Sanctuary Preservation and Readiness Project: 2016-2021

Built in 1900, All Saints’ beautiful and sacred Sanctuary has served as the foundation of our community’s life for more than a century. With its iconic craftsman design, the Sanctuary has been a warm and welcoming beacon that brings us together in Christian community and provides a base for us to reach out to our neighbors here and around the world. Ensuring it stands for another 100-plus years was the goal of the Sanctuary Preservation and Readiness Project. We hope you enjoy this page full of Project information.

Rev. Aimee welcomes parishioners to the first service in the newly remodeled Sanctuary on 7/4/2021.

Project elements:

  • Rebuild the Bell Tower
  • Seismically strengthen the entire Sanctuary
  • Add a new foundation under the western half of the Sanctuary and steel moment frames throughout the Nave
  • Make the Altar and Choir areas and the Communion Rail accessible to all parishioners, including those who have disabilities
  • Replace our failing pipe organ
  • Improve lighting and acoustics
  • Build a lovely and serene Memorial Chapel with columbarium niches and memorial plaques
  • Enhance our financial reserves to assure the future of what we have built

Timeline

  • 2016 – Removed and rebuilt the Bell Tower due to cracks and structural concern
  • 2017-2018 – Create Sanctuary renovation plans, obtain bids/County permits
  • January 2019 – Last service in Sanctuary before renovation
  • February-March 2019 – Move all interior

    Rev. Vicki serves communion at our new communion rail.

    items to storage

  • April 2019-May 2021 – Formal construction
  • June 2021 – Move interior items into newly reconstructed Sanctuary
  • July 4, 2021 – First in-person worship
  • November 2021 – Dedication of newly renovated Sanctuary

Yes: we needed to do this project! This was the condition of our old foundation.

Online Video Channel and Photo Albums of Project

A crane lifts in a steel frame to support the structure in the event of an earthquake.

Special Edition Parish Newsletters

Our special edition Bell Tower or Read All About It newsletters focus on the work of the “Sanctuary Preservation and Readiness Project” and the capital campaign, called “How Firm Our Foundation.” Here are links to many of the key past editions:

Project Update: Town Hall Meeting Materials Here:

2018: Nov. 11, 2018 gave the parish an update on efforts to reduce the project scope and move to a digital organ in order to bring costs in on budget. Check out a complete summary of the latest information by clicking this link.

2017: This June 2017 Town Hall gathering updated the parish regarding construction plans. Check out the presentation by clicking this link.

2016: The 2016 meeting materials can be found here.

2015: The 2015 Town Hall meeting materials can be found here.

2014: The 2014 meeting materials can be found here.

General Project Background/Information:

A fuller explanation of what the project could include is explained in this document: just click on this link.

To read the most recent engineering study about the seismic needs of the Sanctuary, please click on this link.

Much of the overall project planning is based on the views of parishioners in a survey conducted in 2013; you can read the survey results by clicking on this link: Survey results of the Parish Survey. 

Bell Tower Removed and Rebuilt

The iconic All Saints Bell Tower was in serious jeopardy of falling should a major earthquake strike our region. The church leadership decided its rebuilding was its first goal and so the existing tower, built in the year 1900, was removed and reinstalled using the very same sandstone bricks used in the original tower. Check this page for a full set of materials about the deconstruction and rebuilding of our historic Bell Tower.

A Capital Campaign: Paying to Preserve Our Sanctuary and Ready it for the Next Century

A capital campaign was begun in mid-20014 to raise funds to pay for these needed renovations. The campaign website can be found at this link.

To learn more about the capital campaign as well as the overall effort, you can read a “Question and Answer” document by clicking here!

Special Information for All Saints’ Parish School Parents

Click on this link to visit a page with special information for parents of the All Saints-by-the-Sea Parish School. This page is updated regularly.