Little Church Around the Corner
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The Church of the Transfiguration, more often known as The Little Church Around the Corner, was founded in 1848 by the Rev. Dr. George Hendric Houghton in New York City. The first services were held in a home at 48 East 29th street and in 1849 the new church was built and consecrated.
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[edit] Urban oasis
Located at 1 East 29th Street, the church is set back from the street behind a garden creating a facsimile of the English countryside in midtown Manhattan and has long been an oasis for New Yorkers of all faiths who relax in the garden, pray in the chapel or enjoy free weekday concerts in the main church. It has also been known as the "wedding church" because of the popularity of the church for weddings.
The “Little Church Around the Corner,” was founded in 1848 “to embrace all races and classes.” Designed in the early English Neo-Gothic style and with its quaint English Garden retains a picturesque quality of a true English parish church, despite being in sight of the Empire State Building. The church also features numerous and eclectically designed side chapels and a 14th Century stained glass window.
[edit] Early years
Transfiguration has been a leader of the Anglo-Catholic movement within the Episcopal Church from its founding. While this movement often is associated with elaborate worship, it also has stressed service to the poor and oppressed from its earliest days. Dr. Houghton built a congregation that cut across class and racial ines, sponsored bread lines to feed the hungry, worked vigorously for the abolition of slavery and harbored runaway slaves. In 1863, during the Civil War Draft Riots Houghton gave sanctuary to Negroes who were under attack. The rioters blamed slaves and freedmen for the war and the draft.
[edit] Ties to the theater
Actors were among the social outcasts whom Dr. Houghton befriended. In 1870 the rector of a nearby church refused to conduct funeral services for an actor named George Holland (the father of Joseph and Edmund Milton Holland {1}) , but suggested that a "little church around the corner" probably would do "that sort of thing." Joseph Jefferson, a fellow actor who was trying to arrange Holland's burial, exclaimed "God bless the little church around the corner!" and the church began a long standing association with the theater. Shakespearean Actor Sam Waterson, of the Law and Order TV Show fame was married here (for a second time). In 1973, The Little Church was designated a National Landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in recognition of its position as a shrine of the American church and theater.
[edit] Recent history
The sixth rector, Charles Miller, was asked to resign in August 2004 by unanimous vote of the vestry. The rector seemed to comply and provided a letter of resignation. Later, in early September, he held a meeting of the parish to announce that the letter was no more than a non-binding letter of intent, and was, therefore, unenforceable. The vestry was then compelled to bring a Canon 33 - Dissolution of the Pastoral Relation (see below) proceeding against the rector. The relationship was dissolved in December 2004 pursuant to Section 4 of the Canon in accordance with the "Godly Decision" of Mark Sisk, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New York. The parish is currently under the pastorate of a vicar appointed by the Diocese of New York for three years, Andrew St John, formerly assistant bishop in the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne. The process of selecting a seventh rector has not yet begun.
[edit] Music program
The church has long been associated with a program of fine music. The Anglican tradition of a men and boys choir has been maintained with special music for concerts and summer services provided by a choir of mixed voices. In 1988 the Arnold Schwartz Memorial organ, a new tracker pipe organ was built and installed at the church by C. B. Fisk, Inc.
[edit] External links
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