All Saints’ History
Rev. Jack Shoemaker’s ordination at St. John’s with
The Rt. Rev. Richard Bland Mitchell.
-
Bishop Henry Niles Pierce
As fourth Missionary Bishop of Arkansas, a jurisdiction that included the American Indian Territories, Henry Niles Pierce visited Russellville several times between 1870 and his death in 1899 to hold Episcopal services in the Methodist Church building. This quiet beginning grew little by little in the All Saints’ Episcopal Church of today.
Pierce arrived in Little Rock (Pulaski County) on a steamboat from Memphis, Tennessee, in March 1870 after being consecrated bishop of the diocese on January 25, 1870, in Mobile, Alabama. He called a convention of Arkansas Episcopal clergy and lay delegates in 1871 for the purpose of organizing a statewide diocese; at the convention, Pierce was unanimously elected bishop of the new Diocese of Arkansas. He retained the bishopric of the missionary jurisdiction of Native American Territory until 1893, when the area became part of the missionary district of Oklahoma and Indian Territory.
-
Church Planting
Church records indicate that a mission congregation with the name of All Saints’ petitioned and received admission into union with the Diocese of Arkansas in 1917. The mission existed only a few years, and, in 1923, they sold their building to the Lutheran congregation, who later sold it to the Baptists. It is recorded that, in 1942, the mission congregation was holding regular services, averaging five to ten attendees, under the ministry of The Rev. George W. Culleny. During this time, Bishop Richard Bland Mitchell visited three times and confirmed three people. In the late 1940’s, the Reverend John Maury Allin, then Vicar of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Conway, (later elected the) Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church of the United States) held services in private homes in Russellville. Allin as Vicar in front of Old St. Peter’s Church, Conway, mid-1940s. Allin also served mission congregations in Eureka Springs and Harrison.In September of 1954, the Russellville Episcopalians had enough members to consider reorganization of the mission.
-
All Saints' Chapel
Fifteen communicants, who are considered the founders of the present church, held an official organizational meeting on March 18, 1955. On May 5 of that year, the 83rd General Convention once again admitted All Saints’ mission into union with the Diocese of Arkansas. These “faithful 15” held services every Sunday in private homes until All Saints’ Day, 1955, when they found a room they informally christened “All Saints’ Chapel” in the Red Hill Building on the campus of Arkansas Tech University.
A conversation about the History of All Saints’ with Rev. Teri Daily, Hugh and Mary Silkensen and Milly Chevaillier is featured on YouTube from October 2021. You can watch it by clicking the button below.
Our home from 1958 to 1991 at 18th and Detroit in Russellville.
Ground was broken for a new building at the corner of East 18th and South Detroit Avenue on May 27, 1958. The Baptists graciously returned the cornerstone from the 1917 building, and Bishop Robert R. Brown dedicated the new church on September 14 of that year. It was 10 years before the congregation was able to sit in pews instead of folding chairs, but growth was steady. By 1975, the church had grown to 200 Communicants, with an adjacent parish house, paved parking lot, organ, and space for an office, nursery, and classrooms.
The Reverend Jack Shoemaker led All Saints’ from mission to parish status in early 1976. Over the next several years, under the guidance of the Rev. Pat Murray, and the Rev. Greg Riley, All Saints’ continued to flourish. In 1989, under the Rev. Alan Sutherland, a fund drive enabled All Saints’ to construct a new church building on Phoenix Avenue, more than tripling available space. Construction began with groundbreaking on October 16, 1990. The original cornerstone was again moved and set. On August 11, 1991, the congregation paraded joyously down the streets from the old building to hold services in our present church. With continued growth came a second fund drive in 1992 for construction of a large parish hall, nursery, classrooms, bathrooms, and kitchen.
We have been blessed with the leadership of our rectors, Rev. Jack Shoemaker, Rev. Pat Murray, the Rev. Greg Riley, Rev. Alan Sutherland, Rev. Don Brown, Rev. Walt Friese, Rev. Evelyn Hornaday, Rev. Jos Tharakan, Rev. Angi Tharakan, Rev. Michaelene Miller, and Rev. Teri Daily each contributing their special gifts to the growth and well-being of All Saints’.
The Rev. Jos Tharakan was installed as rector of All Saints’ Episcopal Church on August 14, 2007.
The Rev. Angie Tharakan officially joined the clergy staff as Associate Rector for Children and Young Families in August, 2011. With their combined leadership and ministry, they bring their unique talents which took us to a new phase in our parish life. Fr. Jos continued to serve through June, 2017 when he was called to St. James Episcopal Church in Springfield, Missouri and is now the Bishop of Idaho.
In October 2017, we were graced with Rev. Teri Daily as our Priest-in-Charge, and later as our Rector. Under Teri’s leadership and care, we established our outdoor worship area, known affectionately as Chevaillier Chapel in Silkensen Park. This worship space proved to be invaluable as we took our services outdoors and virtual during the Covid pandemic in 2020. In 2022, we consecrated a Woodland Garden for Beloved Pets, a memorial garden for pets open to the community. The garden was dedicated in memory of one of our parishioners, Grace Kellner. Also during Rev. Teri’s tenure, Rev. Michaelene Miller became our Curate in 2018, and remained until called Episcopal Service Corps. Rev. Teri retired from All Saints’ in March, 2022 and is now serving in the Diocese of North Carolina.
