Historic Bayside Church Kicks Off 130th Anniversary Celebration

BAYSIDE, QUEENS — The self-described oldest church in Bayside is kicking off its 130th anniversary celebration this weekend with a community concert and project combatting food insecurity.

All Saints Episcopal Church, which has stood on the corner of 40th Avenue and 215th Street in Bayside since 1892, is organizing a churchyard concert at 6 p.m. on Saturday, June 4 featuring a local troubadour (among others).

Admission to the concert is free, but All Saints is asking attendees to bring shelf-stable food and dry good donations to put in the new "Blessing Box" — a take-what-you-need food pantry that's currently being built by church members.

The pantry should be standing on the corner of 40th Avenue and 214th Street by early July, church leaders said.

This event and project mark the beginning of All Saints' yearlong 130th anniversary celebration, during which the church will focus on local community engagement.

"As we celebrate our first 130 years and consider our next 130 years, we have intentionally chosen to focus on recommitting to our hometown of Bayside and the larger Northeast Queens community," said Laurence Byrne, the church's rector.

"With these first two projects, we are hoping to provide for our neighbors by helping to nourish their bodies with food and feed their souls with music."

All Saints has had a presence in Queens since the 1860s, according to its website.