During the height of the AIDS crisis of the 1980's - 1990's All Saints was one of the most active churches in ministries with those affected by AIDS. We housed an AIDS chapel and provided food, shelter, and other support to individuals and their families. The church continues to actively provide support to some families today, and continues to be a strong advocate for those living with HIV and AIDS . And we continue our tradition of fostering strong, caring leaders, Gay and Lesbian and straight, who understand that our faith is best expressed in the love we show for each other. This community has found the Anglican tradition of toleration, reason and parochial care attractive, and in fact our congregation is now one of the largest in the Diocese of Los Angeles. Like the crucifix above our altar, we believe that the arms of Jesus are open to all who seek him as Savior regardless of ethnicity, language, economic situation, sexual orientation or immigration status.
About Us
All Saints Parish was founded in 1904 as one of the first Episcopal churches in Los Angeles. It has grown, declined and grown again as the city has aged around it. Over the last twenty or so years Highland Park has become the home to many Latinos, both immigrants and non-immigrants. Our membership is currently over one thousand, with many of those children and youth. The majority of our members are Latinos who live within our neighborhood. Our former Rector, Father Bill Leeson, worked hard with the church leadership to reach out to the Latino Community and offer our form of Anglican catholicism, which is well received by most Roman Catholics.
Staff
Father Tom Callard, Rector
Father Tom came to Los Angeles in 2007. Previously he served as a Vicar at a church in Chelsea, Massachusetts, worked as a missionary in Honduras, worked in a bookstore, canvassed for the environment, and was in college for a long time. Tom is married to Sagrario and they have 3 children. In addition to serving as our Rector, Father Tom is the coordinator of the Diocesan Program Group on Hispanic Ministries for the Diocese of Los Angeles, and former coordinator of the Diocesan Program Group on Peace and Justice.
Father Jeffrey Clawson, Priest for Discipleship and Evangelism
Jeffrey Clawson workd with newcomers, children programs, and pastoral ministry. As a public educator for more than twenty years, Fr. Jeffrey taught at the elementary level and then worked to support academic programs at both the middle school and the high school levels. These experiences have helped make an easy transition from education to ministry. Fr. Jeffrey was ordained a priest in the Episcopal Church in January, 2009, after he completed a Master of Divinity degree from the Church Divinity School of the Pacific. Fr. Jeffrey also holds a B.S. in Psychology and an M.A. in Counseling. His favorite pastimes include hiking, cooking, and travel. A recent transplant from the open spaces of Northern California, Fr. Jeffrey enjoys the controlled chaos of Los Angeles. Fr. Jeffrey has three dogs. They can be seen taking long walks in the early morning through the streets of Los Angeles.
Father Onessimo Escobar, Priest Associate for the Hispanic community
Seminarian Annie Wells, serving for 2010-2011
Seminarian Rev. Frank Alton, serving for 2010-2011
Our Values
All Saints values goodness. We value diversity, collaboration, love, and the power of making a contribution. We value Jesus and the presence of Christ and the Holy Spirit that continue to bless our lives. We value prophecy and justice and taking the time to care, especially for those for whom there is little care. We want our members to contribute and to receive as they feel they are able to, and to know that there is always more for those who want.
Our Mission
We work telling Jesus' story. We work through evangelism, outreach, empowerment, worship and education.We see our mission as discovering new ways to convey and celebrate the Good news of Jesus Christ in worship, work and action.
Our Worship
We follow the traditional Episcopal rites of the Book of Common Prayer. Our Mass is an accessible and relaxed Anglo-Catholic style of worship which prefers a few extra people at the altar. We believe worship is for everyone.
Community
Our Community is important so we have built into our schedule opportunities for togetherness, like the coffee hour after Mass, gatherings at people's homes, adult ed forms, things on Saturdays like dances and parties.Our schedule on this web page and at church has a complete list of these opportunities. Needless to say we are welcoming of all people. We are also eager to have our community grow and encourage you to talk with a priest about how to be a member of the community.
Service
All Saints serves in a poor neighborhood in Northeast L.A. For ten years we have been a National Jubilee Center, recognized for our commitment to justice and poverty. We have various ministries of "service," including a parish nurse, low cost aerobics classes, healthy cooking and nutrition classes, English classes. We have a food bank, a scholarship fund for needy students, and organize outreach and service to convalescent homes, homeless shelters, and battered women's shelters. We walk in the AIDS walk some years.
THE HIGHLAND PARK FOOD PANTRY- All Saints distributes food to our neighbors who are in need, on a monthly basis on Saturdays. Dates to be announced - see the calendar. We are partnered with the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank. Volunteers are invited to call the church offices for more information.
JUBILEE AEROBICS CLASSES – Our health ministries include weekly aerobics classes and healthy cooking instruction offered by our friends from the Jubilee Consortium of Los Angeles Starting January 2010 classes will be Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 6-7pm for a cost of $2.
PARISH NURSE- our health ministries also include an onsite parish nurse who is here Thursday mornings from 8am-1:30 pm to offer minimal but important health care services free of cost. This service comes from our partner Queenscare
The Episcopal Church
All Saints is a parish of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles , a member of the worldwide Anglican Communion in the United States. Our tradition derives from the Church of England and is both Catholic and Evangelical.
The Anglican Church is, together with the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Churches, one of the three branches of Catholic Christianity.
The principal worship of our Church is the Holy Eucharist, also known as the Mass and Holy Communion. We believe in Jesus' real presence in the blood and the wine of the sacrament. We believe in baptism, of infants or adults, and honor baptism as the way one becomes a full member of the Body of Christ and is therefore equipped to do Jesus' work of reconciliation and love in the world
The Episcopal church is not a church that emphasizes dogmatic rules and laws as the way of life. While firmly following the commandments, the Creeds and the Bible, we believe each person is blessed with gifts which allow them to interpret how they should live their Christian life. We emphasize worship, personal spirituality, fellowship, and a commitment to doing good works in the world.
We believe that Jesus is Lord and that each member must accept Jesus as Lord, be baptized in the Church and live out the faith of Jesus in the world. All Saints' strives to live that ministry in the Anglican tradition. To that end we Episcopalians are proud of being an "Iinclusive Catholic Church", welcoming members regardless of language, culture, race, sexual orientation or socio-economic status.
An Anglo-Catholic Tradition
In the nineteenth century a movement arose in Oxford, England, with the aim of bringing back the "Via Positiva" into the life of the church. This represents the old way of worshiping God through admiration and enjoyment of the beautiful things in the world, including the beauty and elegance of the church service. Anglo-Catholic Masses are closer to the traditional Roman Catholic manner, with colorful vestments, sung passages, incense and music. At All Saints we have maintained a liturgical tradition that most people who come from the Roman church find comfortable, without being too "fussy," and without the weight of teachings and barriers that many people wish to leave behind. Inner city Anglo-Catholic parishes like All Saints Highland Park also have a tradition of being dynamic places of activism, and we are continuing that tradition in a variety of ways today.
