All Souls Episcopal Parish
Community SubscriberWe are a progressive Christian community open to all, with a particular focus on offering age-appropriate programs for children and youth.
My family has been attending All Souls Episcopal Parish in Berkeley for many years (www.allsoulsparish.org). It is a very open and inclusive community that welcomes people wherever they are on their faith journey. There is a strong youth program and many ways to get involved .. or not. I've also found it very no-pressure. On Sun Aug 27th at 10.30 we're having a rally Sunday to kick-off and highlight all ministries, and especially to welcome a new associate rector, who's in charge of youth and families, and seems amazing (she is also marine biologist, and she discovered two fish species!). There will be taco truck, popcorn, cotton candy and other fun things that day. The Episcopal Church can also give him a glimpse into both catholicism and protestantism, but is also very progressive and non-dogmatic (no "you HAVE to believe this set of principles to be part of this community"). Feel free to email me if you'd like to know more (tonimborg [at] gmail.com).
My family and I attend All Souls Episcopal in Berkeley. It is a wonderful church, with a very active youth group for middle and high-schoolers. The teens are involved in a variety of activities, from formation to immersion trips (Standing Rock, Katrina relief, for example), helping with open door dinners for the homeless people in the community, etc. The church is very welcoming, inclusive progressive. We have many LGTB families and people from many roads and in many stages in their faith. We participate in many social justice activities, such as prayer vigils at the ICE detention center, programs for foster youth, participation in the Women´s march, and many other. The service itself has great preaching and great music (and when you visit, people tend to be warm and welcoming, without being pushy).
Hello! You might be interested in All Souls, an Episcopal church in Berkeley. They have weekly programs for youth (separate high school and middle school groups), and a very upbeat, friendly focus on families. All the family events I've attended so far have been great and I love the services. From the website description: "Youth Group and Confirmation Class are places where it is safe to question and wonder together about faith and the stuff of daily life in a community. We belong to one another and are lifted up and supported by the larger All Souls community. This is a place where we can take our masks off and be ourselves, loved and accepted for who we are." The community welcomes LGBT families and has LGBT representatives on church staff. Come any Sunday and check it out, or drop an email to Emily Hansen Curran Emily [at] allsoulsparish.com (Emily[at]allsoulsparish[dot]com) . Good luck with your search!
Archived Q&A and Reviews
Nov 2010
Re: Catholic looking for something different
Have you tried the Episcopal Church? As a Catholic, I think you would feel comfortable with the rites, the Sacraments, and such, but the Episcopal Church is quite progresive and inclusive. I've attended All Souls in Berkeley (corner of Cedar and Spruce) for many years, and I cannot recommend it enough. The community there is great, there is a good cross-section of people of all generations and interests, lots of great programs to get involved in, but no pressure to do so. I've found people to be very warm and welcoming, without being pushy. Check out our website at www.allsoulsparish.org. Very happy Episcopalian
Nov 2010
Re: Catholic looking for something different
I think you would find a warm, welcoming spiritual home at All Souls Episcopal parish in Berkeley. My partner and I started attending services there eight years ago, and were immediately welcomed as part of the family. The parish is home to many former Catholics, including my partner, who grew up in a VERY traditional Catholic family but has always felt right at home at All Souls. The parish's associate rector is a woman, and many of the deacons and lay ministers are women as well. There are many in the congregation who combine Christian worship with elements of Buddhism or other spiritual paths, and this is celebrated rather than discouraged. The parish's frequent refrain is ''Wherever you are on your spiritual journey, you are welcome here,'' and at least in my experience, they truly live up to that sentiment. I would describe the parish as traditional in that it celebrates all the Christian feasts and holy days, but incredibly welcoming and liberating in that it considers doubt and questioning as a part of being human -- NOT something to be discouraged. While there are many ways to participate and volunteer at All Souls, there is no pressure to do so at anything other than your own pace. Given what you were seeking in your post -- progressive, no pressure, open to other spiritual traditions, both women and men as leaders - - I think this could be the place you're looking for. Fellow Spiritual Traveler
Nov 2009
Re: Family friendly church for Uk transplants
You should definitely try All Souls Episcopal Church in Berkeley on the corner of Cedar and Spruce. It is a wonderful place for families. We have been there since my older child was 2... she is now 9 and we have a 7 year-old son as well. For both of them, All Souls has provided a gentle, supportive place to explore some difficult questions. More importantly, it is a community where they experience love and joy. I hope you will check us out! Christmas is a particularly fun time to be there - we have a children's service and pageant at 5:30 on Christmas Eve. Caroline
Nov 2008
Re: Church in Berkeley Area great for kids
All Souls Episcopal parish in Berkeley (corner of Cedar & Spruce) is very welcoming and family-friendly. It has a wonderful children's program on Sunday School, and lots of activities for kids and parents throughout the year. You can check the website for more info at www.allsoulsparish.org
Feb 2008
Re: Protestant church with teen programs
Try All Souls Episcopal Church at Cedar & Oxford. Quite a few kids; youth group with occasional evening and other activities; very liberal. http://www.allsoulsparish.org/
August 2006
Re: Seeking East Bay equivalent of Grace Cathedral or Glide Memorial
I'd like to recommend my parish in Berkeley, All Souls. The rector has a vibrant message and a great sense of humor and this permeates the congregation. Children are an honored part of the community and every week a hands-on children's homily during the service helps reinforce the messages they've learned in Sunday School. A brand-new church playground is set to open any day there and a new Associate Rector who will work with children and familes will begin on September 1st. If you are interested, September 10th will be a combination Rally Sunday (beginning of the new Sunday School year) and playground dedication. All Souls is located on Cedar and Spruce, just a few blocks up from Shattuck Avenue. Hope to see you there! Happy All Souls Parishioner
Jan 2006
Re: Family friendly church for a newbie
I highly recommend All Souls Episcopal Church in Berkeley (corner of Cedar and Spruce). They are very family friendly, very tolerant to differences in all aspects, even religious, and they have great programs for adults and kids. I've been attending for 1 year and they've been very welcomming, without being pushy. The services are very nice, sermons are challenging and the music is great. I hope you drop by and give it a try, you might find what you look for. Toni
Dec 2005
Re: Christmas service with lots of music for visiting Methodist mother-in-law
All Souls Episcopal Church at 2220 Cedar (just up from Oxford) is very welcoming (any church will welcome you, really) and very kid-friendly -- especially the early Christmas Eve (~ 5), which includes a childrens' pageant, in which all kids are welcome to join. Might be a little ''high church'' for your mom, but it's a very welcoming congregation.
Re: Inclusive & Friendly Church (March 2003)
We go to All Soul's Episcopal Parish (mentioned in a previous newsletter) and are very happy there. We live in North Berkeley and researched many churches within walking distance before choosing this congregation. One thing that helped us make the decision was how family-friendly the congregation was, even though we didn't have any children at that point. Visitors are always welcome and it's a very tight-knit, friendly community with a lot of activities for both families and adults. neowright
Re: children's choirs (Nov 2001)
All Soul's Parish is a lovely, family friendly, Episcopal Church in North Berkeley. They would love to have your 6 year-old in their new kid's choir. By the way --- The Episcopal Church has gotten a lot warmer than it used to be (my perception) and you might well enjoy this church as much as she will! Heather
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