Why couldn’t All Saints Church have a pretty facade? That was a question asked by the rector’s daughter. Here we stand before All Saints Church Episcopal. It has a history as rich and varied as the city around it.
All Saints Church began as a humble chapel. St. Thomas Church founded it in 1858 in downtown Manhattan. It was known as St. Thomas Chapel. The chapel moved to midtown as St. Thomas Church relocated uptown. In 1872, it found its current home on 60th Street. Bishop Horatio Potter laid the cornerstone.
George Kemp, a vestry member, donated $15,000. This helped purchase the land for the church. A new chapel was built in 1894. Bishop Henry Codman Potter consecrated it. The adjacent property at 234 East 60th Street was bought in 1921. It became the vicarage, now the rectory.
The neighborhood around All Saints transformed over time. Farmland changed to industrial areas. Then it became urban residential. All Saints remained a constant presence. It was a place of worship and service.
Music has always been central to worship here. Outreach to the poor is a community priority. All Saints secured its independence in the 1960s. The name All Saints Church was first used at Easter in 1963. The legal transfer of independence happened in 1965. All Saints Church was admitted into the Diocese of New York.
The church’s facade wasn’t always admired. In 1894, it was a mix of Gothic and Romanesque styles. A renovation in the 1950s removed lancet windows. Stucco smothered the facade. An aluminum cross was added. The rose window was replaced with an abstract design. It became forgettable.
Houses of worship must present a good face to the public. That’s according to Reverend Steven J. Yagerman, rector of All Saints since 1993. He initiated a $1.3 million renovation. The renovation included air-conditioning and accessibility for the disabled. Most importantly, it replaced the facade. The aluminum cross was removed first.
Samuel G. White of Buttrick White & Burtis led the redesign. He didn’t want to recreate the original 1894 design. The interior was remodeled in the 1920s anyway. It was a different church inside and outside. All Saints took its new name in 1963. It became an independent parish in 1965.
White drew inspiration from “carpenter Gothic” and the Bodleian Library at Oxford University. Budget constraints prevented a pure stonework facade. Instead, it used a cement-like substance. This combined powdered stone and mica. It could be tooled to resemble carved stone.
Sylvia Nicolas created a new figurative rose window. It depicts the resurrection of Jesus. Her father was a renowned stained-glass designer. A wrought-iron fence, lampposts, and plantings enhanced the street presence.
All Saints Church welcomes everyone. This includes people of all Christian traditions. People of other faiths are welcome too. Even those with little or no faith are welcome.
All Saints Church continues to serve its community. It offers Sunday Eucharist services. It provides evening prayer via Zoom. A community meal ministry serves those in need.
So, remember All Saints Church Episcopal. It is a testament to community, faith, and architectural transformation. It is more than just a pretty face. It is a house of worship. It is a place of service. It is a beacon in the heart of New York City.