Parish History

In 1898, All Saints’ Church was founded by a group of nineteen Episcopalians. They met for Sunday afternoon services in the Harrison Fire House hall. Services were conducted by the Rev. Kirby, Rector of Christ’s Church, Rye, NY. Shortly after, land was purchased by parishioners and plans were drawn up to build a church. The church was consecrated on November 1, 1898, the feast of All Saints.

In 1902, the Archdeaconry of Westchester took over the church as a mission of Christ Church, Tarrytown, NY. In 1903, the Rev. MacNaught was transferred from Connecticut and officially became the first Rector. He served in that capacity for 32 years. The Rectory was built in 1903 while the parish house was built in 1940, and named for our first Rector.

Succeeding rectors have been:

The Rev. James Knapp (1935–1945)

The Rev. George Keith (1945–1950)

The Rev. Walter Chater (1950–1971)

The Rev. Alfred Montalto (1971–1976)

The Rev. G. Anthony Hoeltzel (1977–1985)

The Rev. Constance C. Coles (1986–2001)

The Rev. M. Jonah Kendall (2003–2007)

The Education Wing (Knapp Building) was added in the late fifties and included a new parish hall, kitchen and classrooms. The Harrison Children’s Center is now housed in this area as is the All Saints’ Thrift Shop. The Webster Avenue Nursery School, a ministry of the church, is located in the original parish hall.

During the period of 1960–1971, many refugees from Europe were sponsored by the Rev. Chater and housed on the upper floor of the Rectory. All Saints’ also welcomed the Jewish community before and during the building of their synagogue. Space was also made available for the children of St. Gregory R.C. Church for their religious education classes. Other organizations have been welcome as they made use of our facilities and still do.

During the 1970s, chancel renovations were completed to enable the use of a free-standing altar. Also during this time, females first served as acolytes and as lay readers and chalice bearers making worship more inclusive.

Arriving in 1985, the Rev. Constance Coles was the second woman to serve as rector of a parish in Westchester County. During her years here, members of the laity became more active in the worship, outreach, and other activities of the parish. Emphasis was placed on music, the choir, family involvement and a week-day healing service and Bible study. Numerous renovations and repairs were carried out including roofing, painting, carpeting, window replacement, electrical upgrade and a ramp for the physically disabled. A new courtyard and garden were created enabling the use of this area for after service refreshments in the summer months. The Rev. Coles was called to be the Canon of Ministry in the Diocese of New York in 2001.

The Rev. Cooper Conway served as interim rector from the fall of 2001 till fall 2003. She was very effective in negotiating new rental agreements with our tenants which were more in line with the actual costs of maintaining those spaces and she helped the parish overcome a significant budget deficit by leading a very effective stewardship drive. Most of all she helped the parish recover from the sadness of losing a long-time and much loved rector.

The Rev. Jonah Kendall served from September 2003 through Christmas 2007. During his years of service a steady stream of young families joined the parish and two large classes of youth were confirmed at The Cathedral. Many adults were also confirmed or received. A special Lenten series was established which attracted many outsiders. The Feast of St. Francis was celebrated in a new way for the parish with animals being welcomed into the church. Family Eucharists were often highlighted by Rev. Kendall dressing up and acting the part of a Bible character. Outreach took some new approaches including serving a meal several Saturdays a year at the Carver Center in Port Chester. The undercroft of the church received a major renovation which made the space much more attractive for the Webster Avenue Nursery School and included a comfortable room in which the choir could vest. All the buildings were painted on the exterior with help from a loan from the diocese. Pledging increased for three years in a row by about 10%. And a large donation was received to supplement the music program which enabled the parish to hire some paid singers who add immeasurable richness and stability to the Sunday morning music.

Town/Village of Harrison

Harrison, New York is a suburban town located in Westchester County approximately 27 miles from mid-town Manhattan. The area’s history dates back to pre-Revolutionary times and All Saints’ Church is a designated Harrison historic landmark.The Town of Harrison cuts a broad path across the County claiming 16.8 square miles of territory for a total population of approximately 24,000 people.

All Saint’s Church is located in what is informally known as “Downtown” Harrison.The immediate neighborhood has a small town feeling as many of the residents have been here for generations. Newer arrivals to the area quickly appreciate the amenities: local business owners, the postman who knows you, elementary school teachers who live around the corner, and the barber who has the inside scoop on everything that is going on, though he won’t admit as much right away … steady patronage over the years earns the stories!

“Downtown” Harrison benefits from proximity to the Long Island Sound and Metro-North railroad and attracts quite a few commuters who work in New York City. Therefore, Harrison also has an urban, perhaps more sophisticated edge to its population than the small time ambiance would initially indicate. There is a substantial international presence among area residents which ranges from very well-to-do to families to those who struggle to meet day-to-day needs.

In this writer’s opinion (a midwestern transplant by way of New York City) Harrison is a diverse community, a complex town, and a great place to live. All Saints’ Church embraces the diversity of Harrison and it is reflected in the makeup of our parishoners.

The other prominent parts of Harrison include the areas of West Harrison and Purchase — one government and one school district for all. There are four elementary schools between the three neighborhoods which converge into one middle school and one high school. The concept of family holds prominence in Harrison: the recreation programs are strong (public pools, parks and sports fields are plentiful), and residents value a good education for their children. The Town boasts two public libraries and is home to Purchase College, State University of New York and Manhattanville College. Purchase is also home to the Keio Academy of New York, a school dedicated to meeting the needs of Japanese living overseas. Cultural opportunities abound within Harrison and in nearby towns.

Harrison benefits greatly from access to the Metro-North Railroad which extends south to Manhattan’s Grand Central Station and north to New Haven.As noted, many residents commute to Manhattan and it is relatively easy to take advantage of New York City’s cultural amenities on a regular basis. At least one of our parishioners commutes weekly by train to volunteer at a mid-town Soup kitchen.

The New England Thruway (I-95) runs through town (without any interchanges) providing driving access south to the Manhattan as well as north to New England. The Cross Westchester Expressway (I-287) runs east/west across Westchester County providing access to many other routes including the Hutchinson River Parkway, the Cross County Parkway, I-684 and indirect access to the Saw Mill Parkway and other major roads.

The first European inhabitants of Harrison were most likely Quakers who settled in Purchase. Since then various religious communities have come to call Harrison home. Catholics worship either at St. Gregory the Great Church in Harrison or St. Anthony of Padua Church in West Harrison; Orthodox Christians at the Greek Orthodox Church of Our Savior; and Episcopalians at All Saints’ Church in Harrison. Presbyterians also have a church in Harrison; as well as Jews who gather at the Young Israel of Harrison or Harrison Jewish Community Center.