All Saints Church in Pasadena is launching its 2026 series of Black History Month offerings: invitations to reflect, learn, and grow together in faith. Throughout the month of February, we honor the sacred worth of Black lives, lift up stories of resilience and hope, and respond to the call to reckon honestly with the sin of racism while embracing God’s vision of love, justice and compassion. As we continue the work of becoming Beloved Community, scripture reminds us that we are one body in Christ — when any part is diminished, we are all diminished. Join us throughout February as we celebrate the rich contributions of Black leaders, theologians, artists, and communities, and deepen our commitment to walking the way of love together.
Events:
Friday, February 6 — Racial Justice & LGBTQ+ Ministries Present: February Freedom Film Fridays:
My Name is Pauli Murray
6:00 p.m. in the Guild Room. “A look at the life and ideas of Pauli Murray, a non-binary Black lawyer, activist, poet and Episcopal priest who influenced both Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Thurgood Marshall.” Rated: PG-13; Runtime: 1 hr, 31 min Light snacks will be provided. Questions? Email lgbtq.ascpas@gmail.com.
Sunday, February 8 — Faith & Formation Focuses on Byron Rushing and the Fight for Fairness
9:00 a.m. in the Guild Room. As part of our Black History Month celebration, we lift up the work and witness of Byron Rushing – long time Massachusetts state legislator, President of the Episcopal Church’s House of Deputies and a leading voice on equity, education, and economic opportunity in public policy. As a historian and curator at the Museum of African American History in Boston, Rushing has lifted up the stories of Black resilience and leadership, bearing witness to how faith communities can be powerful agents for social change. A longtime public servant, civil rights leader, and Episcopal lay leader whose life’s work has woven together faith, history, and the struggle for justice, he was also a critical voice in the fight for marriage equality – connecting the struggle for LGBTQ equity with the civil rights struggle. Join us on Sunday, February 8th in the Guild Room as we learn more about how his work and witness for equality can inspire and inform as we rise to meet the challenges we face. Here’s the film we’ll watch.
Friday, February 13— Racial Justice & LGBTQ+ Ministries Present: February Freedom Film Fridays:
Moonlight
6:00 p.m. in the Guild Room. “A young African-American man grapples with his as a Black homosexual man while experiencing the everyday struggles of childhood, adolescence, and burgeoning adulthood.” Rated: R; Runtime: 1 hr, 51 min
Friday, February 20 — Racial Justice & LGBTQ+ Ministries Present: February Freedom Film Fridays:
Rustin
6:00 p.m. in the Guild Room. “The story of charismatic gay civil rights activist Bayard Rustin, who overcame an onslaught of obstacles, and altered the course of American history by organizing the 1963 March on Washington.” Rated: PG-13; Runtime 1 hr, 47 min
Friday, February 27 — Racial Justice & LGBTQ+ Ministries Present: February Freedom Film Fridays:
Origin
6:00 p.m. in the Guild Room. “While grappling with tremendous personal tragedy, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Isabel Wilkerson sets herself on a path of global investigation and discovery. Despite the colossal scope of her project, she finds beauty and bravery while crafting one of the defining American books of our time.” Rated: PG-13; Runtime 2hr, 21 min
Resources for Reflection and Inspiration for Black History Month:
Verna Dozier: What Would It Look Like To Actually Follow Jesus
A reflection on the wisdom of Dr. Verna Dozier: A pioneering Episcopal lay theologian, biblical scholar, and educator whose work transformed how many in the Church understand scripture, ministry, and the role of the laity. Dr. Dozier devoted her life to teaching the Bible in ways that empowered everyday Christians to claim their baptismal call to ministry, and was especially known for her book The Dream of God, which challenged the Church to move beyond passive membership toward active participation in God’s work of justice, reconciliation, and beloved community. Her witness combined deep faith, rigorous scholarship, and a prophetic commitment to racial and social justice. See Susan Russell’s reflection on Verna Dozier.
Howard Thurman: The Kingdoms of This World
Howard Thurman was a theologian, pastor, and mystic whose spiritual teachings helped shape the moral foundation of the Civil Rights Movement. Drawing deeply from the life of Jesus and the lived experience of Black Americans, Thurman emphasized love, nonviolence, and the dignity of every human being as central to Christian faith. His influential book Jesus and the Disinherited explored how the gospel speaks to those facing oppression and fear, offering a vision of inner spiritual freedom that fuels social transformation. Thurman’s witness bridged contemplation and action, showing how faith can be a powerful force for justice and reconciliation – exemplified in this 1962 sermon. Read this from the Howard Thurman Digital Library.
A Life Beloved: Deaconess Anna Alexander
Anna Alexander is remembered as the first — and only — African-American deaconess in the Episcopal Church. She persisted in her calling of service and education in Jim Crow Georgia, working to eliminate injustice and living out the Beatitudes in ways that were both inspiring and risky, including the creation of Good Shepherd Church and School in the Pennick Community. Recognized as a saint by the Diocese of Georgia since 1999 for her holiness of life, perseverance, and faithfulness to the Gospel, Deaconess Alexander was made a saint by the Episcopal Church in 2015. Read her biography here: Deaconess Alexander. Watch her story here: A Life Beloved – Deaconess Alexander.
From the All Saints Archives:
Nikki High: The Historical Significance of Black Altadena
In February 2025 – in the wake of the disastrous Eaton Fire – founder and owner of Octavia’s Bookshelf Nikki High explored the historical significance and roots of Black Altadena – offering both hope and challenge for the navigation of the devastating crisis and looking towards rebuilding. She offered a powerful call to the community to stay grounded in the history and culture of what made and makes Altadena all that it is in order to continue to make it what it can become on the other side of tragedy and loss.
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Bryan Stevenson: You’ve Got to Be Brave, Brave, Brave
Bryan Stevenson is a lawyer, scholar, and faith-shaped advocate for justice whose work has transformed the fight against mass incarceration and racial injustice in the United States. Grounded in a deep Christian commitment to mercy, truth, and the dignity of every human life, Stevenson calls the nation to confront its history of racial violence as he bears witness to the power of compassion, hope, and redemption in the pursuit of a more just society. He is the founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative. Stevenson also initiated the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, which honors the names of more than 4,000 African Americans lynched in the twelve states of the South from 1877 to 1950. Here is the sermon he preached at All Saints in February 2016.
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Zelda Kennedy’s Sermon: Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone
“Let our outrage propel us into deepening our commitment to be a loving, compassionate, peace and justice community believing in the right of every human being to live a life of peace and joy with dignity.”
Sermon by Zelda Kennedy, preached on Sunday, July 10, 2016, in the wake of the tragic violence in Baton Rouge, Minneapolis and Dallas. The service was preceded by a silent prayer march for members of the congregation and community. Photos of the march are posted here.
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Lydia Wilkins: An Interview for “Black Episcopalians of Los Angeles”
Lydia Wilkins – a life-long Episcopalian and long-time member of All Saints Church lived to be 106. She saw more than a century of hard-fought change in race relations and relished casting her vote for the first black president. Described in her Pasadena Star-News obituary as “A devoted – and impeccably stylish – parishioner at All Saints Episcopal Church, Wilkins continued to attend services until two weeks before her death. All Saints Rector Ed Bacon said “She was nothing short of amazing. She was a person full of stories and eager to tell them to the world.” Interviewed in 2005 at the age of 102, here are some of those stories.
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