Holy Communion
At All Saints, San Leandro, all who seek Christ are welcome to partake in Communion. We believe the Holy Communion to be the sacrament of Christ’s Body and Blood and The Episcopal Church teaches of the real presence of Christ in the sacrament.
Baptism
Baptism, a sacrament in the Episcopal Church, signifies full initiation by water and the Holy Spirit into the Body of Christ, the fellowship of believers. Baptism, essentially, is a rite of initiation into the full life of the church. As such, we generally ask people to be actively involved in the life of the community before seeking this sacrament.
We celebrate baptisms at the 8am and 10:15am Sunday Eucharists, and on Holy Saturday when there is an Easter Vigil scheduled. Baptism is especially appropriate at the Easter Vigil, the Day of Pentecost, All Saints’ Day or the Sunday after All Saints’ Day, and the Feast of the Baptism of our Lord (the First Sunday after the Epiphany). We welcome baptismal candidates of all ages, from newborns to adults. Because infants and children are too young to make the baptismal promises themselves, parents and sponsors (also known as godparents) speak on their behalf.
Individuals of families seeking this sacrament will prepare by meeting with the parish priest. For more information or to inquire about baptism for you or a loved one, contact rector@saintsalive.net.
Confirmation, Reception, Reaffirmation
“In the course of Christian formation, those baptized at an early age are expected — when they are ready and have been appropriately prepared — to make a mature public affirmation of faith and commitment to the responsibilities of their Baptism, and to receive laying on of hands by the bishop. Confirmation is an intentional choice to deepen relationship with God through mature membership and increased participation in the church community. For youth being confirmed, confirmation often marks the point at which one moves into spiritual adulthood, usually in late middle school or in high school. The Diocese of California recommends confirmation at age 14 and older, and considers age 12 to be the minimum age for youth confirmation.” (Source: The Diocese of California).
Confirmation is available when the bishop makes parochial visits, EcoConfirmation, and General Confirmations three times a year at the cathedral. For more information about Confirmation, please contact Caren Miles, Associate for Faith Formation, carenm@diocal.org, 415.869.7815
Holy Matrimony
The canon law of the Episcopal Church requires that at least one of the couple must be a baptized Christian. It is not necessary to be a member of All Saints, nor to be an Episcopalian, to have one’s wedding celebration here. Nevertheless, a wedding in a church is different from a ceremony that takes place in a home, a hotel, a judge’s chamber or another location. We hope that couples who come to All Saints seeking God’s blessing on their relationship will be open to a discussion of the spiritual nature of that relationship and the place of God in their lives.
Clergy on the staff of All Saints will normally officiate at all weddings, though exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis. Weddings in the church use the sacred rites of the Episcopal Church as approved for use by the Diocese of California. Several sessions of preparatory pre-martial counseling are required of all couples, typically spanning over at least three months. Meetings are scheduled at the mutual convenience of the officiant and the couple. If you are interested in holding your wedding at All Saints, you may contact the parish Rector at rector@saintsalive.net for more information, a fee schedule, and to schedule a preliminary meeting.