Dear saints,

This weekend’s winter storm offered a timely reminder of the importance of preparing well. I pray that each of you made it through safe and sound, and we continue to give thanks for all those who serve the public good with sacrifice and compassion helping those most in need, especially at times like these.

As we work toward the implementation of our master plan for the block, various groups of parishioners are dedicating themselves to the task of helping us all prepare well for the future. Last week, I introduced the Block Development Steering Committee, which will serve as an oversight body on behalf of the Vestry for the multi-year process of fulfilling the vision we have for the block.

This week, it is my honor to present to you the Egleston Task Force, a fantastic group of parishioners who are working on implementing the master plan as it pertains to the Egleston building. They represent both, an array of pertinent professional backgrounds in architecture, design, construction, real estate and economic development, and years of experience with our core ministries at All Saints’.

Their remit is to help us make thorough preparations for the first phase of the execution of the master plan consistent with the comprehensive list of objectives the master plan articulates for the block, which in summary are:

• To redevelop the south-west quarter of the block on Spring Street and North Avenue to provide for the long-term financial sustainability of All Saints’.
• To prioritize our core ministries and relocate them in a rejuvenated north-east quarter of the block on West Peachtree and Ponce within a re-imagined ‘Egleston Ministry Center’ also housing our music program, ‘All Saints’ Commons’ areas for the parish and the community, and staff offices.
• To improve and expand our outdoor spaces, maximizing the potential of our green oasis in the heart of the city.
• To invest in the Church and Chapel, the Pritchett Center, and the Parish House as the essential homes of our vibrant life as a parish church.

With these core objectives in mind, the vestry commissioned the work of the Egleston Task Force recognizing that the first phase of the master plan would need to focus on the Egleston building and our vision for a "Second Front Door" to the life of community on this block through a reimagining of that building as the "Egleston Ministry Center". The charge the vestry has given to the task force is to work with an architect to determine how our vision for an "Egleston Ministry Center" might relate to the existing Egleston building, enabling us to determine together what represents the best stewardship of our resources for All Saints’ today and into the future.

What that reimagining will result in remains to be determined. It is clear, though, that we will have to address the significant structural damage Egleston suffered during construction in the neighborhood in recent years, the building’s limited ability to serve both the current needs of the parish and the needs articulated in our vision for the block, and we will need to find ways to honor the historic nature of the building balanced with our responsibility to serve as good stewards of All Saints’ financial resources now and into the long-term.

Given the complexity of this work ahead of us, the Vestry has engaged project management firm North Ave to support the Egleston Task Force through the process, and we have been meeting with our team Alex Demestihas and Shannon Stein on a weekly basis for the past several weeks.

The first major task has been to prepare a Request for Proposal document. This past week, the task force heard the presentations of four architect firms, out of six proposals submitted. The Block Development Steering Committee and the Vestry meet this week and we anticipate being able to begin working with an architect shortly thereafter.

As has been the case from the start of the block process several years ago, we are being thoughtful and deliberate about our work, drawing upon the many talents of the parish to serve in leadership roles, and availing ourselves of professional expertise where it is needed.

The essential element of all of this work, however, is the parish. The Egleston Task Force, the Block Development Steering Committee, the Vestry and of course myself all want to hear from you as we move through the coming weeks. If you missed a previous email, you will be able to find all things related to the block on our website here: https://allsaintsatlanta.org/futureofourblock/. You are also warmly welcome to chat with me or with any of the members of these parish bodies on a Sunday or at any time.

The legacy of this church is a precious gift for us, the current generation of All Saints’. We have the opportunity today to lay foundations for the life of this church for generations to come such that the people who will find their way here will know something of God’s love and compassion for all people. That is a future worthy of our full and enthusiastic support, something I know each of you will offer as we help this church shine as a beacon in this city in the decades ahead. Thanks be to God for all of you, the saints of today, and for the saints of tomorrow we now get the privilege of preparing a place for.

Peace,