Message from the Bishop: Important News Regarding All Souls Episcopal Church

The writer of Ecclesiastes tells us that there is a season for everything under the sun. Everything has a life cycle, even churches.

Over the past couple of years, All Souls Episcopal Church and Community Center has struggled to cover its overhead costs, cultivate outside funding sources and sustain its ministries. During this period of time the diocese has also been involved in negotiations surrounding the lease agreement between Walgreens and the corporation that owns the property where All Souls is located. I continue to be grateful to our chancellor, Cove Geary, for leading us through this process and to Walgreens for their incredible generosity. The end result of these negotiations is that All Souls will have to vacate the property by February 2017.

In light of these complicated circumstances, I have made the difficult decision that All Souls will begin the process of closing.

Since the early days after Hurricane Katrina, the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana and Trinity Wall Street have partnered to sustain and support All Souls and its surrounding community. I am grateful for Trinity’s commitment to this ministry and while All Souls will no longer exist in its present form, I am working to ensure that its mission and legacy will live on.

All Souls has made a positive impact on an incredible number of lives. Groups from all over the United States have traveled to the Lower Ninth Ward on mission trips to participate in work groups and teach children enrolled in All Souls’ after school program and summer camps. Congregations in our diocese have also given generously. I am thankful for all who have offered their presence, prayers and gifts to help accomplish the work God put in front of us.

Before the doors are closed we will gather once again at All Souls to give thanks for her ministry. More information regarding this service will follow soon. For now please keep the community of All Souls in your prayers.

Peace,

The Rt. Rev. Morris K. Thompson, Jr.

Bishop of Louisiana