CATHEDRAL WELCOMES NEW ORGANIST
By Karen Zheng
The Cathedral of Saint John the Divine has appointed a new organist and director of Cathedral Music. Kent Tritle, the organist of the New York Philharmonic, director of the Oratorio Society of New York and Musica Sacra, and director of Choral Activities at the Manhattan School of Music, is set to begin directing at St. John Sept. 1, after 22 years of holding the title of director of music ministries at Church of Saint Ignatius Loyola.
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‘Raising the Roof’ at Saint Paul the Apostle
The Church of Saint Paul the Apostle, at West 60th Street and Columbus Avenue, radiates a sense of majesty from both the interior and exterior. The inside soars with an enormously high ceiling, rows upon rows of pews, beautiful stained-glass windows and historic art along the walls, while scaffolding covers the outside of the building as it undergoes renovation.
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A Dozen Roses for Brother Albert
Brother Albert caught me exiting the girl’s entrance. This was forbidden. All boys were warned to only use the doorway marked “Boys’” in and out of St. Stephen’s Church in 1963. I waited for the slap.
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LANDMARK CHURCH GETS FUNDRAISER
By Dan Rivoli
The century-old West Park Presbyterian Church will benefit from a June 23 fundraiser to renovate its crumbling façade.
The expensive restoration project was one of the reasons Rev. Robert Brashear opposed historic preservation, arguing that landmark regulations would make it difficult to work with a developer to fund such repairs. Now, his goal is to get his congregation back into the West 86th Street church, at Amsterdam Avenue.
“It is our intention to reestablish our own congregation in our own building,” Brashear said. “We are looking for compatible nonprofit partners. Something that involves education and/or the arts.”
Council Member Gale Brewer, who was the target of protests from church members and congregants, kicked
in $1,000.
The money raised will go to the New York Landmarks Conservancy, which set up a special account for West Park as part of its Sacred Sites program.
Brashear called the fundraiser a good first step.
“There has to be an overall strategic plan that has a timeline and targets to establish how we move forward,”
he said.
With the money, the Landmarks Conservancy, a nonprofit that gives grants and assistance to owners for rehabilitating historic property, will provide an up-to-date assessment of the building’s exterior, identify and prioritize specific problems and figure out the price tag.
“It’s a beautiful church and it has a lot of needs,” said Peg Breen, president of the conservancy. “I hope we can start addressing them.”
CHURCH MOVES CLOSER TO LANDMARK
West Park Presbyterian Church is one step closer to achieving landmark status, but its reverend says the deteriorating building may be sold.
The City Planning Commission voted unanimously March 9 to make the century-old church a landmark. The City Council will now hold a public hearing on the designation and will have a final vote in the matter. But that seems to be a formality.
Council Member Gale Brewer, whose support is crucial for a full Council vote, has advocated for landmark protection for the church.
But Rev. Robert Brashear has opposed granting the church landmark status. He told West Side Spirit in January that he feared landmarking would have a “chilling effect” on negotiations with developers to help restore the aging, deteriorating building.
But if that plan falls through, Brashear may put the church up on the market, possibly turning the historic building into a commercial space.
“If there are no other possibilities of restoring the building and reopening it for the congregation in some form, then there will be no choice but to see what could be gained on the market,” Brashear said. “Once again it would be a very sad change for the community.”
Unusual Allies: LGBT Shelter Comes to Church’s Aid
A man steps into the basement entrance of Trinity Lutheran Church, on West 100th Street between Amsterdam and Columbus avenues. Most people passing by don’t notice him, or the entrance, their attention focused instead on the scaffolding snaking its way to the top of the steeple. Faded plywood sheets cover a large oval window above the doors, and an over-sized sign reading “Yes, we’re open… in every way” hangs in front, positioned, it seems, to counter the impression that the church is closed. Read more
