All Hallows Church
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1891 Parishioners of Our Saviour Jenkintown who lived in Wyncote requested that their Rector assist in organizing a Mission and Church School in their village. On Good Friday, March 27th, 1891 the first service was held in a house on the corner of Greenwood and Curacoa Avenue (Maple Ave). Mr. John Skilton, a seminarian at the Philadelphia Divinity School, was placed in charge of the mission.

1892 A wood frame chapel constructed

1893 The Rev. Alfred McClure became the first Vicar.

1894 The Chapel was enlarged by addition of transept and Chancel

1896 The corner stone of present church was laid on March 28th

1897 The present Church was consecrated on February 12th

1898 The original chapel was enlarged due to a need for more church school space.

1899 The Rev. Fleming James became Vicar. He died suddenly in 1901 and the East window depicting the supper at Emmaus was dedicated to his memory in 1902.

1901-1908 The Rectory fund was established during the tenure of the Rev. James Halsey who encouraged the congregation to be involved in missionary outreach and fostered in them a deep love of the Liturgy.

1909 The All Hallows mission became a parish with the completion of the Rectory and The Rev. Frederick MacMillen was the last Vicar and first Rector. The first Vestry was elected. One the original members was Cyrus Curtis.

1911-1919 The Rev Benjamin Sanderson was rector and in this period the baptismal font was dedicated and consecrated (1914).

1927 The Parish House was built for $110,000, some years later Cyrus Curtis paid off the mortgage. During the 20’s & 30’s three worship services every Sunday were scheduled.

1929 A disastrous fire swept through the Chancel on January 14th destroying the organ.

1930 The tenure of Clarence Silvester (1919-1930) came to an end, the Rev Thomas Burgess was appointed. He had to lead the parish through the difficult years of the Depression.

1938-1949 During the tenure of the Rev. Frederick Halsey (son of the Rev. James Halsey) the parish experienced renewed growth.

1950 The 1950’s were continued years of growth for the parish under the leadership of the Rev. Louis Fifer – the Church School experienced a great increase in members.

1957 Undercroft of Church converted to Church School classrooms

1963 Interior of Church renovated, stained glass windows were installed

1968 All Hallows Episcopal Nursery School was founded.

1970 During the early 70’s the parish membership began to decline – America was no longer going to Church in quite the way it had during the 50’s.

1979 After 29 years as rector, the longest tenure so far, Louis Fifer retired.

1980 The Rev. Tom Martin became Rector. During his tenure the fund for the future was created and the memorial garden constructed. The Parish also became a beneficiary of the Rorer Trust and will remain so until 2022.

1995 The Rev. Robert Orr became rector and then left abruptly in 1998. The 8 a.m. service was abolished. Parish membership reached it lowest point since 1891.

1999 The Chancel was re-renovated using money from the Goll/Dudley Bequest

1999 Mary McCullough was appointed Director of Christian Education and Church School membership climbed from 12 to over 60 children in 2005.

1999 The Rev. Mark Ainsworth became Rector.

2004 A long range planning process began that culminated in a report which addressed the financial, property, and educational aspects of the Parish.


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All Hallows Episcopal Church, Wyncote, PA 19095 - 215 885-1641

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