Built 1847 Designated NHL December 23, 1987 Area 4,047 m² Added to NRHP 2 November 1972 | NRHP Reference # 72000776 Opened 1847 Phone +1 973-623-1733 Architect Richard Upjohn | |
 | ||
Location 950 Broad Street, Newark, New Jersey Address 950 Broad St, Newark, NJ 07102, USA Architectural style Gothic Revival architecture Similar Trinity & St Philip's Cathedral, First Baptist Peddie Memorial, House of Prayer Episcopal, Old First Presbyterian Church, New Point Baptist Church | ||
Grace Church in Newark (Episcopal), is an active and historic Episcopal Church located at 950 Broad Street in Newark, New Jersey. It was founded on Ascension Day in 1837 at the behest of Bishop George Washington Doane, who intended it to be the standard bearer for Anglo-Catholicism in the northern part of his diocese (which then comprised the whole state of New Jersey) and which it remains.
The church building, designed by Richard Upjohn, who was also the architect of Trinity Church, New York, was consecrated on October 5, 1848. It is widely esteemed as an outstanding example of Gothic Revival architecture in the United States. The church was built on the site of the old Essex County Courthouse and Jail which burnt down on August 15, 1835. The tune for "America the Beautiful," called "Materna," was written here by the parish organist Samuel A. Ward in 1882.
Grace remains widely known for its high church, sacramental liturgy, or order of service, at the center of which, in the tradition of the Church as handed down from the Apostles, is the Eucharist. It teaches the Catholic faith, holding that Christians gain access to the Mystical Body of Christ through the sacramental worship of the community and are aided by the sequential liturgy, incense and Eucharistic sacrifice to an experience of heaven. Incense, lights, and beautiful vestments are used, which render the ceremonial intelligible to all the senses, and the contemporary-language rite from the 1979 Book of Common Prayer (Rite II) is used. Much of the congregation enthusiastically participates in the service.
Music plays an important role in worship. At the 10:30 Mass on Sundays most of the liturgy is sung—some parts by the congregation and others by a small choir. The chants of the proper of the Mass are sung to their proper Gregorian Chant melodies. From September through June the choir sings other liturgical music of all periods, with emphasis on Renaissance polyphony. The choir often offers a mass setting including the Kyrie, Gloria, and Agnus Dei. The congregation sings three hymns, the Credo, Sanctus, psalm refrain, and other responses.
The organ is a 48-stop tracker instrument built by Casavant Frères in 1990.
The Grace Church Music Society, organized in 2008, each year sponsors a series of recitals and concerts.
The diverse congregation includes people from Africa and the Caribbean as well as Europeans, Caucasian Americans, and African Americans. Its members are young and old, married and single, gay and straight.
The parish is committed to Catholic faith and practice in The Episcopal Church, but is receptive to new insights, including the ordination of women and affirmation of same-sex relationship.
The Rev. Dr. J. Brent Bates became the parish's seventeenth rector in March 2011. James M. Hopkins is the director of music. He recently succeeded Joe Arndt who held the position from 2008-2015, and James McGregor, who held the position for the previous forty-eight years.
Masses are offered on Sundays at 8:00am and 10:30am (High Mass) with Sunday School, and daily at 12:10pm. Additional family and youth activities are held weekly and forms of worship like Stations of the Cross and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament are held during Advent and Lent.