History of All Saints' All Saints’ Episcopal Church began as a mission Sunday School, established by St. John’s Episcopal Church, Airy Street, Norristown, in August, 1889 when the Rev. Isaac Gibson, St. John’s rector, inaugurated a movement to establish a new Episcopal Church in then West Norristown. A classroom in the old Chain Street Public School, Airy and George streets, was the first meeting place for the congregation. The site is now the home of the Senior Adult Activity Center (SAAC) of Montgomery County. By May 1890, Sunday School membership had increased to 10 officers and teachers and 60 students and the vestry appointed a building committee to obtain plans and specifications for a chapel building on the Haws Avenue site. A cornerstone was laid July 13, 1891 and, in September, the building was designated “All Saints’ Chapel.” Dedicated January 31, 1892 by the Rt. Rev. O.W. Whitaker, Bishop of the Diocese of Pennsylvania, the chapel began hosting regular services in February. The chapel congregation informed the vestry of St. John ‘s Church in October 1897 that the congregation had unanimously voted to form an independent congregation and a charter was adopted December 29, 1897. The charter received approval of the Diocesan Standing Committee January 4, 1898. All Saints’ first vestry was elected in January 1898 and the church was incorporated in April, 1898. The parish house was dedicated January 22, 1901 and consequently struck by lightning July 4, 1901, resulting in a fire which severely damaged the church. A new parish house was dedicated January 13, 1903. In April, 1903, All Saints’ parishioners unanimously decided to establish a mission at Valley Forge, following the suggestion of the rector, the Rev. W. Herbert Burk. With the cornerstone for Washington Memorial Chapel at Valley Forge laid in June, 1903, All Saints’ had grown from an infant mission congregation to a mother parish within 14 years.