Brick Presbyterian Church (New York City)

The Brick Presbyterian Church
Location New York City, New York
Country United States
Denomination Presbyterian Church
Website www.brickchurch.org
History
Founded June 28, 1808 (1808-06-28)
Consecrated January 1, 1738
Architecture
Status Church
Functional status Active
Administration
Presbytery Presbytery of New York
Synod Synod of the Northeast
Clergy
Minister(s) The Rev. Michael L. Lindvall, Senior Pastor
The Rev. Douglas T. King, Senior Associate Pastor
The Rev. Rebekah M. Hutto, Associate Pastor
The Rev. Adam D. Gorman, Senior Associate Pastor,
The Rev. Dr. Herbert B. Anderson, Pastor Emeritus[1]

The Brick Presbyterian Church is a large congregation at Park Avenue and 91st Street on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. A member of the Presbyterian Church, it is known for its Day School and music programs. Originally founded as an offshoot of First Presbyterian Church, its first building, in lower Manhattan, opened in 1768.[2] The Park Avenue location opened April 14, 1940.[3]

History

The first church building was constructed on the corner of Beekman and Nassau Streets. It opened doors on New Year's Day in 1768.[2] When the congregation moved uptown, the New-York Daily Times used the site for its new headquarters, a dedicated five-story building.[4]

In 1858, the congregation moved to a new building on Murray Hill at 37th Street and Fifth Avenue since its congregation had moved further uptown. The dedication was on Oct. 31.[5][6] This building was later sold and demolished in 1938 when the congregation decided to move even further uptown.[7] The church merged with Park Avenue Presbyterian Church in 1937 and the joint congregation built the 91st St. location. The church also acquired a residence on East 92nd St. to turn it into a Parish House.[8]

The cornerstone to the current building was laid on November 25, 1938 in the presence of Mayor Fiorello La Guardia.[9][10] The congregation first worshipped on 91st Street on April 14, 1940. The New York Times described the building as "a model of a colonial house of worship, is red brick with white trimmings and huge circular white pillars at the front." [11]

Brick Church School

The Brick Church School is well known for its early childhood programs. It was founded in 1940 and has been led by Dr. Lydia Spinelli since 1983.[12][13]

Music

Keith S. Tóth is the long-time organist and musical director at The Brick Church. He leads the church's professional choir.[14]

The sanctuary has a French-style organ with 6,288 pipes built by Casavant Frères of Quebec. It debuted in the fall of 2005 and was designed in the style of Aristide Cavaillé-Coll, a 19th-century organ maker. Jean-Louis Coignet was a consultant in the project. Coignet had been a Parisian government employee who was in charge of the city’s organs.[15][16][17]

Notable members

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Brick Presbyterian Church (New York City).
  1. ↑ Brick Presbyterian Church Staff
  2. 1 2 Miller, Samuel (1840). Memoir of the Rev. John Rodgers, D.D. late pastor of the Wall street and Brick churches, in the city of New York, Abridged from the original 1813 edition. Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board of Publication.
  3. ↑ M'Dowell, Rachel K. (April 13, 1940). "New Brick Church Opens Tomorrow". The New York Times. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  4. ↑ DUNLAP, DAVID W. (November 14, 2001). "150th Anniversary: 1851-2001; Six Buildings That Share One Story". The New York Times. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  5. ↑ "City Items. The New "Brick Church"". The New York Times. September 30, 1958. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  6. ↑ Knapp, Shepherd (1909). A history of the Brick Presbyterian church in the city of New York. New York: Trustees of the Brick Presbyterian church. pp. 277–292.
  7. ↑ McDowell, Rachel K. (November 19, 1938). "New Brick Church Plans Ceremony". The New York Times. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  8. ↑ "Church Dedication Is Set for April 14". New York Times. March 11, 1940. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  9. ↑ "Mayor Lays Stone for a New Church". The New York Times. November 26, 1938. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  10. ↑ McDowell, Rachel K. (November 19, 1938). "New Brick Church Plans Ceremony". The New York Times. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  11. ↑ M'Dowell, Rachel K. (April 13, 1940). "New Brick Church Opens Tomorrow". The New York Times. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  12. ↑ Goldman, Victoria (January 12, 2003). "The Babie Ivies". The New York Times. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  13. ↑ "The Brick Church School History". Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  14. ↑ "Brick Church Ministry of Music". Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  15. ↑ Shulman, Robin (July 24, 2005). "Resurrecting Strains of the Past, Lovingly, Pipe by Pipe". New York Times. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  16. ↑ Ambrosino, Jon (May–June 2006). "Significant accomplishment" (PDF). Choir & Organ. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  17. ↑ "Cover Feature" (PDF). The American Organist. March 2006.
  18. ↑ "Bagpipe Tunes at Carnegie Wedding". The New York Times. April 23, 1919. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
  19. ↑ "Dulles Attends Brick Church Service". The New York Times. June 18, 1956. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
  20. ↑ "Bagpipe Tunes at Carnegie Wedding". The New York Times. April 23, 1919. Retrieved 30 July 2013.

Coordinates: 40°47′03″N 73°57′19″W / 40.784205°N 73.955139°W / 40.784205; -73.955139

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