About All Saints' Episcopal Church
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A Brief History of Our Parish
As one of the oldest churches in the Diocese of Southeast Florida, All Saints' attracts many wishing to enjoy this fine example of Carpenter Gothic style architecture, a church where more than 100 years of dedicated worship services have been celebrated. The life of the congregation is reflective of the life of the community and its history.
Early Episcopal Activity - 1894 to 1896The earliest reference to Episcopal activity in the region appears in the diary of the Rt. Rev. William Crane Gray, Bishop of the Missionary Diocese of Southern Florida, who visited various settlements along the Indian River in the year 1894. On the 23rd day of January, Bishop Gray visited Eden, Florida, and preached in the local schoolhouse. Later that day, he walked the three miles down to Jensen Beach where he delivered a sermon in the parlor of the Jensen Hotel. This was the first Episcopal service conducted in the Waveland area.
In this formative period, the Church's missionary efforts along the southern reaches of the Indian River were entrusted in Archdeacon B. F. Brown of Titusville among others. This history of Jensen Beach, Sewall's Point, and All Saints' Episcopal Church are inexorably linked.
Building the Church and establishing the Congregation - 1897 to 1940During these pioneer years, the small congregation of Episcopalians held their monthly devotional services at first in private homes and later in a schoolhouse. The commencement of a building program was made possible by a gift of five acres from Charles and Mary Racey to be used as the site for the church and the cemetery grounds for more information, visit:http://www.allsaintsjensenbeach.org/
