External & Nonprofit Rentals
Hold your event at All Souls Church.
If you are a church member looking to rent space for your private event, or a lay leader reserving meeting/event space for a church function, please click here.
All Souls Church is a spacious building, able to accommodate many different types of events. We have been the venue for workshops and meetings, a wide variety of celebrations, concerts, receptions, and intimate recitals. We have hosted social justice organizations and trainings, art exhibitions and international visitors, and look forward to more events in the future!
We do have a few guidelines for renting. We strive to rent to outside groups or organizations that have a social justice or community-building component to the event. The group/organization’s mission and vision must be in alignment with All Souls Church. We are able to accommodate private events on a case-by-case basis, if they are hosted or sponsored by a member of the church. All Souls requires all caterers to be insured and licensed, with documentation provided to the church’s Event Manager. Alcohol must be served by an insured and licensed bartender. Please read through our FAQ’s below for additional information about All Souls and events.
After receiving your completed form, our Events Team will reach out to you to answer any questions and to provide a quote or confirmation. Requests are processed Monday-Thursday. If you submit your request after 3 pm on a Thursday, it will be processed by the following Monday.
We are a church, and on Sundays all our energy and attention is focused on our congregation. Please do not call on Sundays to speak with the event manager; you will be asked to call again on Monday.
If you are ready to reserve/rent, please complete the form at the bottom of this webpage.
Rental Types
Regular Outside Rentals
All Souls Church is willing to rent space to persons, businesses, or other organizations whose mission and values align with those of the church. We welcome persons and organizations from all walks of life who also share, respect and appreciate our values.
Nonprofit Rentals
All Souls Church is willing to rent space to nonprofit organizations with a 501c3 status whose mission and values align with those of the church. We welcome persons and organizations from all walks of life who also share, respect and appreciate our values.
Nonprofit organizations who wish to rent space within the church must complete the Nonprofit Space Request Form in its entirety. Most often, we are able to provide organizations with discounted rental rates, usually 25% off our regular rental rates. Organizations who have not received their 501c3 documentation at least 3 weeks prior to their event date are not eligible for the All Souls Nonprofit Rates, and will be charged full price.
Please note that any event that takes place outside of our regular hours of operation will be charged a flat rate fee of $150 per day, plus $50 an hour in staff coverage. This covers the church’s expenses involved with opening/closing and staffing the building outside of our regular hours. These are fees we charge any renter, including church members, when event hours/dates are outside our regular hours and there are no exceptions to this requirement.
Church members requesting space on behalf of a nonprofit organization for an event will receive nonprofit rates.
Donated Space Program
In accordance with our commitment to serve the community and move the world towards justice, All Souls Church occasionally donates event space to groups that align with our mission and values. This agreement establishes clear expectations related to the space use so that our building, our staff, and All Souls’ relationship with the outside group(s) are well cared-for.
We place a high priority on ensuring that our custodial and front desk staff have reasonable hours and workloads. In cases where significant work is required, we may donate the space and ask the group to cover the cost of additional custodial and/or front desk support.
Please Note: The Church is not always able to offer Donated Space to organizations, and if we are not able to do so, we are able to offer Reduced Pricing instead. This is a discount of 25% off our regular rental rates.
Groups receiving donated space agree to:
- Conduct all portions of your event within the church’s hours of operation. Our hours vary during the summer months of June-early September, so please ask the Event Management Team for a list of the current hours of operation.
- Provide the name and contact information for a person who will be at the event, for the entire duration. This person is accountable for the expectations in this agreement.
- All items you bring into the building must be removed by you/your organization on the same day; no exceptions.
- Clean up any trash, recycling or other mess at the end of the meeting. This includes taking down any signs or literature hung or placed around the spaces.
- All left over food and beverage items must be removed by you, or discarded. The church does not have programming related to food or food donations.
- Put back any furniture you moved.
- If the event is near the church’s closing time, agree to exit the church promptly.
In addition, the following points apply from the typical rental agreement:
1. The Renter is liable for damage to the building, grounds, furniture and/or equipment of All Souls Church, Unitarian and the safety of guests. The Renter will be held responsible for costs of repair that exceed the normal wear and tear. The Renter also agrees to indemnify and hold harmless All Souls Church, Unitarian from any loss damage, or liability of property or persons resulting from facility use.
2. Signs, photographs, etc., may be displayed in the interior of the building. No items may be applied with any type of adhesive, staples or tack to any walls, doors, glass, etc. Bulletin boards, photographs and decorations that belong to the church will remain in place. Nothing is to be removed or rearranged without approval from the Space Use Manager. Decorations for an event must be placed with care, so there is no damage to the building or furniture.
3. No alcohol is permitted at the event. If you require alcohol at your event, it is not eligible for the Donated Space program, and would instead be considered a rental.
4. All Souls will only provide tables and chairs for a specified rental fee. Tablecloths, plates, utensils, easels, and any/all other supplies, must be provided by the Renter.
If the Renter needs the All Souls staff to set up tables and chairs, they must submit set-up instructions and/or a diagram no later than the Wednesday prior to your event start date. If the information is not received by the requested time, the Renter will be responsible for the set-up of tables and chairs.
5. All Souls Church, Unitarian is not responsible for deliveries from caterers, florists and furniture rental, etc. to the building or for things left before, during, or after an event. Before deliveries and pick-ups (food, flowers, sound equipment, etc.) are scheduled, please contact the Event Management Team to schedule an appropriate time frame during the church’s regular hours of operation.
6. There is no tobacco use of any kind (to include chewing tobacco and electronic cigarettes), or drug use allowed on the church’s property at any time, no exceptions. This includes the playground, terrace, courtyard, and stairways. Loitering in the halls and/or outside the church is not allowed.
7. No group, organization, or individual may solicit or post signs espousing a partisan political cause, party or person.
8. If the Renter and/or their guests conduct themselves in a manner that may be dangerous to the staff, guests, and property of All Souls Church, Unitarian, the police will be called and the Renter and/or their guests will be asked to leave the property immediately.
How To Reserve
To reserve or rent in-person space, please complete the form below.
Church congregants and members may also complete this form to reserve use of an ASC Zoom account for virtual or hybrid meetings. We are unable to accommodate rental of church Zoom accounts to those outside of our congregation.
Rental Spaces
Sanctuary
Our sanctuary seats up to 600 people on the main floor and 300 more in the balcony, but still manages to feel intimate. The total area on the main floor is 4,602 sq. ft. It’s a beautiful, airy space, with lots of natural light, and Corinthian columns spacing the balcony and main floor. This is our largest rental space available. Please note, we do not allow food or drinks in the sanctuary.
It is decorated simply and is a comfortable place for persons of all faiths or none at all. We welcome all. The pews are affixed to the floor, so cannot be moved, but are well spaced. This space is air conditioned and heated as needed. We have held many different types of events in the sanctuary, from religious ceremonies (such as weddings and memorial services), to concerts, graduations, discussion panels, author events, and more.
Our unique Reiger Organ, a resonate instrument that takes advantage of the amazing acoustics, is available for use for an additional fee (as is our baby grand piano). Our pulpit is a beautiful architectural choice, and is perfect for garlands of flowers, with altar nooks for flower arrangements.
Terrace
Our newly remodeled terrace is also a green rain water filtration system, which recycles water to be used in our plumbing. Nestled beneath our bell tower, with blue floor lights, raised greenery beds, succulent planters, and young trees, this is a lovely space for a small ceremony of 60 guests or fewer. It’s also ideal for a cocktail hour or a small reception. Space and accessible power are available for a DJ or live band.
South Lawn
The South Lawn, adjacent to 16th Street, is an intimate space enclosed by wrought iron fencing. While a bit noisy due to city street traffic, it’s a great spot for a less formal reception with live music. It is perfect for events with children, who can play while still under the watchful eye of parents. Electricity is also available in this space, easily allowing for decorative lighting or music equipment. Three folding picnic tables are available, and additional seating can be added.
Eaton Room
The Eaton room, our most popular rental space, has 836 sq. ft and can accommodate 75 people standing, 60 chairs only, or 40 people at tables and chairs.
This is a versatile meeting room, with an attached ADA accessible restroom and a decorative fireplace. We can accommodate many types of furniture configurations, allowing for small-group discussions, intimate movie screenings, working meetings, small-group retreats, and so much more.
Longfellow Room
The Longfellow Room is a great meeting room at 672 sq. ft, with room for 65 people standing, 50 chairs only, or 40 people at tables and chairs. This room also features excellent acoustics and a piano for recitals, and a wall mounted television that has Bluetooth connectivity for previewing presentations or documents. With beautiful hardwood floors and elegant windows, this room is great for everything from working meetings or receptions to small musical performances.
Tupper Room
This room is also our Youth Group room, so it appears much less formal than our other meeting spaces, with artwork on the walls and inspirational quotes from and for our young adults. This room is 450 sq. ft and is able to hold 65 people standing, 50 chairs only, or 25 people at tables and chairs. This bright and cheerful room is ideal for small discussion groups, smaller meetings, break-out sessions, and informal events.
Classrooms
Coming soon! Please contact All Souls Church Office and Events Manager Joanne Blanco (JBlanco@allsouls.ws) to learn more about renting space in our facility.
Historic Pierce Hall was one of the first integrated movie theaters in Washington, DC. You can see the physical reminders of that theater in the balcony projection booth and the organ pipes gracing the wall to either side of the stage. The room is 40 feet by 60 feet (2400 sq. ft), and is able to accommodate the following: 350 people standing room only, 300 chairs only, 250 people at round tables and chairs. This is our second largest rental space available.
The stage is a perfect location for a guest speaker at a podium, a DJ or a live band, or a panel discussion with excellent natural acoustics in the room. There is also a basic sound system and a baby grand piano available for an additional rental fees. Pierce Hall also has easy access to our commercial grade kitchen for your caterer’s use.
[NB: Pierce Hall is not air-conditioned.]
Our three season courtyard is an intimate, beautiful location for a small ceremony of 60 guests or fewer. It’s also ideal for small receptions, cocktail hours, or photographs. The courtyard is filled with seasonal flowers, bushes, trees, and a central water fountain, all set off by beautiful brick walls.
Remodeled in 2015, our commercial grade kitchen is included in our wedding packages that include a reception. The kitchen is located near Pierce Hall, making it easy to serve during the reception. The kitchen features stainless steel countertops, an industrial freezer and refrigerators, separate sinks for handwashing, food prep, and dishwashing, an industrial dishwasher, garbage disposals, commercial stovetop and oven, a warming oven, and a commercial ice machine. There is also an in-kitchen janitorial closet with work sink and drain, making for easy cleanup.
The Dining Room, our third largest rental space, can accommodate 125 people standing, 100 chairs only, or 80 people at tables and chairs (total area is 1833 sq. ft). This room is ideal for more intimate events (such as birthday parties or baby showers), smaller discussion panels, or working meetings, as there are no natural acoustics in this room and larger gatherings will require sound amplification. If you’re looking to host a smaller sit-down meal, this is an ideal space for food service.
The library is ideal for a multitude of events and meetings. At 434 sq. ft, it can hold 50 people standing, 50 chairs only, or up to 25 people at tables and chairs.
The library is adorned with large windows, beautiful wooden floors, bookcases, bright overhead lighting for night events, subtle art on the wall, and a decorative fireplace.
This space comes with tables and chairs, which can be folded/stacked, and tucked to the side if unneeded. It is a distinctive, peaceful, and distinguished space, perfect for meetings, discussion groups, meet and greets, and so much more.
Coming soon! Please contact All Souls Church Office and Events Manager Joanne Blanco (JBlanco@allsouls.ws) to learn more about renting space in our facility.
FAQs
Is parking available?
Sadly, no. We do NOT have a parking lot, and we are surrounded by street parking only.
We are conveniently located along several Metro bus routes, and are two blocks from the Columbia Heights Metro Train station, which is on the Yellow and Green lines.
There are also community neighbors close by who are sometimes willing to rent parking spaces for use during weddings or events. National Baptist Memorial Church, at the corner of 15th St NW and Columbia, occasionally has spots available in their parking lot.
The nearest parking garage is DC USA Parking, which is accessible at 3100 Irving St NW. The rates are extremely reasonable, at $5 for 4 hours, $12 for 4-12 hours, of $20 for the day. The garage is closed between the hours of 1:00 and 5:00 AM.
Is your building ADA compliant?
Yes, our building is completely accessible. Our access ramp is located on the corner of 16th and Harvard. Our elevator reaches all three floors, and all our restrooms are handicap accessible. Each floor is also equipped with a refuge area in the case of an emergency.
Do you rent to long-term tenants?
At this time, we have space for only one long-term tenant, and that is a contract we hold with a local school. Currently, we can support one-off events, some regular recurring events (such as a monthly/quarterly meeting), and special events. Each event or meeting is evaluated case by case. We will do our best to accommodate, but we may not always be able to offer space or consistent space.
Are tables and chairs available?
Yes, we rent out tables ($2.50 each) and chairs ($0.50 each). Depending on the size of your event, we may charge a fee to set up and take down the furniture for you. If this is necessary, it will be noted on your quote.
If you are a church member renting space, we do not charge for tables and chairs, but we may charge a fee to set up and take down the furniture, depending on the size of the event.
Our chairs are plain black metal folding chairs. We have a variety of tables. The sizes are as follows:
- 65” round tables (seats 8-10 people)
- 6’ x 3’ folding tables
- 5’ x 18” folding tables
- 4’ x 2’ folding tables
We do NOT have bar height tables or chairs. If you require these for your event, you will need to rent them from an outside vendor and have them delivered to the church. If you need help with setup, the church can help for an additional fee.
Are we allowed to decorate or hang signs?
Yes, you may hang signs, but you may only use masking tape or painters’ tape. We do not allow the use of any other type of tape as it damages the paint on our walls or leaves residue on the glass.
If you wish to decorate, you may do so, so long as you do not nail, tack, staple, or otherwise damage the walls, wood, ceilings, floors, or any other aspect of the space. We recommend using removable command hooks, pew clips, ribbon/twine, bendable wire, or pipe cleaners.
Any decorations you place in one of our spaces must be taken down by the end of your event. This includes any and all signs, balloons, or other decorations. Failure to remove these items may result in all or part of your security deposit being kept by the church.
May we take photographs during our event?
Of course! We do ask that you contact the church for permission before posting images on social media or for use in media or other publishing where our venue is a) recognizable by its exterior or signage or b) mentioned specifically by name. We may also ask to use your photographs with permission on the church’s website, social media, or in reporting to our members.
May we rent more than one room at a time?
Yes, depending on the availability of spaces during the times you request.
Do you rent space to support groups?
At this time, we are not able to accept long-term tenants on a weekly basis. We may be able to accommodate more infrequent meetings, but it would depend on the needs of the group and the availability of church space.
If the church is available, we would be happy to rent space to support groups whose mission and values align with those of All Souls. We may be able to offer reduced rental rates to support groups.
Do you have a sound system?
We have a fully integrated sound system in the sanctuary, and a slightly similar sound system in Pierce Hall, both available for rent. None of the other rooms require amplification. If you wish to play music in the smaller rooms, you will need to provide your own system.
If you require more than a very basic setup (such as microphone and speakers, or a jack to plug in a music player) you will be required to hire our sound technician for the duration of your event. The sound technician rate is $500 per eight hours.
You are welcome to hire your own technician and bring in your own equipment if you do not wish to hire the church’s technician, you may do so, but you must rent everything you need, including cables and extension cords. The church will not provide you with these the day of.
Do you have projectors/screens?
The church has a screen available, but you will need to provide your own projector. In some rooms, you may need to project on the white walls, or provide your own equipment.
Some rooms are also equipped with mounted televisions on the wall that are NOT connected to internet. You would need to bring your own laptop and HDMI cable to connect to if your rented room is equipped with a television.
If this equipment is not available, you will need to provide your own.
Do you have a TV/DVD player available?
Some of the rooms are equipped with mounted televisions that are NOT connected to internet. You would need to provide your own laptop and HDMI cable to connect to them.
We do not have a DVD player available.
Can you help us hire live musicians?
We can offer you a list of vocalists, musicians, pianists, and organists that we work with at the church, and their contact information, but it is up to you to negotiate a contract and fair payment for their services. You will need to work with them directly.
Do you provide food or beverages?
No, we do not provide any catering or beverage service to renters. You are required to provide your own meals/food. We do not have a list of preferred caterers, so you are welcome to have food delivered from any caterer you would like. If your caterer requires the use of the All Souls kitchen, they must have a DC licensed food protection manager on site for the duration of your event.
We do have an ice machine and water dispensers in the building, which all renters may use.
Do you have a place specifically for breastfeeding mothers?
No, but we have several options that may be made available that are private and comfortable.