The Episcopal Church of All Saints serves the
Old Northside Historic District
Old Northside is a residential neighborhood near downtown in Indianapolis, Indiana. It is bordered by 16th Street on the north, Pennsylvania Street on the west, Interstate I-65 on the south, and Bellefontaine Street on the east. The Monon Tr ...
near downtown
Indianapolis
Indianapolis ( ), colloquially known as Indy, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Indiana, most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana, Marion ...
. It is distinctive within the diocese for its
Anglo-Catholic
Anglo-Catholicism comprises beliefs and practices that emphasise the Catholicism, Catholic heritage (especially pre-English Reformation, Reformation roots) and identity of the Church of England and various churches within Anglicanism. Anglo-Ca ...
style of worship, and is historically significant as the first Episcopal Church in the United States to regularly ordain a woman as priest. The building also served as the
cathedral
A cathedral is a church (building), church that contains the of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, Annual conferences within Methodism, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually s ...
of the
Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis
The Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis, formerly known as the Episcopal Diocese of Indiana, is a diocese in Province V (for the Midwest region) of the Episcopal Church. It encompasses the southern two-thirds of the state of Indiana. Its see is ...
from 1911 until 1954, when the bishop's seat was relocated to
Christ Church Cathedral, Indianapolis.
History
All Saints is the successor to Grace Church, a parish founded in 1866.
[Bodenhamer, D. and Barrows, R. (1997), ''The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis'', p. 550] Under Bishop David Knickerbacker, Grace Church became
pro-cathedral
A pro-cathedral or procathedral is a parish Church (building), church that temporarily serves as the cathedral or co-cathedral of a diocese, or a church that has the same function in a Catholic missionary jurisdiction (such as an apostolic prefect ...
of the Diocese of Indiana in the late 19th century.
Construction of All Saints Cathedral began on the site of Grace Church in 1910. The building was dedicated on
All Saints Day
All Saints' Day, also known as All Hallows' Day, the Feast of All Saints, the Feast of All Hallows, the Solemnity of All Saints, and Hallowmas, is a Christianity, Christian solemnity celebrated in honour of all the saints of the Church, whether ...
in 1911. The 1912 diocesan convention designated the cathedral as "a House of Prayer, where all persons, of whatever race or nation, may have opportunity to worship God".
All Saints Church began a period of turmoil marked by its losing its cathedral status in 1954 as well as the change in neighborhood demographics following the end of World War II. This upheaval culminated in an outreach to the burgeoning African-American inner-city population, including the creation of a treble choir for children affiliated with the
Royal School of Church Music
The Royal School of Church Music (RSCM) is a Christian music education organisation dedicated to the promotion of music in Christian worship, in particular the repertoire and traditions of Anglican church music, largely through publications, tr ...
. This program flourished throughout the 1960s, and it was during this time that the congregation affixed a sign, still present, above the west doors reading "Everyone Is Welcome".
On January 1, 1977, The Rev.
Jacqueline Means became the first woman to be regularly ordained as a priest in the Episcopal Church. The ordination was controversial within the congregation, with only 75 people attending her first celebration of communion the following morning, compared to regular Sunday attendance at the time of 90–120. The Rev. Tanya Vonnegut Beck, who served as All Saints' priest-in-charge from 2010 to 2012, was the second woman regularly ordained in the Episcopal Church.
All Saints Church also built bridges to the homeless community of downtown Indianapolis throughout the 1970s and 1980s. This activity culminated in the founding of the Dayspring Center in 1989, an institution sponsored by the
Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis
The Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis, formerly known as the Episcopal Diocese of Indiana, is a diocese in Province V (for the Midwest region) of the Episcopal Church. It encompasses the southern two-thirds of the state of Indiana. Its see is ...
and that operates in a building adjacent to the church.
In the 1990s, the congregation recognized the profound cultural impact of the
AIDS
The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...
epidemic by honoring many victims of the epidemic in memorial services. This outreach is memorialized by a crystal chalice inlaid with jewels for use at the Eucharist as a memorial to those who died of AIDS.
In recent times, the parish community has evolved to reflect the changing demographic of the neighborhood. The congregation sponsors community meetings, a concert series known as Arts at All Saints, and many other programs focused on spiritual growth and fellowship.
Architecture
The building constructed in 1910 as the Cathedral of All Saints is a brick American
Gothic Revival
Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an Architectural style, architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half ...
church. The plans as designed by
Alfred Grindle followed the English collegiate style layout with a chancel nearly as long as the nave. Due to funding restrictions, only the nave and crossing were constructed according to the plans. A wooden structure served as the chancel, significantly limiting the architectural impact of the building. By the late 1950s this clapboard annex was structurally unsound, and a new brick apse and sacristy designed by the firm
Evans Woollen and Associates replaced the old chancel. The curved wall of the new apse contrasts greatly with the rectilinear rigidity of the Gothic nave. This dissonance is viewed by many as a stylistic strength of the building in its blending of hard and soft architectural forms. Acoustically, the curved apse wall promotes dissemination and reverberation of sound, creating a space much noted for its use in musical performance.
The two transepts are used as chapels. The north transept is a traditional
Lady Chapel
A Lady chapel or lady chapel is a traditional British English, British term for a chapel dedicated to Mary, mother of Jesus, particularly those inside a cathedral or other large church (building), church. The chapels are also known as a Mary chape ...
complete with altar, statue of the
Blessed Virgin Mary
Mary was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is an important figure of Christianity, venerated under titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, various titles such as Perpetual virginity ...
and devotional accouterments. The south transept is dedicated to
Saint Michael the Archangel
Michael, also called Saint Michael the Archangel, Archangel Michael and Saint Michael the Taxiarch is an archangel and the warrior of God in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. The earliest surviving mentions of his name are in third- and second- ...
and is used weekly for midweek mass services.
The only stained glass windows in the church are located in the south transept Michael Chapel. A large triptych in lancet windows depicts Michael expelling Lucifer from Paradise. A lower triptych of quasi-clerestory windows depicts traditional themes in contemporary contexts: a Nativity with the Virgin depicted as an inner-city African-American mother, a Crucifixion in an urban scene of racism, and a manifestation of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost symbolized by the universality of satellites orbiting the Earth. The windows were designed, fabricated and installed by Margaret A. Kennedy (1930 - )
References
External links
* {{Official website, http://www.allsaintsindy.org/
Episcopal church buildings in Indiana
Churches in Indianapolis
Gothic Revival church buildings in Indiana
Anglo-Catholic church buildings in the United States
Churches completed in 1910