 7 pm as we welcome The Rev. Dr. Rachel Mash from Capetown, South Africa, Coordinator of the world-wide Anglican Communion Environmental Network. Honored as a presenter at the United Nations and Parliament of the World Religions, she co-founded Green Anglicans, the Care for Creation movement of the Anglican Church.
Come with Bishop Marc Andrus and Dr. Paloma Pavel to meet this inspiring world faith leader on April 22nd. In the spirit of growing beloved community, especially during Earth Week in April, we encourage “each one to bring one”, and reach out to those in your life with whom you are seeking to expand your impact for climate and environmental justice. (zoom link to follow), head to the diocesan page for more information: www.faithinformed.org/sacred-earth.
Dr. Scott MacDougall’s Book Celebration
On Thursday, April 13, at 8 p.m. Pacific Time, CDSP will celebrate the publication of Dr. Scott MacDougall’s new book, The Shape of Anglican Theology: Faith Seeking Wisdom, at an event that can be attended either in person or by livestream.
Dr. MacDougall, associate professor of theology, will discuss the themes and content of his book with the Rev. Ellen K. Wondra, PhD, research professor emerita of theology and ethics at the Bexley Seabury Seminary Federation. Those wishing to attend in person can meet at 7:45 p.m. for dessert and coffee preceding the conversation, which will take place in the Tucson Common Room at CDSP. The talk will begin promptly at 8 p.m. No RSVP is required. Those joining online can participate via Zoom at bit.ly/cdsp-sat
More Lives Lost at our County Jail
A group of All Soulsians will be joining an advocacy action at the Santa Rita Jail on Sat. April 1 (1pm) to shine a light on 4 more deaths of incarcerated people in 2023, bringing the death toll at that facility to 66 since 2014. We join with the Interfaith Coalition for Justice in our Jails (ICJJ) and the Care First, Jails Last coalition to call for county investments in desperately needed care alternatives for those struggling with mental illness, addiction, and homelessness. Join us!
Don Gates, don.a.gates@gmail.com; Gretchen Donart, gbdonart@gmail.com.
Agape Meal Cooks Needed!
Our Agape Meal was such a sweet dinner last year, that we’ve decided to do it again. But this year, we’re enlisting some help with all the cooking. If you’re up for helping out by cooking a recipe (that Maggie and Emily will send along), or are able to do a grocery run, or can help set up and decorate the tables, please get in touch with Emily or Maggie.
Need a parking spot?
We’ve got a parking lot under the Jordan Court apartment building that is available to anyone with challenges with mobility or anyone who regularly drives someone with challenges with mobility. If that is you, and you would like access to the parking garage on Sundays or other times when you are at the church, please reach out to Annie Rovzar, annie@allsoulsparish.org.
We’re invited to celebrate with St. Paul AME!
2023 is a milestone year for St. Paul and for their pastor.
They will be celebrating:
- Their 90th Church Anniversary
- Pastor Hughes as the senior pastor for 10 years
- 30 years in the ministry for Pastor Hughes
- Pastor Hughes and Rev D’s 40th wedding anniversary
The kickoff event for these celebrations is a Pancake Breakfast & Spring Bazaar with a Kid’s Zone on April 15th from 9am-12pm! The breakfast menu is pancakes, eggs, choice of meat, (bacon, chicken sausage, fried chicken), fresh fruit, coffee, tea, juice and water. Tickets prices:
- $15.00 Adults (One Meat)
- $20.00 Adults (Two Meats)
- $10.00 Children (5-12 Years Old)
Tickets can be purchased via Givelify, Zelle, and on Sundays after every worship service.
Come out and bring your family, friends and the kids down the block, and enjoy a great breakfast, great fellowship, great fun and great shopping at the bazaar!