Our History

Rev. William Patton

FOUNDING

The founding pastor of Central was 22-year-old Rev. William Patton, who graduated from Middlebury College in 1818 and studied at the newly-formed Princeton Theological Seminary. Rev. Patton founded the church in January of 1821 with his wife Mary and four other people. The church was incorporated as a New York religious corporation on February 6, 1821.


GROWTH PHASE

Interest in the church increased rapidly, and over the course of its first 100 years, Central moved locations several times in response to rapid demographic changes in the City.

The Broome Street Building

BROOME STREET

1821 - 1866

The Seventh Avenue Building

7TH AVENUE

1876 - 1915

The Madison Avenue Building

MADISON AVENUE

1915 - 1927

GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

The Park Avenue Location

John D. Rockefeller, Jr

JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER

Central’s current building was commissioned and funded by John D. Rockefeller, Jr.

Central’s current building was commissioned and funded by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. in 1922 as the home for Park Avenue Baptist Church. Shortly thereafter, the building proved too small for the new Park Avenue Baptist congregation, prompting Rockefeller to build Riverside Church in Morningside Heights after work on the Park Avenue building was completed.

This provided Central with the opportunity to purchase the nearly new Park Avenue church building. Central, however, was unable to take occupancy of the building until the Riverside church was completed. Thus, Central met at the Plaza Hotel during the intervening period. After closing on the Park Avenue building purchase in 1929, Central held its first service in its new home at 593 Park Avenue on Sunday, September 22, 1929, shortly before the October 1929 stock market crash.

Park Avenue Baptist building

PARK AVENUE BAPTIST

Central’s current building originally housed Park Ave Baptist which moved and became the Riverside Church in 1927.

John D. Rockefeller, Jr

JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER

Central’s current building was commissioned and funded by John D. Rockefeller, Jr.

Park Avenue Baptist building

PARK AVENUE BAPTIST

Central’s current building originally housed Park Ave Baptist which moved and became the Riverside Church in 1927.

Central’s current building was commissioned and funded by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. in 1922 as the home for Park Avenue Baptist Church. Shortly thereafter, the building proved too small for the new Park Avenue Baptist congregation, prompting Rockefeller to build Riverside Church in Morningside Heights after work on the Park Avenue building was completed.

This provided Central with the opportunity to purchase the nearly new Park Avenue church building. Central, however, was unable to take occupancy of the building until the Riverside church was completed. Thus, Central met at the Plaza Hotel during the intervening period. After closing on the Park Avenue building purchase in 1929, Central held its first service in its new home at 593 Park Avenue on Sunday, September 22, 1929, shortly before the October 1929 stock market crash.

THE BELLS

THE CARILLON

Central also originally housed the largest carillon in the world, a 53-bell instrument ordered by Mr. Rockefeller as a memorial to his mother, Laura Spelman Rockefeller. The bells were cast in 1925 by Gillett & Johnston of Croydon, England.

The carillon was eventually transferred to join the completed Riverside Church, but Central’s bell tower remains a striking feature of Park Avenue’s rich architectural legacy.

The Gillett and Johnson Factory

GILLETT & JOHNSON FACTORY

King George V and Queen Mary visit the bell factory of Gillett & Johnson to hear the carillon | May 1925

The Bells The Bells
The Bells

BELLS ON PARK AVE.

The bells being installed on Park Ave.

The Bells The Bells

PERIOD OF DECLINE

1960 - 2005

The decline of Central Presbyterian Church

DECLINE AND DISREPAIR

Despite Central’s storied history and its presence on Park Avenue, the church experienced substantial decline during the latter half of the twentieth century. By the early 2000s, the number of attendees had dwindled to a few dozen people, and the church had fallen to the brink of collapse as a result of significant theological drift and poor financial management. During this time, the building was left to fall into disrepair.

RENEWAL

2006 - Present

OUR VISION

Our vision is to be a church that experiences the transformative power of the gospel and responds in reliance upon the Holy Spirit by following Jesus Christ in his mission to make all things new at Central, in New York City, and throughout the world

RENEWAL

Beginning in 2006, a group of committed Christians from around the city began attending Central in an attempt to turn around the failing church. Remarkably, this small group made considerable progress in their renewal efforts and the church has re-centered its focus on the historic gospel, emphasizing strong biblical teaching, robust Christian community, and inspiring Spirit-filled worship. Central has since continued to flourish, as our membership, average weekly attendance, and contributions have doubled over the last three years. During this time of renewal, our church family has grown into a culturally diverse body of more than 400 people that now includes established professionals who are leaders in their fields, a growing collection of families, and a large and dynamic body of students and young artists and professionals at the beginning of their careers.

The restoration of Central Presbyterian Church

RESTORE

OUR LIVES:
Restoring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the heart of Central and to our individual lives.

OUR COMMUNITY:
Restoring the multi-ethnic, multi-generational community of God’s people to the church.

OUR CITY:
Restoring the church’s cultural presence to catalyze and support the Christian community’s engagement with all aspects of City life.

OUR WORLD:
Restoring our imaginations for what God can do in the world in and through our mission.

OUR BUILDING:
Restoring our physical building in order to carry out this comprehensive plan.