Brick Presbyterian Church (New York City)

The first church building was built and designed by architect John McComb, Sr. on the corner of Beekman and Nassau Streets. It opened doors on New Year's Day in 1768. When the congregation moved uptown, the New-York Daily Times used the site for its new headquarters, a dedicated five-story building. In 1858, the congregation moved to a new building on Murray Hill at 37th Street and Fifth Avenue since its congregation had moved farther uptown. The dedication was on October 31. On April 23, 1910, Mark Twain's funeral was held at the church and the Rev. Henry van Dyke Jr. officiated. By the late 1930s, the congregation had decided to move yet farther north. The building at Fifth and 37th was sold and demolished in 1938. The church merged with Park Avenue Presbyterian Church in 1937, and the joint congregation built the 91st Street location. The church also acquired a residence on East 92nd Street to use as a Parish House. The cornerstone to the current building was laid on November 25, 1938, in the presence of Mayor Fiorello La Guardia. ==Brick Church School==

The Brick Church School has early childhood programs and was founded in 1940. Dr. Lydia Spinelli served as Director from 1983 to 2019, followed by Amy Warden from 2019 to 2022. Marie Fabian became the Director of the school in December 2022. Members of the church are given preference in the competitive application process. ==Music==

Dr. Raymond Nagem has been the Minister of Music at The Brick Church since September 2021. He leads the church's acclaimed professional choir. The sanctuary has a French Symphonic style organ with 6,288 pipes built by Casavant Frères of Quebec. The organ was dedicated with a recital by Dutch master Ben van Oosten in the fall of 2005, and was designed in the style of Aristide Cavaillé-Coll, a 19th-century organ maker. Jean-Louis Coignet was a consultant in the project. Coignet had been a Parisian government employee who was in charge of the city’s organs. There is a two manual, 26 rank mechanical action by Guilbault-Thérien in the Chapel of the Reformed Faith. This organ was installed in 1996 and is fashioned after French choir organs of the mid-19th century. ==Notable clergy and members==

• The Rev. Maltbie D. Babcock, Brick Church clergyman, also known for composing classic hymn "This Is My Father's World." • The Rev. Henry Van Dyke, Brick Church clergyman, author, educator, and diplomat, also known for composing classic hymn "The Hymn of Joy." • The Rev. Gardiner Spring, Brick Church clergyman, also known for writing works like "The Power of the Pulpit." • James W. B. Benkard, senior Davis Polk partner, Supreme Court litigator, and former president of the Knickerbocker Club. • Louise Whitfield Carnegie, wife of industrialist Andrew Carnegie. • Katie Couric, TV presenter and journalist. • John Foster Dulles, politician and diplomat, was an elder at the church. • Agnes Kimball, soprano who was a musician at Brick Presbyterian in the 1910s. • Carolyn Maloney, member of Congress. • John McComb, Jr., architect, son of John McComb Sr., and builder of New York City Hall. • Margaret Carnegie Miller, trustee of Carnegie Corporation of New York and daughter of industrialist Andrew Carnegie. ==References==