33 comments
It took 14 months and $275,000 to build the current church building. The cornerstone was laid in October 1923 and the church was dedicated in 1925. [Image courtesy All Saints Church]
All Saints Church in downtown Pasadena is set to commemorate 100 years in its historic Gothic Revival church campus on Sunday, Sept. 15, blending historical reflection with forward-looking initiatives. The centennial celebration will feature festive worship at 10 a.m. and musical premieres.
The church was designed by the architectural firm Marston, Van Pelt & Maybury and constructed in the 1920’s. It is built with stone quarried from Bouquet Canyon in the Santa Clarita Valley and roofed with Vermont slate, which gives it a striking appearance.
The interior of the church is renowned for its decorative arts, including floor tiles manufactured by Ernest Batchelder and exquisite stained glass windows from Tiffany and Judson Studio.
The church is situated across the street from Pasadena City Hall.
The Right Rev. John Harvey Taylor, Bishop Diocesan of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, will lead the service.
“We hope people in the community will mark this special day with us and join us as we continue All Saints’ journey into a new century together,” said All Saints’ Priest-in-Charge the Rev. Tim Rich. “All are welcome!”
The service will include premieres of two choral pieces. Canterbury and Coventry Choirs will perform “In the Heart of Our Town” by Grammy-award winning Composer-in-Residence Bill Cunliffe, with soloist Stephen McDonough. The Trouvères and Unidad children and youth choirs will present “Welcome Home!” by composer Sean Ivory. American Sign Language interpretation will be offered.
Founded in 1883, All Saints was Pasadena’s first Episcopal parish. Its first church at the current location was built in 1889, with the present building constructed from 1923 to 1924.
The celebration comes after the release of a significant historical report issued by the Church last November. The document examines the land’s history, from its indigenous Tongva inhabitants through colonization periods to the church’s present-day occupation.
This initiative, titled “Telling The Whole Story: The Land We Are On,” was formed by former All Saints Rev. Mike Kinman in 2021. It involved extensive research into church archives, consultations with Tongva groups, and incorporation of existing historical studies.
“Colonization and injustice towards the land and its inhabitants is not just a few one-time events hundreds of years ago, but an on-going process lasting into the present day,” said Hannah Earnshaw, co-convener of the working group and co-author of the report.
All Saints Church has a long history of social activism, including involvement in the 1970s anti-war movement, the 1990s anti-apartheid movement, and advocacy for women’s ordination and LGBTQ+ rights in both religious and civic spheres.
“In a world hungering for communities to reach across all divides, All Saints Church strives to be a place where one can learn and practice the deep truth of the interconnectivity of the whole human family,” a statement from the Church said Thursday. “Those who join us find us joyfully and energetically challenging one another and the church-at-large to live into Jesus’ central message of compassion for all and to respect the dignity of every human being.”
The centennial celebration will include a reception following the service, featuring food and music on the church’s quad lawn. The event aims to honor the past while looking towards the future of All Saints’ community engagement.
All Saints Chuch is located at 132 N. Euclid Ave. in Pasadena. Fo more call (626) 796-1172 or visit https://allsaints-pas.org/
Get our daily Pasadena newspaper in your email box. Free.
Get all the latest Pasadena news, more than 10 fresh stories daily, 7 days a week at 7 a.m.
