Tell me about the history of All Saints’. What makes the parish unique?
All Saints’ is very special. We were founded in the 1890s by the second bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas, The Rt. Rev. George Herbert Kinsolving. When he and his wife Grace moved to Austin they purchased the city block we are now on, next to the campus of the University of Texas. UT was a fledgling university at the time, and there was no student housing for women. Part of Bishop Kinsolving’ s vision was to enable young women to receive an education, and to that end through his bold fundraising, Episcopalians provided the first women’ s housing for UT students at Grace Hall— our first building. All Saints’ Chapel was then built in 1900 to provide a worship space. The chapel was originally intended for the students but soon expanded to become a parish.
How many congregational members do you have currently? Who outside of the congregation uses your space?
We have 178 pledging households and 150 people worshipping on a typical Sunday. We also host 12-step groups, student mental health counselors, and a Loaves & Fishes program for those living on the economic margins, among other ministries. The Texas Juggling Society even meets here! Our parish hall has a very high ceiling.
What buildings and land make up your parish campus?
In the 1950s, the southern half of our block went to UT. We remain on the northern half of the block, surrounded on three sides by dormitories. Gregg House, named for the first bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas, is a 1950s administrative building, which houses offices, our Day School, the Episcopal Student Center for UT Austin, and all our ministries. It was built in 1955 by Fehr & Granger, a mid-century architecture firm in
Austin known for its modernist style. A member of our parish who is an architect helped us to understand what a gem that building is.
What challenges do you face with your buildings?
Like many historic congregations, we deferred building maintenance. Gregg House has original plumbing and electrical that must be brought up to date. But we are not just interested in renovating so that things work, but also for purpose. We want to connect with the neighborhood in life-giving ways. That’ s why we reached out to Partners for Sacred Places. Partners’ staff led us through an asset mapping and a design charrette.
What was your experience of the asset mapping?
The asset-mapping event helped us to learn from the community and brought energy into our renovation planning process. The committee members doubted that folks from the community would give up several hours of their weekday afternoon, but they did! It was a strong turnout: UT faculty, students, even a former Austin mayor. The asset mapping helped us to view our buildings and property with fresh eyes and clued us in to community hopes and needs. We learned that there is a dearth of space on this side of campus for student gatherings, music rehearsal, and performance. Now we are offering our sanctuary as a concert space, and we are planning to add flexible gathering spaces and a music practice suite in the renovation. Another example: a corporate lawyer at the event pointed out that our parking lot, adjacent to campus, is a major asset. She offered to do research so that we could make good use of it. Due to her help, we engaged a management company to oversee the parking lot, and in less than nine months it has brought in $ 87,000! Those funds have gone right into our operating budget.
The Rev. Genevieve Razim Photo: Sarah Natsu
All Saints’ celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2025— how did you honor the occasion?
It was fortunate to have a major anniversary coinciding with these renewal efforts. We held a capital campaign called“ For All the Saints” and grossed $ 3.2 million for building renovation! We did a design charrette with Partners and the drawings that came out of it were instrumental in getting the capital campaign off the ground. Sometimes folks need help visualizing the future! We are so grateful to everyone who contributed. And we are grateful to former Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and our ninth Bishop of Texas, C. Andrew Doyle, for celebrating our anniversary with us! It was a fantastic year!
What has changed because of your work with Partners?
Parish engagement and leadership has increased. The asset mapping was transformational, because it engaged our congregational and community leaders and they were heard. We invited everyone in the parish to share their ideas and make a meaningful gift. Y’ all helped us approach this in a mission-minded, strategic way, and that— along with the work of the Holy Spirit— is why we are as strong as we are now.
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