“Remember the year 1862? That’s when Saint Peter’s Lutheran Church first opened its doors. A group of German immigrants founded it. They called it Deutsche Evangelische Lutherische Sanct Petri-Kirche. Their first services were held in a loft above a grocery store. Can you imagine that? Saint Peter’s humble beginnings.
Over the years Saint Peter’s grew. The congregation needed bigger spaces. They moved several times. Eventually they bought the Lexington Avenue Presbyterian Church. That church was at 45th Street and Lexington Avenue. They worshipped there until Grand Central Terminal was built. Imagine Saint Peter’s being uprooted for that massive project.
In 1903 the New York Central Railroad bought their building. It cost them $200000. That money helped build a new Gothic-style church. This new Saint Peter’s opened on May 14 1905. It was a beautiful church. Carvings adorned the altar and pulpit. Stained glass windows depicted scenes from the life of Jesus. It even had a three-manual organ. For many years services were in German. Then English became the primary language for morning worship. In 1925 the church’s name officially changed to Saint Peter’s Lutheran Church of Manhattan.
By the 1960s church attendance was declining. Many churches were struggling. Saint Peter’s adapted. They decided to stay in the city. They created new programs. They offered jazz music drama and the arts. John Garcia Gensel was their first pastor to the jazz community. Saint Peter’s was changing its identity. It transformed into a vibrant community center.
In 1970 Citibank bought the church property. They paid $9 million. But they also agreed to build a new Saint Peter’s. The new church was designed by Hugh Stubbins and Associates. Vignelli Associates designed the interior. The design was unique. Stubbins called it two hands held up in prayer. Light shone between them.
The new Saint Peter’s opened in 1977. It’s a flexible space. People use it for various types of worship. They use it for song sermons dance music and poetry. It’s a modern marvel. A landmark in Midtown Manhattan. The legacy of Saint Peter’s continues. It has thrived for over 150 years. It serves the community in so many ways. This church truly reflects the spirit of its founders.”