Draft:All Saints Episcopal Church (Carmel-by-the-Sea, California)

All Saints' Episcopal Church is an Episcopal parish located in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California and part of the Episcopal Diocese of California. The church was initially established in 1907 by members of the Episcopal Church who held Sunday meetings at the Pine Inn. The church relocated first to what is now Carmel City Hall and later to Dolores Street. For over a century, the church has contributed to the cultural and spiritual life of the area.

History


The All Saints' Episcopal Church was established on September 25, 1907, in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, by a small assembly of Episcopal Church members guided by the Carmel Missionary Society. They first gathered for Sunday services at the Carmel Bathhouse and then at the Pine Inn. In 1910, regular meetings were held at the Pine Inn under the leadership of Dora Wingate. One of the initial members was artist Mary DeNeale Morgan. A women's guild was formed for fund raising. In 1911, services were held on the stage of the Forest Theater with a choir and organ that were brought in by Rev. Maloney and Rev. Gardner. Writer Mary Austin spoke at the Pine Inn, which included a collection for the Saints' Episocal Church. Hotelier Mary L. Hamlin was involved in the activities of the All Saints' Episcopal Church from 1909 until her death in 1947.

By July 1912, the church congregation had grown and had collected funds to construct a one-story, steep-pitched Shingle style building. Frank Devendorf, Carmel's pioneer developer, provided two lots on Monte Verde Street and 7th Avenue. The 1158 sqft church building was planned by Albert Cauldwell, an architect from San Francisco, and constructed by master builder Michael J. Murphy for $1,200 raised by the women's' guild. The building was completed in July 1913 and was dedicated by Bishop Nichols and named All Saints' Episcopal Church. A first full-time minister was Rev. Darwall in 1914.

Between 1917-1928, Murphy expanded the building and added a parish hall and two decorative wooden arches. A vestibule and church bell tower were added in 1928.

New church building
As the congregation grew, the church sold its old building to Mayor Frederick M. Godwin and the city council for $40,000 on September 6, 1946, to generate funds for constructing a new church. This building became the Carmel City Hall. The church then acquired land for its new building at Dolores Street and 9th Avenue.

Groundbreaking for the 13000 sqft church was celebrated on February 5, 1950. The church was dedicated by Bishop Karl M. Block and Rev. Alfred B. Seccombe in September 1950, and completed in 1951. In 1952, the Architect and Engineer of California magazine came out with a cover picture and a six-page illustrated article about the All Saints' Episcopal Church building and architect Robert R. Jones. It said, "The All Saints' Episcopal Church is a unique blending of traditional church structure features and modern church design."

Design


The church commissioned modernist architect Robert R. Jones, A.I.A, and Charles S. Symonds, A.I.A, to design the new church. Landscape architect Thomas Church designed the courtyard and gardens.

The upper level of the church includes a nave, choir, sacristy, guild room, and organ loft. The nave accommodates 280 people, the choir seats 40, and the adjoining outdoor loggia can hold 150 individuals. The lower level, accessible from Lincoln Street, features a parish hall, stage, music room, rector's study and office, lounge, kitchen and pantry facilities, and a utility room. The parish hall is constructed from reinforced concrete. Supporting the nave are large redwood high beams, and the roof is made of shakes. The altar and panels were designed by sculptor Alec Miller, and the stain glass windows and nave were designed by Harold Cummings of San Francisco. By 1958, the church purchased a rectory next to the church. In 1960, Robert Jones added a church wing and meeting hall.

Leadership and services


The All Saints’ primary worship services include celebrations of the Holy Eucharist, held Sunday mornings at 10:00am. Rev. Amber Sturgess has been the church rector since 2019.

Today, the church has contributed to the cultural and spiritual life of the area, hosting events, services, and outreach programs that have impacted many residents and visitors. It has hosted concerts, art shows, and other cultural events that attract people from outside the immediate community. The church established St. Dunstan's Episcopal Church in Carmel Valley in 1955 and St. Matthias Episcopal Church in Seaside in 1956. In 1959, the church created the Santa Lucia campground and outdoor chapel along the river in Big Sur. In early 1960s, the church also founded the All Saints' Episcopal Day School in Carmel Valley.

The Carmel Bach Festival and Monterey Symphony have held several concerts in the church.

On June 3, 2021, the church unveiled the installation of the three Peace Posts entitled "Holy Evolution: Love is the Way." These posts were created to commemorate those who died from COVID-19, to address climate change, and to promote freedom and reconciliation in the face of injustice and inequality.