All Souls' parish has a tradition of expressing and appreciating the arts while dedicating the beauty and inspiration they bring to our lives to the glory of God.
Here, old ideas are reborn in new expressions, and the timelessness of art in Christianity is shown in new ways through an understanding of our coastal location in Southern California, a recognition of local artists, and the influence of Mexico, our great neighbor to the south.
As you continue around the church and pass into the narthex again, you will see a batik banner created and given as a gift by Ralph Carskadden, a former rector of All Souls'. The fabric is silk; the gold overlay is kid leather. The theme is Christ the Teacher. The design of the banner is based on a Russian Orthodox icon. Ralph brought to this parish, among many other things, an awareness of Christianity's rich heritage from the Eastern Church.
Donor: The Rev. Ralph Carskadden, in memory Wesley Hallock.
The church building, itself an expression of the creative artistry of architect Robert Mosher, was completed in 1969. The hexagonal shape was determined by the topography of the lot. A simple cross is located at the point where the six points of the hexagon converge. In a conversation with a parishioner, Mr. Mosher stated that All Souls' was his favorite of all the buildings he had designed.
Continuing down the narthex hall that surrounds the church proper you come to the St. Mary's Chapel, a space for private prayer and smaller worship services. On the door is a small silver and enamel cross which is contemporary Italian. Inside the simply appointed chapel is a statue, made in Mexico, of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The figure of the Guadalupe Madonna was chosen because she is the only North American representation of St. Mary. Her earthy peasant qualities and her Indian background, in contrast to the regal Mary of European tradition, are captured in this wooden statue.
Donors of the Guadalupe Madonna: The Bitterlin Family, in memory of Dustine Bitterlin.
Exiting the chapel and continuing along the hall, you enter the church at the right front. There, the font stands on the platform designed for it. The tripart base and circular bowl represent the Trinity upholding the waters of baptism. The sculptor, Robert Mansfield, is an art professor at San Diego State University and also in Beijing, China. He describes his sculpture of slumped glass, acrylic, and light as representing the waters of the Jordan River as they flow down from the Mountains of Moab.
Donors: Elizabeth Raines Harrop and her family, in memory of her husband John and her parents Blanch and Edwin Raines.
When you leave the church, the Columbarium is on your right. On the wall you face is a large clay sculpture designed and made by local artist Rhoda Lopez. The work celebrates the gift of water as the recirculated water spills from many openings to the reflecting pool below. Birth, life, cleansing, renewal are symbolically depicted in this earthy waterworks. The continual flow of water from the Columbarium represents the flowing of our lives from birth into this life to birth into new life.
Donors: Robert and Loraine Schmitt, in memory of Jane Elizabeth Pennell.
As you enter the church and stand in the narthex looking toward the altar, you will see the lovely stained glass window designed by local artist James Hubbell. He described the uplifting fingers of color as the Holy Spirit interacting in our lives in its manifold ways. Blues, yellows, oranges and grays enhance the natural light that comes through this glorious window to cast a warm, peaceful glow on the sanctuary.
To your right in a corner of the narthex is a statue of the Madonna with children. The sculptor is an Escondido artist, Ira Chaffin. The warm, rich wood is cherry and invites touching. Behind the statue is an opening filled with books where children are welcome to come and read.
Donors: Betty and Robert Buffum, in memory of their godchild, Rachel Keller.
To the left of the Chaffin sculpture is the largest work to date of the artist John August Swanson. The theme ties in with the sea creatures you see on the organ as well as with the historical importance of fishing to San Deigo, a seacoast city. Leaping fish and brightly colored nets reiterate the stained glass design and the rich gold of the organ reliefs. Swanson has works in the Vatican and the Smithsonian.
At the right rear of the nave stands the All Souls' tracker organ, a three-manual and pedal instrument hand-crafted in the Northern European classical tradition. The case is made predominantly of redwood. Other woods used are white oak, basswood, and Honduras mahogany. It encloses the working mechanism and a portion of the pipes. The action is mechanical except for the use of a one-half horsepower motor to power the bellows. Built by Paul Fritts and Ralph Richards of Parkland, Washington, it has 34 stops with 42 ranks of pipes handmade of metal and wood, natural keys made of cow shinbone, and sharp keys made of ebony. Decorative carvings overlaid with gold portray sea life in Point Loma tidepools. Concerts by visiting organists from our own and many other countries are performed frequently.
The processional cross, displayed at the left of the nave, is the work of Boston sculptor Kahlil Gibran. He chose stainless steel as his medium because of its beautiful color, its strength in an "open" design which insures light weight, and because it is symbolic of the present age. The cabuchons displayed as centers and finials and the smaller stones on the crosspieces are lapis lazuli, turquoise, sodalite, and other natural semi-precious gems in shades of blue.
Donors: Jack Thompson Memorial Fund and the Vassall and Huggin Families, in memory of Nicholas and Rose Gibran.
Centering the window wall of the sanctuary is the cross given to All Souls' by the Reverend Guy Armstrong, then vicar of St. Anne's Church, Bagshot, Surrey, England. The depiction of Christ is of Him as a young man rather than as the crucified Christ. The cast of the face reflects a universal Christ to include all humanity. The outstretched arms beckon the people to come for wisdom, healing and strength. The cross is made of aluminum. Looking at it, you have a sense of the continuity of tradition while the expression is handled in a new way with modern materials.
Donor: The Rev. Guy Armstrong
Hanging behind the font is the baptismal stitchery, a work of Karen Spurgin, which portrays the Baptism of Jesus by John in the River Jordan. The work captures in part the imagery of baptism as seen in the water: the Red Sea crossing, fetus/child, Jonah and the great fish, shells, and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove cascading down in a golden shower. The triangular form of the stitchery represents the Trinity.
Donor: Vivian Roxburgh, in memory of her husband George.
Located at All Souls', the Academy is a community outreach program of the church for children, teens, and adults. Held for three weeks in July each year, the program is planned around a theme and includes experiences of all the arts -- music, dance, visual, grpahic, plastic, and dramatic storytelling. The emphasis is on process, not product.