Park Baptist Church

Nine souls, a bold vision. In 1810, nine members of the Ebenezer Baptist Church in New York City dared to dream of a different kind of worship. They left the familiar and founded the Park Baptist Church, seeking a return to the simplicity of the New Testament. Imagine their early gatherings, filled with hymn singing, the Lord’s Supper, and heartfelt exhortations. The Park Baptist Church became part of a larger movement, the Disciples of Christ, born on the American frontier. This group, with roots in the Scottish Reformation, spread its message of faith across the nation and the world. Fast forward to 1945. The Park Baptist Church found its current home, embracing a spirit of inclusivity and affirmation. Years later, in 2010, the church formally joined the United Church of Christ, while still honoring its Disciples of Christ heritage. The church building itself holds layers of history. Originally built in 1911 as the South Dutch Reformed Church, it echoes the grandeur of La Sainte Chapelle in Paris. Look closely at the buttress-supported structure, the Tiffany stained-glass windows, and the magnificent 56-rank Holtkamp organ installed in 1982. The Park Baptist Church continues to evolve, adding an educational building with a rooftop playground in 1963 and ensuring accessibility with a wheelchair lift in 2009. This church stands as a testament to the enduring power of faith, a blend of old and new, tradition and progress.