From the Associate Rector

Packing a Suitcase

Whenever I’m getting ready to take a trip, there’s always the final step where the things actually have to be put in the bag. Now, I know people prepare for travel in all different ways, but for me, the actual packing of the suitcase is last, sometimes happening in the wee hours of the morning with only a few spare moments left before I have to leave.

After researching the destination, any shopping for new items that needs to be done, and booking travel and accommodations, there’s a moment when you just have to pack up your bags and go.

I can’t think of a more accurate image for the way I’m feeling at the present moment, preparing for the birth of my first child, than the moment when I’m standing over my empty suitcase and at the pile of items I plan to fit inside that suitcase, and wondering how it’s all going to fit, and if I’ll be able to zip it up before my ride arrives to take me to the airport.

There’s a certain buzz in this scene, too, because I’m excited. This is a trip I want to take, and I feel ready for, but at the same time holds a certain level of mystery of all that will unfold over time.

When I think about all of the things that, in an ideal world, I would be able to fit into the small suitcase worth of time I have left before the baby comes, it’s starting to look a lot like everything in those piles might not make it, like I might not really be able to fit it all in. I think that feeling would be overwhelming if I didn’t also feel the unwavering support of this parish and especially of the staff for this new chapter of my life to begin. So, thank you for that.

While I don’t know the exact day or hour that this baby will make their grand entrance into the world, I do know that no matter when it happens, whatever didn’t make it in to the suitcase probably either wasn’t as essential as I thought it was, or there will be someone there to pick it up for me. And that’s a comforting feeling, even if deep down, I still really want to cram it all in there myself.

So, over the next couple of weeks, I’ll be doing everything I can to make sure that the ministry teams in my part of the All Souls orbit have everything they need to get through the next couple of months. But, at some point, I’ll have to zip up the suitcase and head out on this new journey. That could happen any day now, although the official due date is December 7th.

I’ll be away from the office on parental leave from early December (or whenever the baby arrives!)  through February 15th, 2022. In the meantime, here’s who to contact with any questions or concerns:

Pastoral – The Rev. Phil Brochard

Children & Family Ministries – The Children’s Ministry Team: Jeannie Koops, Molly Nicol, and Kim Wong

Youth Ministry – Emily Hansen Curran

Communications – Emily Hansen Curran

As always, thanks so much for your support during this exciting time. Andrea and I are so grateful to be a part of a community that cares so deeply for one another.

In peace,

Maggie+

From the Archives

The New Church

When talking with parishioners several years ago, one parishioner told me that he understood that the new church was built because the old church had been destroyed by fire, while another insisted that the old church was not destroyed by fire, but had been condemned and had to be torn down. Neither report was quite correct. The first building was built on land donated by Louise Kellogg, widow of Martin Kellogg, president of University of California in the 1890s. John Galen Howard, architect of the university and in whose home Sunday School was regularly held, prepared plans for a “Guild Hall”, which was completed in time for a Christmas service in 1905, and used regularly for church services thereafter. In 1907, the “old” All Souls Chapel was added adjacent to the Guild Hall on the east side. The story that the “old” church was destroyed by fire probably came from vague recollections about the great North Berkeley fire of 1923. In fact, neither All Souls Chapel nor the Guild Hall were destroyed by the 1923 fire, although the houses on the other three corners of Spruce and Cedar were destroyed in the conflagration that spread across some 60 blocks in north Berkeley. 

When men returned from their work in San Francisco to find their homes destroyed, they came to All Souls Chapel, where Miss Kathleen Luke, who had already saved much of the choir library, calmly helped them find their families and places to stay, never letting on that her own house and all of her things had been destroyed by the fire. Just as the old church was not destroyed by fire, so nor was it condemned. Nonetheless, by the early 1950s the vestry determined that the old church was not economically repairable. The foundation was unstable and needed to be replaced. There was termite damage, and the roof needed substantial work. Perhaps the most important factor was that the old church did not provide adequate space for the Sunday School which crowded more than 200 children and 25 adults into the Parish Hall. After a thorough investigation, the vestry determined that the old church had a useful life of not more than five more years. Based on those conclusions, the vestry determined that building a new church building was the best way to proceed. The vestry chose the architectural firm of Ratcliff & Ratcliff, perhaps because Walter Ratcliff had designed the Parish Hall. Funds were raised and the new church was built. Some modifications had to be made during the building process because the capital campaign had not raised enough money to complete the building as originally designed. One of the more noticeable changes was the beam over the half transept where there is now a side chapel. Originally the beam was to be of wood, to carry out the theme in the church nave, but shortage of funds forced a change to a concrete beam. Another change was that the chapel which was to extend southward from where the baptismal stained glass windows are now had to be abandoned. The great cross in the courtyard was not part of the original plan, but was added a few years later.

–Thomas Burcham, Parish Archivist

From Theater of the Sacred Soul

Annual New Year’s Choral Reading

Do you enjoy  reading aloud? Do you enjoy theater? Come join our Annual New Year’s Choral Reading open to all parishioners. This year we will be reading W.H. Auden’s For The Time Being, A Christmas Oratorio which explores seeking reconciliation in a broken world. Everyone is invited and equally celebrated whether performing or rooting for us in the audience. We also share a delicious potluck beforehand to welcome the new year.

Our aim is to select a play with openings for a cast of millions, mixing both experienced and inexperienced readers and participants of all ages. We celebrate well known talents as well as newly discovered talent. Most importantly, we simply enjoy the joyful and magical evening of a community in celebration.

Almost twenty years ago, an All Souls began a theater group called the Theatre of the Sacred Soul, which performed fully staged productions in the sanctuary:

• Murder In The Cathedral T.S. Eliot
• The Wakefield Cycle of English Medieval Miracle Plays,  (Christmas and Easter portions)
• A Man For All Seasons  Robert Bolt
• The Crucible. Arthur Miller
• Doubt  J.P. Shanley

Now Theater of the Sacred Soul focuses on the annual New Year’s staged reading, welcoming the New Year with a gift of a collective creation. Past New Year’s Readings include:

• 2006:   Under Milkwood (Dylan Thomas)
• 2007:   A Child’s Christmas In Wales (Dylan Thomas; adaptation: Hallie Frazer)
• 2008:   Spoon River Anthology (Edgar Lee Masters)
• 2009:   The Skin of Our Teeth (Thornton Wilder)
• 2010:   For The Time Being (Auden)
• 2011:   Murder In The Cathedral (T.S. Eliot)
• 2012:   Twelfth Night (Shakespeare)
• 2014:   Inherit The Wind (J. Lawrence & R. E. Lee)
• 2015:   The Mouse That Roared (Leonard Wibberley)
• 2016:   The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe (C.S. Lewis)
• 2020:   Murder In The Cathedral (T.S. Eliot)

If you ” feel the Spirit moving in your heart, come “pray” through theater with uplifted voice on New Year’s Day, Saturday, January 1.  

If you are interested in participating as a reader/performer this year, please drop an email to Hallie Frazer at allsouls@allsoulsparish.org or catch her after the 11:15 am service (She sings in the Choir) so she can assign parts and plan for this joyful project. More details about the Oratorio will be forthcoming in future Pathfinders.

-Kaki Logan

From Breaking Bread, Building Bridges

Stories that Heal

Over the past year and a half of pandemic lots of life happened––weddings, births, graduations, funerals, anniversaries, promotions, retirements. But because of COViD, so many of the stories have gone untold. On Sunday December 5th from 2p-4p, at Congregation Beth El (and via Zoom Password: eight), for our latest session of Breaking Bread and Building Bridges we will start to tell those stories with each other. Led by two All Soulsians, Jeannie Koops and Tim Ereneta, we will learn about how telling stories is part of the healing process, have some time to write a story, and then share it within a small group from across our congregations. Come to learn, come to share, come to begin to heal.

The Peace & Justice Lending Library

How well do each of us know our U.S. History? James Baldwin once said that “the history of the Black person is the history of America”. What are some of the historical myths we buy into, such as the idea that anyone can succeed if he or she works hard enough? What are the daily indignities, called microaggressions, of which we may be unaware? What is the difference between intentional racism and structural racism?

As members of All Souls, we are committed to racial healing, reconciliation and justice in our personal lives, in our church, and in our society. Let’s educate and enlighten ourselves as we further this commitment. We have a large, far-reaching selection of amazing books in the narthex, and they are free to take at your convenience. You may keep them or return them, and please add any book you might think others could enjoy. Here are few examples:

The Sum of Us by Heather McGhee:

Most White people were raised to believe that race is part of the zero-sum paradigm; i.e. if the Black population wins something, White’s will lose. If a minority group comes into my group, my group will diminish. But in reality, when one group is pulled down, everyone is pulled down as well. This is true with health care, job earnings, environmental issues, and educational opportunities. McGhee does a great job of not only giving current illustrations, but she gives us great hope in showing the successes of working together and ways that attitudes of unity are changing our culture.

How to Be an AntiRacist by Ibram X. Kendi

Kendi is an amazing writer, who believes that denial is the heartbeat of racism. The source of racist ideas is not ignorance and it is not hate, but is grounded in self-interest and fear. I can say I am not racist, but still support the status quo. To be antiracist, however, I need to actively support antiracism policies. An antiracist believes in full equity, not in “helping” the poor or expecting someone to live and act like me. Kendi sees the Christian as one who is striving for liberation. He offers an invitation to live out this gospel message.

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

This intriguing novel follows twin sisters who are raised in Mallard, a town with only light-skinned Black families. Both sisters struggle with implicit and covert racism within their own community, and they take very divergent paths toward adulthood. The book considers the lasting influence of prejudice and the need for acceptance and love wherever one can find it.

Save the Dates

(*see “Other News and Notes” for more info on events)

November 21, Baby shower for the Rev. Maggie Foote & Andrea after 11:15 service

November 28: Advent Festival – 5:00pm

November 28: Advent Windows Begin!

December 1: Advent Taize, 6:45p

December 5: Breaking Bread, Building Bridges, 2:00pm

Weekly Worship

Sunday Mornings:

Join us at 9am in the courtyard, in-person. At this service masks are not required. If it is raining, this service will move indoors where masks are required. Don’t forget that this Sunday the clocks fall back one hour!

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 required.

Then, come back at 5p for our newest service, the Sunday Night Service in the courtyard.

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.

Mask Mandate

Due to the new CDC mask mandate, masks are required for all indoor gatherings regardless of vaccination status.

Adult Formation

Adult Formation Class this Sunday

We have three classes being offered this Sunday during the Formation Hour:

• Reading Between the Lines Bible Study @ 7:30a. Contact Kate Murphy, kmurphy2209@gmail.com to join that Zoom call.

• Reading Between the Lines Bible Study at 10:10 in the Common Room (and on Zoom). Contact Daniel Prechtel for the Zoom link, dprechtel1@gmail.com
• Resurrection, Part 2 in the Parish Hall (and on Zoom)

Resurrection Class part 2 taught by the Rev. Michael Lemaire. This class begins the second part of the three part series on the resurrection. Last spring we explored the range of beliefs that were present in the pagan and Jewish community about life after death. In this second part, we will explore the resurrection as reflected in the letters of Paul. The writings of Paul predate the Gospels by 20-40 years and are the earliest articulation of the Christian understanding of resurrection. By exploring Paul’s conversion, his early teaching in 1 Thessalonians and 1 Corinthians and his late in life reflection in 2 Corinthians, we will try to understand what the early Christian community understood happened to Jesus, what that meant for those who followed him, and how those beliefs evolved through time. Please feel free to join us for one or more of the classes as you are able. The class will meet in the Parish Hall at 10:10a, October 24, 31, November 14 & November 21 and on Zoom (click here). All are welcome (even if you didn’t catch part 1!). 

Next up in Adult Formation?

Starting November 28th we’ll have a set of new classes! 

Newcomer class: The first is our regular (we offer it twice per year) Newcomer Class. If you have not been to one of these and/or if you have just started attending in the last 6 months to a year, this is designed for you. The Rev. Phil Brochard & Emily Hansen Curran will lead us through four weeks of the history, values, and practices of All Souls as well as some time to get to know each other. You can find the class in-person in the Common Room or on Zoom (click here). Meets November 28-December 19th.

Partnerships in Action: When we were working on our strategic plan six years ago, one All Soulsian came up to me and said, “I’m super excited about this process, but I just have one request: please don’t start another 501c3. The Bay Area is second only to Washington DC with our number of 501c3s, let’s find the organizations out there who share our vision and work with them!” She was absolutely right, and the work we’ve done around Christian action from that point on has been in partnership with a number of organization that share our values and our vision for the reconciliation of this world.

In our teaching hour (Sundays, 10:10-11:10) this Advent we are going to be in conversation with three of these organizations: Youth Spirit Artworks (11/28), the Episcopal Impact Fund (12/5), and Satellite Affordable Housing Associates (SAHA). During the past couple of years we’ve been collaborating with each of these organizations, Youth Spirit Artworks and their Tiny Home Village, the Episcopal Impact Fund was an incredible partner in our work with Project: Sandwich, and SAHA has been our partner for several years now as we have dreamed, designed and built Jordan Court.

So, come one, come all, to the Parish Hall (or a zoom screen near you––click here) to hear more about these initiatives, the organizations that we are partnering with, and what the next steps are in our Gospel-inspired service.

Children, Family & Youth News

Children’s Ministry

Sunday School meets on Sundays at 10:10am for children in Pre-K through 5th grade. Read the Family Bulletin for more information! 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 Ministry

Youth Group is taking a short break and will continue Sunday, December 5th at 7:00pm! Meet at 10:10am in Maggie’s office for Office Hours (a donut and a check-in)! If you are (or have) a young person between 6-12 grade, and are not a part of the google group for youth group updates, please email Maggie Foote (maggie@allsoulsparish.org) for more information and to get added to the list!

Family Ministry

Join us at the church for Faithful Families on December 14th, at 5:30pm.

Other News & Notes

Soulcast: Our Weekly Video Announcements

Check out Season 4: Episode 18 of the Soulcast!

Pledging 

You may have missed In-Gathering Sunday last Sunday, but you can still make a pledge to All Souls for the 2022 year! Head over to the Stewardship Season 2021 page on our website for more information about how to give and to find the electronic pledge card. 

Shower for Maggie & Andrea’s New Baby!

On November 21st, just after the 11:15 service, we’ll host a baby shower for the Rev. Maggie Foote and her wife, Andrea. We’ll have tacos & drinks and we’ll shower them with love (and some material gifts). We’re asking for gifts of cash (you can venmo Molly Nicol directly @molly-nicol or send a check to the church with “Maggie & Andrea” in the memo line). We’re also collecting baby books (new or used) that have meant something to your family over the years to give to them (you can bring the book(s) directly to the shower). Hope you can make it!

Thanksgiving Day Service

We will not be hosting a Thanksgiving Day Eucharist this year. If you’re hoping to get to church that day, St. Mark’s in Berkeley is having a service at 12p that day. 

Advent Festival

Come out next Sunday, November 28th, at 5p in the courtyard where we’ll have our Advent Festival. We’ll start the night at 5p around the campfire with some worship and then around 5:45p we’ll bring out the wreath forms and greens (to make Advent wreaths), ornament-making materials (to make our annual All Souls ornament for your tree), cards (this year we’re writing cards to incarcerated people), and snacks (cider, our first-ever hot chocolate bar!, cookies, etc.). 

Stephen Ministry: Christ Caring for People through People

That’s the motto of Stephen Ministry. The Stephen Minister’s role is to bring God’s love into the lives of people who are going through a difficult time or experiencing a crisis. What do Stephen Ministers do? They listen, care, support, encourage, and pray with and for a person who is hurting. And in the midst of this confidential, one-to-one, caring relationship, God’s healing love comes pouring through.

If someone you know is facing a crisis—large or small—and could benefit from the caring presence of a Stephen Minister, talk to Rev. Maggie Foote (maggie@allsoulsparish.org) or Stephen Ministry Leader Madeline Feely (madelinefeeley@gmail.com).  Our Stephen Ministers are ready to care for you!

Ongoing Canned Food Drive

You can always bring food on Sundays and place it in the “Berkeley Food Pantry” basket in the Narthex (or in the courtyard for the 9am service).

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.

BYOC (Bring Your Own Chalice)

We’re looking to build up a store of reusable chalices so that we can stop using disposable chalices each week for the Eucharist. If you have a few small vessels around your house that you’d like to donate, please bring them and leave them on the back Narthex counter. You can watch this episode of the Soulcast to get a better idea of what we have in mind.