Presbyterian Mission Agency Manhattan Archives

A church for the wounded and vulnerable

Posted May 10th, 2018

Full of angst, Chris Romine walked into a new church in Hoboken, New Jersey, which sits directly across the river from Manhattan, New York. In his mid-20s with a well-paying job at a startup logistics firm in Manhattan, he was wondering if this was all there was. Exploring all kinds of faith expressions, including Christianity, he kept coming back to the simple message of Christ’s life.

Remembering 9/11: Fifteen years of healing

Posted September 9th, 2016

For the Rev. Jon Walton, September 2001 was supposed to mark the start of a new ministry. He had just become pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of the City of New York and his first sermon was September 9th. But any anxiety about his new job quickly evaporated two days later when two planes flew into the World Trade Center claiming more than 2,600 lives.

PC(USA) churches mark transition for students as school year begins

Posted August 24th, 2016

What has become an annual ritual for many churches – the “Blessing of the Backpacks” – has taken on special importance at First Presbyterian Church in Findlay, Ohio. This year, the event was integrated into the larger concept of commemorating milestones within the life of the church and its members, with back to school being just one of them.

New worshiping community started by dwindling New York congregation creates hope

Posted June 3rd, 2016

In Manhattan, a new worshiping community is being formed thanks to a nearly 140-year-old church that has taken seriously its belief that all God’s people are holy. Founded in 1887, Jan Hus Presbyterian Church had always been eager to invite the most marginalized people in the city. But the congregation had dwindled in numbers, down to fewer than 12 worshippers.