Cover Photo by Logan Peay

The Episcopal churches of Warren County came together on the second Sunday of Easter to worship on the campus of All Saints Episcopal School in Vicksburg. Founded in 1908, All Saints educated generations of young women, and later men, who came from far beyond Vicksburg to board. After closing twenty years ago as a school, All Saints experienced a rebirth as a regional campus for the AmeriCorps program. AmeriCorps and FEMACorps volunteers were trained and deployed all over the southeast from their home base at All Saints, until the program was defunded last spring. In this Easter season of death and resurrection, All Saints is ready for another rebirth, hopefully one which will continue its mission to nurture young people for lives of service.

Spearheaded by Garrett and Dorothy Wallace, members of the Church of the Holy Trinity, and current caretakers of All Saints, our “low Sunday” gathering brought together at least 130 people from Holy Trinity, Christ Church, St. Mary’s, and St. Alban’s. Lee H. Abraham and Patrick Smith led us in toe-tapping music under a sunny sky and delightful breezes. All Saints alumnae, the Rev. Jane Bearden and the Rev. Deacon Cathy Halford, offered their reflections on encountering God through the people and ministry of the school. We shared communion in front of the All Saints Chapel, and then continued the celebration with a potluck lunch outside Johnson Hall. This gathering topped off several weeks of the Warren County churches coming together for Holy Week and the Easter Vigil. Although we are four churches, we are one Episcopal community seeking to make Christ known in Warren County.