Website www.brickchurch.org Phone +1 212-289-4406 | Consecrated January 1, 1738 Status Church | |
Founded June 28, 1808 (1808-06-28) Address 1140 Park Ave, New York, NY 10128, USA Similar First Presbyterian Church, Fifth Avenue Presbyter, Church of the Heavenly, Clarendon Congregational Church, Central Presbyterian Church Profiles | ||
The Brick Presbyterian Church is a large congregation at Park Avenue and 91st Street on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York City, United States. A member of the Presbyterian Church, it is known for its Day School and music programs. It was founded as an offshoot of First Presbyterian Church. Its first building, in lower Manhattan, opened in 1768. The Park Avenue location opened April 14, 1940.
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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. When the congregation moved uptown, the New-York Daily Times used the site for its new headquarters, a dedicated five-story building.
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 October 31. This building was sold and demolished in 1938 when the congregation decided to move even further uptown. 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.
The cornerstone to the current building was laid on November 25, 1938, in the presence of Mayor Fiorello La Guardia. 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."
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.
Music
Keith S. Tóth is the long-time organist and musical director at The Brick Church. He leads the church's professional choir.
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.