HISTORY

 

The History of DeWitt Reformed Church in the City of New York

The history of the early beginnings of DeWitt church dates back to the Civil War. In 1854 the New York City Mission Society sponsored the first meeting in a private home on VarickStreet, in what was New York’s 13 Ward, to plan a strategy for evangelizing the immigrants on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. In 1860 a storefront space for services was rented at 36 Columbia Street, and in 1866 the congregation moved to another storefront further up Columbia Street, at #70.

 Eventually, money for the building of a church was given to the City Mission Society by Mr. & Mrs. Morris K. Jesup, in memory of Mrs. Jesup’s father, the Rev. Dr. Thomas Dewitt, who was a minister of the Marble Collegiate Church from 1827 to 1874 and also President of the City Mission Society from 1846 to 1873.

 The original DeWitt Church was dedicated in 1881. Its initial ministry, as in succeeding generations, was to all who lived in the neighborhood during the years of heavy European Immigration. Over the years, as changing cultures demanded, services were conducted in Italian, Polish, German, English, Yiddish, Chinese, Russian and Spanish.

 In a move to obliterate slum areas, city officials demolished old tenement houses in the neighborhood to make way for the new low-income housing developments. As adjacent walls were raised, DeWitt’s old walls showed weaknesses. In 1956, the New York City Mission Society decided to build a new $410,000 edifice on the same site, as a result of an agreement with the Collegiate Church, which helped underwrite the cost of the program serving families and children in the surrounding housing developments. The The Dewitt Church was the First Protestant Church erected within a Manhattan public housing development, the Baruch Houses was completed in January 1958. The church was designed by the architect, Edgar Tafel.

 In December 1959, in a bilingual worship service, The DeWitt congregation, with Representatives of the New York City Mission Society, met with members of the Classis of New York, Representatives of the Collegiate Church and the Board of North American Missions, Reformed Church in America, to read letters from the New York City Mission Society and the local congregations requesting organization of DeWitt as a Reformed Church. Church records were turned over to the Classis, along with a list of current Church members, Classis members then officially voted to receive The DeWitt Church, henceforth to be called the DeWitt Reformed Church.

 In the past 128 years DeWitt has had only seven Senior Ministers: Rev. William T. Elsing who served the Church in that capacity from September 13, 1881 to June 1, 1922; The Rev. Donald J. Walton, from May 4, 1922 to January 1, 1960, The Rev. Rogelio Archilla, (formed a Spanish ministry) from May 15, 1960 to May 1963; The Rev. Gerald Vander Hart, from May 15, 1961 to June 4, 1972. (It should be noted that Reverend Archilla actually served DeWitt as one of its ministers from November 1, 1957 to May 6, 1963) and the Rev. Gerald Gerald Vander Hart, from January 1, 1961 to June 4, 1972); The Rev. Earle N.S. Hall, from November 7, 1972 to June 1990, Rev. Michael Edwards was Interim Pastor from 1990 to to 1992, Rev. Albert Burton 1992, Rev. Micheal Edwards became our Interim Pastor from 1993 to 1996, and the Reverend Carolyn Holloway from December 1995 to January 2008. (the first African American Woman and first woman to be Senior Pastor.) The Rev. Dr. Micheal Edwards is serving as our Pastor, 2007 to present.

 There have been several Assistant /Associate Ministers, and Directors of Religious Education employed at DeWitt. We have worked along with one another among the various language groups who worship at DeWitt, or live in its community. We have continually had dual pastorates here. Our doors have been opened to other denominations, too, when their place of meeting proved inadequate for special functions.

 DeWitt has always been very community minded Church. Because of her history people from the community feel free to approach her Office Staff, Minister, and Members of Consistory whenever they deem it necessary with the assurance that they would not be slighted, spurned or denied an opportunity to be heard, helped or dealt with reasonably. We firmly believe that Christ calls us to be a witness, which sees people where they are and perceiving their potentials help them to realize all that they can become and do.

 It has not always been easy as a Church witnessing to such diverse ethnicity and multifarious cultures. It is inevitable that there will be differences of opinions, and contentions. DeWitt has had its share of all of these. At one time earlier in her history, a group of persons were asked to study the DeWitt Church’s ministry on Manhattan’s Lower East Side to explore whether or not it should be continued. The study of the group’s report was negative. However, under the influence of Rev. Albertus Bossenbroek, the determination of the Rev. Gerald Vander Hart, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Classis decided to keep the doors of the DeWitt Church opened. The Consistory, with renewed strength, vigor and courage moved forward to have the DeWitt Church become the viable and vibrant congregation that it has become.

 The DeWitt Church sponsors the largest HeadStart Program on the Lower East Side, serving more than 300 children and families. It has a vibrant Senior Ministry complete with services to the housebound. It has a Youth Ministry of grades 7 –12 and a Children’s Ministry for other ages.

 DeWitt continues its legacy of being a Community Church on a mission for Jesus Christ and still becoming empowered by the Holy Spirit.

 To God be the glory for the great things God has done and is still doing

Role Of Ministers

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