Although the Episcopal Church welcomes everyone, as with many churches in colonial-era North America, and subsequently the United States of America, this has not always been the case. All Hallows Parish South River owes its existence to both the lucrative transatlantic sale of tobacco, grown and harvested by African slaves, and the construction of the Brick Church by slave labor.
On All Saints’ Day, November 1, 2014, Episcopal parishes in Maryland observed the 150th anniversary of the statewide abolishment of slavery with the Trail of Souls: Truth and Reconciliation Pilgrimage, a commitment to reconcile and repent the evils of slavery and modern-day racism. Participants in this journey visited five Maryland sites with strong ties to both slavery and the Episcopal Church. All Hallows Brick Church was one of these sites. The occasion was marked by a visit from Bishop Eugene Sutton, a presentation on the history of All Hallows, a brief service of prayers, as well as the placement and dedication on church grounds of a monument to the enslaved workers who labored so skillfully to build the Brick Church. But the story does not end there....
The Episcopal Diocese of Maryland in 2020 committed to making financial reparations to those affected by racism. The diocesan website states, “On September 12, 2020, the 236th Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland passed Resolution 2020-06, committing to creating a $1,000,000 seed fund for reparations….” Education, job training, and housing are on the list of possible allocation of funds, making this commitment a groundbreaking effort to underscore the equality and dignity of all God’s children.
