We first invited the Rev. Loren Lasch to come to All Saints a couple of years ago when she was serving at St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C. However, a change of appointment and the arrival of a second son intervened. Now installed as the Canon for Christian Formation for the Diocese of Missouri, Lasch and her husband and two boys, Ezra and Elias, are crossing the country to spend two weeks with us on Southport.

The Rev. Lasch is the Canon for Christian Formation for the Diocese of Missouri.  In this role she works with children, youth and families and serves as a resource to congregations through preaching, teaching and ministry development.  Rev. Lasch also serves on the Alumni Association Executive Committee of the Virginia Theological Seminary.

Lasch is a cradle Episcopalian.  She grew up in the small town of Gordonsville in central Virginia and attended the University of Georgia, where she was active with the Episcopal campus ministry.   She received her M.Div. from the Virginia Theological Seminary and was ordained a priest in 2008.  She then served at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Augusta, Georgia during which time she met her husband, Ian.  They moved to Northern Virginia a few years later, where Loren served at St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church while Ian attended Virginia Theological Seminary.  From there they moved to the Diocese of Missouri where Loren began her role as youth minister and Ian became associate rector at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, in Ladue. 

On Sunday, Aug. 19, Lasch will celebrate Holy Communion at the 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. services. On Aug. 26, the Holy Communion service will be at 8 a.m. and the service of Morning Prayer will be at 10 a.m.. After the 10 a.m. services refreshments are served on the church porch. On Tuesday, Aug. 21 and Tuesday, Aug. 28 Lasch will lead a discussion group at 9 a.m. on the church porch. All Saints welcomes people of all faiths to services and to the discussion groups.

Also on Aug. 26 at 5 p.m., St. Columba’s Episcopal Church and All Saints by-the-Sea will hold their annual Joint Evensong service. In recent years this has been celebrated at St. Columba’s. This year the service will be at All Saints. Timothy Harrell, organist and choirmaster at Trinity Episcopal Church in Solebury, Pennsylvania, and formerly university organist at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, will be playing the organ at all services on Aug. 26 and Sept. 2. One of Harrell’s most recent recitals was at Princeton University Chapel.

All Saints by-the-Sea is on Southport Island on All Saints Road about 2 miles on your left as you drive south on Route 238 (look for the Episcopal Church sign by the side of the road). Parking is available along Route 238, or if necessary, in the limited number of handicapped parking spaces off All Saints Road. A golf cart will ferry persons from the handicapped lot to the church steps. You may also come to church by private boat or by the tour boat Novelty, which leaves Boothbay Harbor from Pier 8 at 9 a.m. Novelty picks up passengers from the church dock at 11:40 a.m. for return to Pier 8. The very beautiful and simple wood chapel is open for quiet prayer and meditation during the week. More information about the church and its history can be found at http://allsaintssouthport.org.