All Saints Episcopal Parish was formed in 1983 through the consolidation of three Episcopal churches, all located in Hoboken:
St. Paul’s held its first services in 1832 at a local school in Hoboken. The parish was incorporated in 1835 and its first church building completed in 1836 at 300 Hudson Street, Hoboken. The parish subsequently moved to 816 Hudson Street in 1870. St. Paul's was associated with several veteran societies and its "Warrior Shrine" was officially dedicated in 1931, primarily as a memorial to those who died in the First World War but which also included commemorative items from many other conflicts. In 1980 it shared a rector with the Church of the Holy Innocents and in 1981 was formally merged with that church. In 1983 it subsequently became part of All Saints Episcopal Parish. In 1985 the church building was sold and converted into an apartment complex, however many of its exterior details still remain today.
Church of the Holy Innocents, founded in 1874 by Martha Bayard Stevens, widow of Edwin Augustus Stevens (of Stevens Institute of Technology) and located at the cross of 6th and Willow. It was erected in memory of Edwin and Martha’s youngest daughter, Julia, who died of typhoid at the age of seven. The structure remains standing, although the church has since been deconsecrated and due to needed repairs, the space is no longer used for gatherings. The property is owned by All Saints, including the surrounding lawn—which continues to play host to informal festivities and occasional outdoor services. This lawn proved to be especially useful during the height of the pandemic as a means of safe assembly.
Trinity parish was founded in 1853 by members of St. Paul's Church in Hoboken. The church building opened in 1856, based on a design by Richard Upjohn. The rectory and parish house were completed in 1866 and are now used by All Saints Episcopal Day School. Trinity church was expanded in 1882 and a baptistry (which now serves as a side chapel) was later added in 1896. It received funding from the Diocese of Newark from 1968 to 1978 as a mission to the local Hispanic community. In 1983 the parish was merged into the new All Saints Episcopal Parish in Hoboken, with St. Paul's and Holy Innocents. The church building, however, survives as the place of worship for All Saints.
HISTORICAL PRESERVATION
Since 1832, the Episcopal Church has had a presence in Hoboken. All Saints has made a special effort cataloging and preserving items connected with this long history, and have teamed up with The Episcopal Project. This is an organization dedicated to digitizing and making accessible church records and individual stories at the greatest risk of being lost due to church closures and their consolidation.
Our collaborative efforts have resulted in the creation of an online database which is accessible to the whole public. We have started by concentrating on digitizing and cataloging items connected to a large war memorial that was originally housed in St. Paul's Episcopal Church — containing letters from princes and prime ministers, medieval relics, flags from WWI, a Russian imperial bronze star, and so much more. The new database can be found here.
RECENT HISTORY
Crisis Response
In 1982, the Hoboken Clergy Coalition established the Hoboken Shelter for the Homeless. This newly organized coalition and All Saints Parish were instrumental in securing the shelter’s right to exist, including taking the case to the New Jersey Superior Court which affirmed that sheltering people in a church is a protected religious freedom. The rector of All Saints, the senior pastor at St. Matthew Trinity Lutheran, Rabbi Jeffrey Marker from United Synagogue of Hoboken, and Sister Norberta Hunnwinkel were originators of Communities of Faith for Housing.
In 1989, All Saints hosted the first offices of The OASIS, a new mission established by the Diocese of Newark ministering to gay, lesbian, transsexual, and transgendered persons.
All Saints was a stalwart in Hoboken’s response to the tragic events on September 11, 2001, which claimed the lives of 56 community members. Our parish missioner, Laurie Wurm, along with resident and suddenly-widowed Sandy O’Conner, organized a local support group. Participants met regularly for the next five years to share stories and provide mutual aid. In thanksgiving for the work of Laurie Wurm and for All Saints’ hosting of their group, these individuals donated the bell that now sits in our tower.
Urban Ministry & Education
In 1985, All Saints Episcopal Day School opened its doors to the first class of three and four-year-old children. The day school was accredited by the National Association of Independent Schools in 2007 and is one of the leading private schools in Hoboken, serving pre-K through eighth graders. All Saints Episcopal Parish opened the St. Nicholas Center at the corner of 6th and Clinton in 2010 to meet the needs of an ever-growing student body. Today, the school is independent of the parish but continues to lease space and partners with us in various programs throughout the school year. We value the strong relationship we share as, together, we continue to nurture the spiritual formation of our children.
In 1996, All Saints formed the All Saints Community Service and Development Corporation to provide educational and recreational opportunities for the children on the west side of Hoboken. Through grants from the Episcopal Diocese of Newark, foundations and individuals, and local, state, and federal government, the Jubilee Center opened in 2003 and faithfully served the community for the next 17 years. In 2021, the building at the corner of 6th and Jackson was sold to the City of Hoboken for use as community space. The board of directors continues to fund programming for the children and youth of Hoboken as it considers the future of its mission.
Clergy Timeline
In 1980, the Rev. Geoff Curtiss arrived in Hoboken to serve as clergy for the three Episcopal congregations in Hoboken and, ultimately, to combine them into one parish. This was accomplished in 1983, and for the next 30 years, Rev. Curtiss served as rector of All Saints and lent his considerable energies in the establishment of the Hoboken Shelter, All Saints Episcopal Day School, and the Jubilee Center until leaving All Saints early in 2013.
The Rev. Liz Edman, Associate Rector, guided All Saints through several months of transition until the arrival of the Rev. Daniel Lennox in December 2013. Upon his departure in mid-2015, the Rev. Greg Morgan became the interim rector.
On February 1, 2018, the Rev. Dr. Elaine Ellis Thomas was called as rector and devoted herself to successfully negotiating the transition of the day school into an independent entity and re-energizing the congregation. During the pandemic, she was able to maintain the worship and spiritual life of the community by increasing our online capacity for worship and educational programming. Rev. Dr. Ellis Thomas was recently called to New England, where she is now rector at St. John’s Episcopal Parish in Essex, CT. Her last morning leading worship at All Saints was on the Feast of Pentecost, June 8th, 2025.
A search committee has been formed to call a new priest-in-charge. Please contact office@allsaintshoboken.org or call (201) 792-3563 for more information about this position.
All Saints has helped numerous people discern a call to ordained ministry throughout its history:
Rev. Stephanie Wethered, Rev. Margaret Hodgkins, Rev. Lucy Ann Dure, Rev. Phil Dougharty, Rev. Helen Othelia Harper, and Rev. Laurie Wurm. We have also served as a training site for deacons and seminarians, including, most recently: Mr. Richard Hogue, Ms. Jill Singleton, and Mr. Ross Sweetland.