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Park Street Church, Boston, 2006

The Park Street Church (built 1810) in Boston, Massachusetts is an active Conservative Congregational Church at the corner of Tremont Street and Park Street. The church is currently pastored by Gordon P. Hugenberger.

History

Park Street Church is a historic stop on the Freedom Trail. It was founded on February 27, 1809 by twenty-six local people, mostly former members of the Old South Meeting House. The cornerstone of the church was laid on May 1 and construction was completed by the end of the year, under the guidance of Peter Banner (architect), Benajah Young (chief mason) and Solomon Willard (woodcarver). Banner took inspiration from several early pattern books, and his design is reminiscent of a London church by Christopher Wren. Park Street church's steeple rises to 217 feet (66 m), and remains a landmark visible from several Boston neighborhoods.[1] The steeple is seen as the terminus of both Columbus Avenue and Tremont Street, two of Boston's radial avenues. The church is adjacent to the historic Granary Burying Ground. It had its first worship service on January 10, 1810.

Park St. Church, 1904

The church became known as "Brimstone Corner", in part because of the missionary character of its preaching,[2] and in part because of the storage of gunpowder during the War of 1812.[3]

Park Street Church has a strong tradition of missions, evangelical doctrine, and application of Scripture to social issues as well as a notable list of Firsts. Edward Dorr Griffin (1770–1837) served as the first pastor of the Park Street Church and preached a famous series of Sunday evening sermons attacking the New Divinity.[4] In 1816 Park Street Church joined with Old South Church to form the City Mission Society, a social service society to serve Boston's urban poor. In 1826 Edward Beecher, the brother of Harriet Beecher Stowe and son of Lyman Beecher, a notable abolitionist, became pastor of the church. On July 4, 1829, William Lloyd Garrison delivered his Address to the Colonization Society at Park Street, making his first major public statement against slavery. From 1829-1831 Lowell Mason, a notable Christian composer, served as choirmaster and organist. The church hosted the debut of My Country, 'Tis of Thee, also known as America, by Samuel Francis Smith on July 4, 1831.[5] Park Street also played a role in founding the First "Homeland" or American Mission to the then Sandwich Islands (now Hawaii), where that church still stands; the Handel and Haydn Society started there. Benjamin E. Bates, an industrialist who founded Bates College in Maine in 1855, was a Sunday school teacher and active attendant of Park Street in the mid-nineteenth century. Gleason Archer, a prominent inerrantist theologian was the assistant pastor of Park Street from 1945 to 1948, and his father, Suffolk University founder Gleason Archer, Sr., served as president of the Park Street Men's Club in the 1920s. In 1949 Billy Graham's first transcontinental mid-century crusade at Park Street. Harold J. Ockenga, notable theologian and co-architect of the (Neo-)Evangelical movement was the senior pastor from 1936 to 1969, and during this time co-founded Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary with Billy Graham, co-founded Fuller Theological Seminary, the National Association of Evangelicals, War Relief (which later became World Relief), and the Christian publication Christianity Today.

Today

Church interior, 2007

After 200 years, the church is still engaged in current social issues. For example, Park Street Church helped launch a private high school in Hyde Park, Boston Trinity Academy, in 2002 to help address the educational needs of inner-city Boston (more than 70% of its students are on scholarship and more than 50% are minorities); it hosts many English as a Second Language classes during the week; it has and supports ministries for the homeless, such as Boston Rescue Mission and Park Street's Starlight Ministry and Thursday Evening Outreach; it partners with Daybreak Pregnancy Resource Center and A Woman's Concern to assist women facing unplanned pregnancy; it provides English classes for international students and immigrants; and through a ministry called Alive in Christ, an affiliate of Exodus International and an advocate of conversion therapy, it seeks to "help those who struggle against their homosexuality and seek Christian guidance."[6] Park Street is an international congregation, with members from more than 60 countries. The church attracts many regular worshippers from among the undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty at Boston-area universities. Park Street believes strongly in education integrated with faith, so it is associated with Park Street Kids, Park Street School, and Boston Trinity Academy, as well as partnering with Campus Crusade for Christ and InterVarsity Christian Fellowship for undergraduate and graduate ministries, and a long-time partnership with Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Park Street recently sponsored a $200,000 contest for social change.[7]

Boston Mayor Menino[8] announced February 27, 2009 as Park Street Day in honor of its bicentennial.

Senior Ministers (1811-present)

Portrait of Edward Beecher, pastor 1826-1830; engraving drawn by Thomas Edwards, printed by Annin & Smith, ca.1832
Park St. Church, 19th c.

References

  1. ^ Park Street Church history and architecture from the Park Street Church website
  2. ^ Roff, Sandra. "The Beecher Tradition: Edward Beecher." http://newman.baruch.cuny.edu/digital/2001/beecher/edward.htm
  3. ^ "Park Street Church: Our Beginnings" http://www.parkstreet.org/our_beginnings
  4. ^ Old, Hughes Oliphant. The Reading and Preaching of the Scriptures in the Worship of the Christian Church: Volume 6, The Modern Age. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2007: 164.
  5. ^ Howe, Daniel Walker, What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America, 1815-1848. ISBN 978-019-507894-7, p. 641.
  6. ^ Patricia Wen (2005-10-28). "'Ex-gay' ministry reaches out to Hub". The Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2005/10/28/ex_gay_ministry_reaches_out_to_hub. Retrieved 2006-11-08. 
  7. ^ "Park Street Church". "Social Change Competition". "Park Street Church". http://www.parkstreet.org/parkstreet200k. Retrieved 2010-03-11. 
  8. ^ "Park Street Church Celebrates Its Bicentennial". 2009-03-01. http://www.pr.com/press-release/135559. Retrieved 2009-04-20. 

Further reading

External links

Images

  • Edward Griffin, minister 1811-1815

  • Park Street, with view of State House at top of hill, ca.1815

  • Overview of Common, with Park St. Church (left), across from the Masonic Temple on Tremont St., 1850

  • 19th c.

  • Park St. Church, 19th c.

  • Hamilton Place, with Park St. Church in distance, ca.1885

  • ca.1890

  • Subway construction, 1896

  • Arturus Conrad, minister 1903-1937

  • Deacons, 1909

  • Tremont St. and Park St. Church, 1915

  • Park Street Church lot at Mount Auburn Cemetery, 2008 photo

Preceded by
Massachusetts State House		 Locations along Boston's Freedom Trail
Park Street Church		 Succeeded by
Granary Burying Ground
Records
Preceded by
Old North Church		 Tallest Building in Boston
1810–1867
66 m		 Succeeded by
Church of the Covenant
Preceded by
Christ Church (Philadelphia)		 Tallest building in the United States outside of New York City
1810–1856
66 m		 Succeeded by
Tenth Presbyterian Church

Coordinates: 42°21′25″N 71°03′44″W / 42.356911°N 71.062151°W / 42.356911; -71.062151

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