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HistoryThree Churches Make Up the United Presbyterian Church
Church of the Redeemer/Church of the MessiahThe erection of a "Memorial" Presbyterian Church in the eastern section of Paterson was first suggested in 1870 by Dr. W.H. Hornblower, Pastor of the First Presbyterian Church. The project failed at that time because of a lack of financial support.
Dr. David Magie, successor to Dr. Hornblower, formally announced his approval of the movement in November 1883. A conference of elders and trustees of the First Presbyterian Church accepted the offer of Mrs. Mary Ryle and her family to donate the property at the corner of Broadway and Graham Avenue (currently called Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Way and Rosa Parks Boulevard, respectively) for the church. The society of the Church of the Redeemer was organized on May 16, 1884. At a congregational meeting held on June 15, 1884, the following persons were elected trustees: Henry A. Williams J.S. Barkalow, William T. Ryle, Edward T. Bell, Garret A. Hobart, Eugene Stevenson, Francis C. VanDyk. The sketch and plans for the church edifice were submitted by Messrs. J.C. Cady and Co., architects, on October 10, 1884, and were unanimously accepted. Mr. Cady was an outstanding architect who had designed The Metropolitan Opera House, The Museum of Natural History, fifteen buildings for Yale University and several buildings for the Presbyterian Hospital in New York City.
Ground was broken for the new church on April 6, 1885, and the cornerstone laid July 2, 1885. The Reverend David Magie, D.D., officiated at the ceremony, assisted by members of the Presbytery of Jersey City and representatives from the various churches of Paterson. The Sunday School rooms were completed before the sanctuary and the first classes were held in them May 11, 1886. Opening services in the new sanctuary were held on Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 1886. The dedication of the Church of the Redeemer and the installation of Dr. Magie as pastor took place on December 2, 1886. Dr. Magie served as pastor for 21 years. The belfry and spire were a special contribution to the church from Mrs. Mary E. Ryle. The original organ was built by Messrs. Hook and Hastings of Boston from special designs and donated to the church by Mrs. Mary Danforth and Mr. William Strange. The Church of the Redeemer congregation was composed of many prominent leaders in the industrial and civic life of the city of Paterson. Garret A. Hobart, Vice President of the United States, was a prominent member of the Church of the Redeemer. When Vice President Hobart died, his funeral service was conducted from the Church of the Redeemer. Among the mourners that day were President William McKinley and Governor of New York Theodore Roosevelt, who succeeded Hobart as Vice President and then became President when President McKinley died.
The Church of the Messiah is the union of two Presbyterian Churches -- the Second Presbyterian Church and the Church of the Redeemer. The two great congregations became one on December 3, 1928. The union of the two churches could be considered a re-union, since the First Presbyterian Church of Paterson has produced both the Redeemer and the Second Presbyterian churches. The Redeemer church building was located at a spot considered at that time the outskirts of the city. The Second Presbyterian Church was established in 1840 as a result of a split with the First Presbyterian Church over the issue of slavery. In 1926 the Presbytery of Jersey City surveyed the population of Paterson, particularly Presbyterians, with the idea of merging churches with overlapping fields. As the Second Presbyterian Church and the Church of the Redeemer were only two blocks from each other (the Second Presbyterian Church was located at Broadway and Summer Street), a merger was considered by the officers of both churches. The merger did not take place at that time because neither church was in favor of it.
In the late afternoon of Thursday July 5, 1928, a terrible thunderstorm broke over the city, and a bolt of lightning hit the steeple of the Church of the Redeemer, setting fire to the main edifice and completely consuming the interior. Many offers of help from neighboring churches were received, but the stricken congregation accepted the offer of the Second Church to use their facilities. The congregation worshiped together in morning and evening services. Preachers, organists and choirs took alternate Sundays; each Sunday School had its own services. When a merger was proposed again, it was decided to join the two congregations under the roof of the rebuilt Church of the Redeemer on the corner of Broadway and Graham Avenue, but under a new name, the Church of the Messiah. At the time of the merger when the Church of the Messiah was organized, the congregations accepted with regret the resignations of their pastors -- The Reverend Alvin Sawtelle of the Second Presbyterian Church and the Reverend Frederick W. Evans of the Church of the Redeemer. New official boards were elected, composed of equal numbers from each church. The Reverend D.D. Hutchinson was appointed Moderator; the Reverend Dr. Charles Weibel acted as supply minister. The Memorial Parish House was dedicated on Sunday, September 15, 1951. This much-needed facility was made possible by the contributions of the members of the congregation.
The historic edifice of the United Presbyterian Church is one of the most beautiful sanctuaries of any church in the area. The graceful flowing lines of the angelic figures carved in the high-vaulted ceiling make them appear ready to swoop down to protect the congregation from trouble and despair. The ceiling of the sanctuary is an exact copy of Westminster Hall in London, England. Madison Avenue Presbyterian ChurchThe 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.
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.
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. The Central Presbyterian ChurchThe Central Presbyterian Church was founded in 1950 after the merger of two churches: Ward Street Church, and the Broadway German Presbyterian Church. Below is the chronology. Ward Street Presbyterian Church 
1848 - Independent German Church of Paterson organized with 24 members. Rev. J. L. Lichtenstein, first pastor. 1851 - First German Presbyterian Church of Paterson organized by the Presbytery of Elizabethtown on October 8th. Rev. Carl D. Rosenthal, first pastor. Services held in the Infant School on Elm Street. First two elders of church were William Veith and August Lehr. 1857 - New church building on Elm Street dedicated. Cost $1,600.00. 1859 - Sunday School organized in June. 1870 - Presbytery recommends amalgamation of the Broadway German Presbyterian and First German Presbyterian Churches. No success, since neither church would relinquish its building. 1886 - Secession of 37 members under former pastor, Rev. G. Landau, to organize Christ Evangelical Church. 1905 - English evening services inaugurated. 1914 - Ground broken for new building, May 2nd. Cornerstone laid September 13th. 1915 - Ward Street church edifice dedicated with $15,000.00 mortgage. 1918 - Name of church officially changed to "The Ward Street Presbyterian Church." 1928 - Kesse Memorial Organ Chimes installed. 1932 - Golden Anniversary of Ladies Aid Society. Inauguration of two English morning services monthly. 1945 - Highest church membership on record, 364. All debts paid. 1950 - Joint meeting with board of Broadway Church to discuss possibilities of merger. Congregation unanimously adopts agreement of merger drawn up by joint boards. Congregation voted to merge with Broadway Church. Final meeting of Session of Ward Street Church. 
1854 - Small group of German men and women gathered in private homes to conduct worship services. 1856 - Church organized with the Rev. G. Goehring as first pastor. 1857 - Church affiliated with Presbytery of Newark. 1859 - Congregation bought Broadway Church building from the First Baptist Church. Sunday School organized. 1863 - Church building destroyed by fire. Appealed to Presbytery for aid. 1876 - Church showed steady growth, spirituality, and membership. Mention of church as Second German Presbyterian Church. 1890 - Lutheran church made overture to Session and Pastor, the Rev. G. Schumacher, to join Lutheran denomination. 
1891 - New organ dedicated. First English service at 4 o'clock. 1900 - The Rev. A. J. Frey installed May 17th. Rev. A. Wanderer of Ward Street Church preached sermon. 1904 - Completed renovation of church building at cost of $15,000.00, with only foundation of old church left intact. Services held in chapel of First Presbyterian Church during renovation. 1905 - Church rededicated on January 1st.  1939 - Broadway Church is the only German speaking Presbyterian Church remaining in Paterson. Pastor Frey served faithfully and well for almost 40 years -- the longest pastorate in the history of the church. 1941 - Sunday services all to be in English. Wednesday afternoon prayer services in German. 1947 - Presbyterian Hymnals installed. 1948 - Membership down to 59. Name of church officially changed to Broadway Presbyterian Church of Paterson. 1949 - The Rev. B. Leighton Armstrong called. 1950 - Congregation voted to merge with Ward Street Church. Rev. Armstrong resigned as pastor of church. Last meeting of Session of Broadway Church. 
September 1950 - Members of Broadway and Ward Street Churches signed petition for merger. Decided on name "Central Presbyterian Church." October 1950 - First morning worship together. Organization meeting of Central Presbyterian Church by Presbytery. Westminster Fellowship organized. Church membership of 354. November 1950 - Central Church joins Greater Paterson Council of Churches. Installation of the Rev. B. Leighton Armstrong as pastor. January 1951 - Board of Deacons constituted. February 1951 - Choir loft enlarged. October 1951 - Special anniversary services and banquets. Last German church service. |
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