History
All Saints Episcopal Parish was established in March 1983 through the consolidation of St. Paul's Episcopal Church (founded in 1832), Trinity Episcopal Church (1853) and Church of the Holy Innocents (1876). This consolidation of congregations in the early 1980's has enabled the Episcopal Church to revitalize its ministry in Hoboken.
Trinity Episcopal Church, situated at 7th and Washington Streets, is the oldest continuing congregation in Hoboken. The Church of the Holy Innocents, a designated historic site built in 1874 by the Stevens family, was a monument to their seven year old daughter Julia, who died of typhoid. Holy Innocents was intended as the church for Irish and German immigrants and was unusual because it did not require a fee in order to be seated, which was the custom of the day. Presently the church is not in use, but has been targeted by the parish for future restoration and renovation. Click here for information about this project.
Significant Events in the Development of the Parish
The Rev. Geoffrey Curtiss was commissioned in 1980 by the Bishop and Convention of the Diocese of Newark to be the Urban Missioner to Hoboken.
In 1981 the congregations of St. Paul's and Church of the Holy Innocents agreed to consolidate; in December 1982 the people of Trinity Church joined them and the resulting congregation became All Saints Episcopal Parish.
In 1985 the Rector, Wardens and Vestry began an education ministry, serving children of the new families moving into Hoboken by opening a nursery school. This mission program was funded, in part, from the proceeds of the sale of St. Paul's Church (now "The Abbey" at 820 Hudson Street).
In 1989 the parish agreed to be the first host congregation for The OASIS, a new ministry initiated by our Diocese to provide hospitality for gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgendered Episcopalians adn their families.
In 1991 the Vestry and the School Board decided to expand the Nursery School to serve students through the fourth grade, thus starting All Saints Episcopal Day School.
In 1995 the Vestry created the All Saints Community Service and Development Corporation to broaden our work in the community.
In 2003 the Jubilee Center was opened to serve children living in public housing on the west side of Hoboken.
A Place of Training for Ministry
The parish has been active in raising up leadership for the larger Church, both lay and ordained. Over the last fifteen years more than a dozen clergy have begun or completed their call to ordained ministry under the auspices of this congregation. Several key lay leaders in the Church have also been a part of this congregation.