All Souls lights the tree as church recovers post-Ian
All Souls Episcopal Church took quite a beating during Hurricane Ian.
There still are are blue tarps on the roof and the sign they had along Cleveland Avenue was damaged.
However, they were determined to restore some sense of normalcy by bringing a wonderful Christmas to the community.
On Sunday just after sunset, All Souls Episcopal Church held a tree lighting ceremony, sang Christmas carols, and introduced people with the church’s new pastor.
Leading the congregation in the singing was Father Brian Cleary, who was introduced Dec. 1 as the new lead pastor after spending the last five years in California.
“I was working for an organization called the San Francisco Night Ministry, where we were providing pastoral services for people on the streets in San Francisco,” Cleary said. “The bishop called me back here to help out with the church after it was hit by Ian.”
Cleary is originally from Connecticut and went to college at Northeastern University in Boston before working for Mercedes Benz and Phizer pharmaceuticals. He also had a business in Connecticut selling “green” homes and solar panels.
Cleary moved to Florida and lived in Bonita Springs for six years working for the family pool business before moving out to California to go to seminary school.
Cleary said the idea of the tree lighting was to remind people the church is here and that it provides a place for everyone regardless of race, wealth or sexual preference.
One of the church’s missions is to help people who have been marginalized by the storm, individuals who don’t have a home or live in dwellings that are heavily damaged as well as those who have disabilities or illnesses or who just need help.
“There are people who the system has let go and forgotten about. We’re here to tell the people they exist, we’re all children of God and that together, we can all rise up,” Cleary said.
On Wednesday, about 230 people came to the church for food, to see a nurse, get an eye exam and official IDs, even to get a mailing address.
“We’re also going to provide a worship service on Wednesdays because a lot of them don’t feel comfortable coming in because of PTSD or haven’t had a shower in a week,” Cleary said. “We want to give them an opportunity to worship with their friends.”
Cleary has also brought in live music and plans to add a second service in January on Sundays at 8 a.m. before the 10 a.m. service. They currently do a 9 a.m. service.
All Souls Church, which has about 88 families among its flock, has expressed happiness in the new pastor. Jim and Sandy Johnson are thrilled to have a younger voice at the church to bring in younger members, as all churches are striving to do.
“He’s a wonderful choice. He comes in with so much energy and has the people ready to go out and say “Jesus is Lord and tell everybody about it,” Jim said.
Mary Christensen, church administrator, said the church is trying to get back to normal after sustaining nearly $300,000 in damage from the storm.
“He said he wanted to bring us back to normal, bring joy back to the community, so we are doing a tree lighting and sing some carols,” Christensen said. “Brian is full of energy, full of ideas and fits in really well with the church.”
All Souls Episcopal Church is at 14640 N. Cleveland Ave. For more information, call 997-7685.