Cathedral Life

How awestruck the first parishioners must have been, as they worshipped, on September 3, 1910, under the soaring, gothic arches of the newly dedicated All Saints Cathedral. The vision of Bishop Hibbert Binney and the tenacity of Bishop Clarendon Lamb Worrell had led to the construction of the Cathedral, after 200 years of continuous Anglican worship in the Province of Nova Scotia.

Later congregations have demonstrated similar determination to enrich and maintain the Cathedral. Much credit must be given to the women of the Cathedral and the Diocese, particularly the Cathedral League in the early years, for raising funds to furnish the church with a Casavant Freres pipe organ, the Great Window above the main altar and the grand oak reredos, among many generous gifts. While the congregation continues to fundraise for restorative work, ministering to the congregation and outside communities remains the principal focus of the cathedral community.

Men and women have loyally and generously supported the structure and the spiritual life of the Cathedral for a century. Damage, as the result of structural flaws, wartime explosions of 1917 and 1945, as well as Hurricane Juan in 2003 challenged the integrity of the building and the creativity of the congregation to finance repairs. The congregation seeks also to strengthen its ministry. In 2007, a visioning process helped parishioners define a direction for achieving their collective goals and, in particular, strive toward realizing the mission of the Cathedral Church of All Saints:

Where strangers become friends, where Christ’s peace and justice are sought, where God is worshipped with heart, mind and voice