From the Associate for Ministry Development

A Temporary Guide For Accessing Jordan Court

Dear All Soulsians,

As most of you know by now, the offices of the All Souls staff team have officially moved next door to Jordan Court! It’s been a very exciting move, with new furniture and lighting, a fridge (!), and new views. And now that we’re getting settled a bit, we’re ready to start having meetings over there and look forward to having you all in this new space. 

This letter is your guide (for now) on how to access the new staff offices, the labyrinth, and the parking garage. The reason we say “for now” is because the internet and phone systems are not yet set up in the new building, so all of these instructions are temporary. Once the internet and phones are set up all of this might change a bit, but we’ll send along another “instruction guide” if that’s the case. We’re also calling all of what’s in this letter temporary because we’d like to reserve the right to change how things function as we get settled. We don’t know for sure that the systems we’ve thought up will work in practice, and I imagine it’s going to take us some time to figure out what works best and what feels the best for all of us. And so we ask you to bear with us as we all figure this out together. 

That said, here’s how we think things will work best for now: let’s say you have to swing by church during the week to drop something off, or check the supply of some art supplies for an event coming up. You’ve got keys to the church building, but you just need to check with Annie or me about one thing, or you just want to swing by and say hi, or make copies on the copier. Or, let’s say you have a meeting with one of us. What do you do? 

Well, first, head over to the gate leading up to Jordan Court and the labyrinth. This will be the quickest way to access the new building. If you come during the hours of 10-5p Tuesday through Thursday, you can just walk right in that gate (it will be closed, but unlocked) and then walk up the outdoor stairs to the second floor where our offices are now located. Ring the doorbell at the landing, and we’ll let you in. If accessibility is an issue, once you get in the gate to the courtyard, just give the office phone number a call, and we’ll come down and get you access to the elevator.

If your appointment is outside the hours when the gate will be unlocked. All you need to do is call the office phone number from the gate or call one of our cell phones, and we’ll come down and get you. 

If you don’t have keys to the church building but need to stop by during the week, you can just give the office phone number a call once you’re here and we’ll come down and let you into the church building. 

Lastly, if you are having something delivered to the church, go ahead and use the same address as we always have: 2220 Cedar St. If you purchase something that needs a signature, please let the staff know and we’ll keep an eye out for those deliveries. 

Now, to the moment you’ve all been waiting for: the parking garage. From Kirk Miller and Kim Wong, the vestry’s parking lot gurus, “Currently, there are only 13 spots available for All Souls in the parking garage (1 disabled, 6 staff, and 6 others). Five of these spots are reserved for the preschool’s use on weekdays till 5:30 pm. Of the 6 staff spots, three are for part-time employees. Several staff spots will therefore be open on occasion.” As a result, the short answer around parking is, it’s complicated. The long answer is that what we’ve set up, for now, is a tiered system prioritizing those who need convenient parking. Parishioners with handicap placards get first priority for use of the garage. Folks who for reasons of age or disability (be it permanent or temporary) need convenient parking will get second priority. Third priority will be given to those who carpool to church with another family or household. Final priority is given to all other parishioners who request privileges. To request access to the parking garage, please write to Annie, our parish administrator, and let her know to which of these tiers you belong. 

We realize that things aren’t as simple as they were before, but all of these new hoops to jump through are to ensure that the residents of Jordan Court remain safe. We’re very excited about this new space and all the possibilities ahead, and I hope that this letter helps you all feel comfortable just dropping by in the coming weeks. If you’re hoping for a tour of our new office spaces, we’re hosting three open houses: 

April 6th – 10:00am-12:00pm

April 10th – 1:00pm-2:00pm

April 25th – 5:00pm-6:30pm

Drop in anytime during those time frames and we’ll be available to give you a tour! Looking forward to what’s ahead.

Emily

From the Associate for Music Ministry

Refashioning the Funnel

Over the last few years, as many of you know, our parish has undertaken fundraising initiatives to support the purchase of music composed by women (2019–2020) and composers of color (2020–2021). Several dozen donors supported the acquisition of nearly 40 pieces of music across the two initiatives. Beyond increasing the diversity of our music library, these efforts gave the Choir a chance to learn a lot of exciting repertoire—some (more or less) new, some old, but all previously unknown to us. In addition, we as a community learned about the life and work of artists with which we might not have already been familiar, an effort I reinforced through the Composer of the Week essays I wrote during the first year of the pandemic.

Last year, having heard about our initiatives, my colleagues in the San Francisco chapter of the American Guild of Organists invited me to put together a choral reading session focusing on underrepresented composers. These types of events are a great way for choir directors to learn repertoire they hadn’t known before, because participants get to experience singing each item from a list of pieces a colleague has decided might be inspiring, interesting, or useful (hopefully all three!); plus, the packet of “perusal scores” can be taken home, allowing plenty of time to consider whether to purchase a full set of copies for an ensemble.

I felt that it was important to offer this session not simply because women and composers of color are underrepresented on church music lists, but because events like this can be one of the many reasons why this problem persists. Music directors gain knowledge of repertoire through means that reflect social and professional inequities as well as stylistic and cultural silos; historically, tools like conferences, trade publications, and social media and have funneled a disproportionate number of white, cisgender, heterosexual men into the artistic awareness of people like me in positions like mine. If I were to search for and select music without attending to who was being represented in the ocean of what’s available to me, I’d end up with a pretty homogeneous list.

This past Saturday, in our Parish Hall, I led a group of local music directors through fourteen pieces that had been featured on our initiatives, stopping along the way to give information about the composer or about the musical aspects of each piece that I find especially compelling or useful. I was honored to have been asked to share my perspectives on these works, and glad to know that some of my colleagues will be using them to enrich other worshipping communities. But I wouldn’t have been in a position to do so without the support of this parish. Again, thank you.

Jamie Apgar

Associate for Music

Reflection on Louis Weil

Famed Liturgical Scholar, the Rev. Dr. Ruth MeyersLouis Weil was the last of the generation of liturgical scholars who shaped the 1979 Book of Common Prayer.  I’ve been pondering that since Louis died on March 9.

The 1979 BCP reshaped the liturgical life of the Episcopal Church, putting baptism as the foundation of Christian life and making the Eucharist the principal act of Sunday worship. Louis helped bring the revision to its conclusion and then spent the rest of his life teaching and advocating for the principles underlying the book. 

To introduce the 1979 book, Louis collaborated with Charles Price, professor of theology at Virginia Theological Seminary, to write Liturgy for Living. Louis was then teaching at Nashotah House seminary in Wisconsin, and the two schools were (and in many ways still are) polar opposites in theology and liturgical style. That these two scholars could come together suggested that the then-new Prayer Book spanned ideological lines and was a work for the whole Episcopal Church.

Liturgy for Living introduced Episcopalians to the historical and theological foundations of the 1979 book. It became the focus of study for many parish book groups, and it was one of my first encounters with liturgical studies. One could trace the roots of the 1979 book in the early centuries of Christianity and in our Anglican heritage from the 16th century. One could also explore key theological emphases of the book: the centrality of baptism and eucharist; an emphasis on community, expressed, for example, in the exchange of the Peace; concern for care of creation expressed in some forms of Prayers of the People; the vital connection of liturgy and daily life.

Louis was passionate about the full participation of children in worship, an interest that began in his years as a parish priest in Puerto Rico. He served at Nashotah House for nearly two decades, and in that small community, with families of students, he developed his ideas about how to engage children in worship.

The child of a Jewish father, Louis became a Christian as a young adult. His Jewish heritage remained important to him. Serving on the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music from 2009 until 2015, he took the lead in a project addressing Christian anti-Judaism expressed in scripture and liturgical texts, particular the readings and worship materials for Holy Week.

Louis cared deeply about liturgy done well, not fussy, not overburdened, imbued with silence and awe while also fully engaging the entire assembly. Near the end of his teaching career, he gathered his insights about presiding at liturgy in Liturgical Sense, the inaugural book in the Weil Series in Liturgics published by Church Publishing Incorporated. Since his death, tributes from his students (including many bishops) attest to the impact of his teaching – and the colorful anecdotes and examples he used to make his points.

~The Rev. Dr Ruth Meyers

Update from the Vestry

Our latest Vestry meeting was a full and productive session, encompassing not only spiritual reflection and attention to administrative decisions that needed to be made, but also diving into our 2022 work to attend to the ministries of All Souls Parish.

As we reported last month (“Gather, Transform, Send”), this year the Vestry will be engaging in a process of careful listening and learning to take stock of our ministries. To set us up for success, our wardens, Melissa Devereaux and Irina Wolf Carreire, along with Father Phil, have compiled a plan based on our February retreat work. Our recent meeting we confirmed our liaison assignments, with each Vestry member committing to being an advocate for and thought partner with one or more specific ministries. The next step will be Vestry liaisons conducting getting to know you conversations with the leaders of each ministry, to begin the process of assessing the health and needs of each ministry. Liaisons will also facilitate ministry visits with the full Vestry– we will get an opportunity to learn from and support 1-2 ministries so that by the end of 2022 we’ve reviewed all of them.

The Vestry also heard an update on the Living Waters capital campaign, adopted a parking policy on how to prioritize access to the parking spaces in the Jordan Court garage that are reserved for All Souls’ use, and reviewed the annual Parochial Report that we have to submit to the Diocese each year.

We also had a notable exercise in discernment, using a gradient of agreement, a facilitation tool for participatory decision-making. This was not just a thought exercise– we used the tool to consider whether it was appropriate to review the by-laws of All Souls. As Vestry member Kirk Miller pointed out, much of the way we do things in the parish is ensconced in collective knowledge, but not written down and collected. Our parish “user manual” may need some updating (by-laws had their last review in 2015) and in the end we recommended that a committee be formed to review our by-laws and make recommendations no later than September.

The Rector’s report brought us up to date on the latest State, local, and Diocesan mandates and recommendations regarding masks, progress on the search for the Associate for Music, and the need to replace the hot water heater in the building. 

Tim Ereneta

Vestry 2020–2022

From the Living Waters Campaign

living-waters-mastheadLiving Waters Newsletter Two Hot Off the Presses

Including a lovely reflection on our spaces from Jennifer Akiyama and an exploration of the pillars of the Capital Campaign, this newsletter is sure to inspire and inform. Check it out (click here)!

Also! The Living Water’s video “Renewal for our Second Century” is now showing in limited engagement at Soup + Story and Living Waters Small Gatherings.  The 15-minute All Souls tour-de-force is drawing strong Initial reviews: “Inspiring,”  “Underlines how much All Souls means to me,”  “I know that person!”   The video will be coming to a wider audience soon. 🙂

Save the Dates

Holy Week Schedule (April 10-17):

April 10, Palm Sunday

    • 9a Eucharist
    • 11:15a Eucharist

April 14, Maundy Thursday: 

    • 6p Agape Meal (over dinner)
    • 7:30p Holy Eucharist with Foot Washing
    • 8:45p all-night Prayer Vigil in the Chapel

April 15, Good Friday:

    • Prayer vigil in the Chapel until 7p
    • 12-3 Reflective Good Friday service
    • 4p Holy Week for Families
    • 7:30p Good Friday Solemn Liturgy

April 16, Holy Saturday:

    • 9:30a in the Chapel (a simple liturgy)

April 16, Easter Vigil: 

    • 8:00p the Great Vigil of Easter

April 17, Easter Sunday:

    • 9a Eucharist
    • 11:15a Eucharist

Weekly Worship

Join us at 9am, in-person, outdoor service in the courtyard. This service will move indoors if the weather is below 40 degrees at 8:15a, if the AQI is over 150, or if there is rain.

Or (and!) join us indoors for the 11:15 service or on the live stream at 11:15a, 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. At our 11:15 service, masks are optional.

Then join us outdoors at 5p Sunday Night Service for a Eucharistic Service.

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. Masks are required for this service as it is indoors.

Living Waters: Renewal for our Second Century Capital Campaign

The Living Waters team invites you to visit (and bookmark) the new module of the All Souls website to keep track of our campaign efforts, https://allsoulsparishorg.dreamhosters.com/capital-campaign/. There you’ll find an overview, FAQs,  campaign calendar, resources, and general announcements about our effort. We also invite you to read our first newsletter, if you didn’t already see it in your inbox. We look forward to communicating with you through the website, email, print, and social media in the weeks ahead.

Adult Formation Classes

This Sunday

We have two classes being offered this Sunday:

  • Reading Between the Lines Bible Study @ 7:30a. Contact Kate Murphy, kmurphy2209@gmail.com to join that Zoom call, or join them in the Common Room!
  • Reading Between the Lines Bible Study @ 10:10a. This Bible Study meets in the Chapel downstairs or on Zoom. Contact Daniel Prechtel, dprechtel1@gmail.com to join that Zoom call.

Coming Up in Adult Formation: 

Christian Mystics

Explore the breadth of mystical experiences in Christian faith communities, and ponder some of the ways the Sacred breaks through into your own life. Co-taught by the Rev. Daniel Prechtel and the Rev. Marguerite Judson, this four week drop in class introduces a wide variety of ways we draw closer to the Holy. There will, of course, be a substantial bibliography provided! click here for the juicy bibliography 🙂

The classes will be held in the Parish Hall (internet permitting) or in the Common Room if the internet is not cooperating, and on our Zoom link [HERE] between 10:15 and 11:05 am.

  • April 24 – How do we define mysticism? What are some of its Biblical expressions? What are the practices which can open us to a unitive experience with the divine?
  • May 1 – Two medieval mystics who led very different lives conveyed their experiences through visual art, music, and human language. Join us for a quick introduction of Hildegard von Bingen and Dame Julian of Norwich. What are the parallels in our own lives?
  • May 8 – Notions about prayer and encounter with the Divine are further stretched when we consider the Cloud of Unknowing, Ignatius of Loyola, Teresa of Avila and her contemporary, John of the Cross. 
  • May 15 – Contemporary mystics speak from a wide variety of traditions, including Anglican Evelyn Underhill; Quaker Thomas Kelly; and civil rights activist the Rev. Howard Thurman. What might all the mystics discussed over the four weeks teach us about how the Holy Spirit is moving in our lives and in the world?

Children, Youth, and Family News

Join us this Sunday at 10:00am, for Sunday School! Children Pre-K-Grade 3 will meet out in the courtyard. Grades 4-5 will meet upstairs in the Sunday school classroom.

Youth Group and Office Hours continue this Sunday for youth in grades 6-12. Meet in Maggie’s old(!) office at 10:00am for a donut and check-in, then join us for youth group from 7:00-8:30pm at the Jordan Courtyard entrance!

Join us April 3rd for the Paschal Candle making activity! Read about more upcoming family events in the Children & Family Bulletin.

Other News & Notes

Participants Needed!

During the 11:15 service on Palm Sunday, All Souls is doing a staged reading “in the round” of the passion of Jesus as expressed in the Gospel of Luke. We are looking for members to participate in the reading. If you are interested, please contact Hallie Frazer ASAP. Catch her before or after choir of the 11:15 service. Or her phone number is in the Church Directory

Online Giving

There is a super easy way to give to All Souls––for either a one-time donation or for your ongoing pledge––that is through an app called Vanco Mobile (what used to be called GivePlus). You can find this app through the app store on your phone. Once downloaded, search for All Souls Episcopal Parish and you’re in! If you’d prefer not to download the app, you can just as easily give online through our personalized online donation page by clicking here.

A Great Way You Can Help a Hurting Friend

Do you have a friend, neighbor, coworker, or relative who is going through a difficult time? Here’s a great way you can help them—tell them about our Stephen Ministry! Stephen Ministers are members of All Souls who have received special training to provide high-quality, confidential, one-to-one, Christian care to people who are grieving the loss of a loved one, coping with a cancer diagnosis, going through a divorce or separation, battling a chronic illness (or caring for a spouse or parent who is chronically ill), experiencing a great deal of stress, facing the loss of a job—or encountering any of countless other life challenges.

Stephen Ministers meet weekly with their care receivers to listen, care, encourage, and provide emotional and spiritual support. The caring relationship lasts for as long as the person needs care. It’s free, and it’s a powerful way you can help a hurting friend.

To learn how to connect someone you know with a Stephen Minister, talk with Rev. Maggie Foote (maggie@allsoulsparish.org) or Stephen Ministry Leader Madeline Feeley (madelinefeeley@gmail.com).  Our Stephen Ministers are there to care!

Soulcast

Check out Season 5, Episode 14 and our final episode on pilgrimage.

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.

Catechumenate

What is the Catechumenate? The Catechumenate is a class where we teach about the Episcopal Church in an attempt to give an idea of what this Episcopal church and faith tradition are about. Folks who take this class (called Catechumens) will learn from a number of thoughtful people in this community and hopefully get a glimpse of Episcopal theology, history, and structure, as well as how to use the Book of Common Prayer and some ideas on how to read the Bible. The class will meet on the six Sunday evenings of Lent (March 6-April 10) at 7p in person and on Zoom. All are welcome, even if you’ve been an Episcopalian for a long while. But, if you are looking for an introduction to this tradition or are hoping to be baptized (whenever that can happen), Confirmed, Received, or Reaffirmed into this tradition, this is most certainly the class you’ll want to take. I hope that many of you will join this year’s class as we attempt, together, to wrestle with what it means to be an Episcopal sort of Christian in our world. If you have any questions or would like to sign-up, you can write to Emily at emily@allsoulsparish.org. If you’re just curious, please feel free to drop in to any course! Final course this week, April 3rd: Episcopal Theology taught by Dr. Scott MacDougall.

New Maundy Thursday Service

This year, for Maundy Thursday, we’re adding an Agape meal. Some of you might remember that we did this back in 2019, as an afternoon meal with a full eucharist and foot washing. This year, we’re pairing it back a bit, and so we’ll eat a soup supper together over a very simple liturgy, before we head into the 7:30p Maundy Thursday Eucharist with foot washing. The staff will provide drinks and bread and we’re asking folks to sign-up to bring soup. We need about 3-5 soup makers (with each soup serving about 10). Let Emily Hansen Curran know if you’re able to bring soup. Looking forward to trying out this new thing with you all.

Easter Vigil Reception! 

It’s back! This year we’ll have our regular Easter Vigil reception following the Easter Vigil on Saturday night, April 16th. This also means that we’d love for you all to bring something to share––either a drink, snack, cake, cookies––whatever you love to make when you celebrate.