Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church
The Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church is a child of the Second Presbyterian Church of Paterson. Beginning with cottage prayer meetings conducted by Mr. John Ramsey and a small Bible School, it was organized as The Madison Avenue Presbyterian Chapel under the supervision of the Second Presbyterian Church.
On Wednesday evening, April 15, 1896, attendants and supporters of the Madison Avenue Presbyterian Chapel held a meeting to consider a petition to be presented to the Presbytery of Jersey City (currently the Presbytery of The Palisades) requesting organization into a regular Presbyterian church.
By a unanimous vote two commissioners, Mr. George Jackson and Mr. John Whyte were elected to carry the petition to the Presbytery of Jersey City to be held at the Claremont Presbyterian Church in Jersey City on April 21, 1896. At this meeting the petition was received favorably and by unanimous vote the request was granted and the Presbyterian ministers of Paterson with ruling elders Thomas W. Randall, Jr., and Mr. George M. Baker were appointed a committee to prosecute the organization.
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On Thursday evening, May 7, 1896 the organization was effected with a charter membership of (99) ninety-nine members, who came by letters of dismissal from the Second Presbyterian Church. Since that time (754) seven hundred and fifty-four were added to the membership, making the total number of those who united with the church during the first fifty years were (853) eight hundred fifty-three.
September 20, 1886 - Application made to the Session of the Second Presbyterian Church for aid in the establishment of a Sunday School. Forty-three residents of People's Park, (a section of Paterson, NJ) each the head of a family, pledge their sympathy, attendance and help.
September 24, 1886 - Twenty-two residents of People's Park assembled at the home of Mr. Hugh E. Spiers, 1007 Madison Avenue. Organization of the Madison Avenue Presbyterian Chapel.
September 27, 1886 - Miss Anna A. Brace presented to the Trustees two lots for the erection of a building.
October 12, 1886 - Election of Board of Trustees: William Fearn, Samuel Aitkens, Daniel C. Rider, Harwood B. Parke, Thomas W. Randall, Jr., Hugh E. Spiers and Thomas Eadie.
October 16, 1887 - Dedication of the Chapel.
October 23, 1887 - First annual meeting of the congregation.
May 7, 1896 - Organization of the Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church by the Presbytery of Jersey City, with a charter membership of (99) ninety-nine. Its Session, (Arthur Boyd, John Whyte and William Fearn) were elected and ordained on the same day.
1918 - Pipe Organ installed and dedicated.
February 1, 1917 - Chimes were installed in the organ, gift of the Rev. Dr. and Mrs. Franklin J. Miller.
January 15, 1957 - Creation of the Board of Deacons.
January 1, 1960 - The merger of the United Presbyterian Church in North America effects the denomination now to be known as the United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.
February 1, 1960 - Purchase of the property at 1019 Madison Avenue to be known as the Christian Education Building.
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September 24, 1961 - Sunday Service taped for rebroadcast by radio (WPOW) for the first in the history of Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church.
March 24, 1962 - Library donated by Vander Vleet family in memory of son, William Vander Vleet.
1973 - Tri-church cluster was formed with Lakeview and Third Presbyterian Churches.
November 12, 1979 - Lease signed permitting the use by Women's Haven Inc. to use the former Christian Education Building for Battered Wives.
December 1983 - The Christian Education building destroyed by fire.
June 25, 1985 - The session and trustees gave approval to the People Park Neighborhood Association to use a room in the church for our bat station to be used for Crime Watch.
1991 - Madison Avenue Church, along with Central Presbyterian and the Church of the Messiah, merged to become the United Presbyterian Church.