MABCNYC - History

1848 - Chartered as Rose Hill Baptist Sunday School/Church, on 30th Street between Third Avenue and Lexington avenue. Rose Hill was a house church with twelve members.

1849 - Rose Hill Baptist became Lexington Avenue Baptist Church with twenty-eight members at 154 Lexington Avenue and 30th Street in a new Lombardian Romanesque-style edifice, which is now the First Moravian Church. Jeremiah Milbank (developer of canned milk with inventor Gale Borden) and other congregational leaders (including the Colgate family) decided to move the church. Five lots at 31st Street and Madison Avenue became the site of a grand new structure.

1860-62 - MADISON AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH

1867 - For an interesting look at sermons that were delivered in 1867, visit the Shiloh Online Library

1885 - Following the death of Jeremiah Milbank, memorial stained glass windows depicting the life, healing ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus by F. X. Zettler of Germany (sculptor of Infalbert's Angel of the Gospel statue) were installed behind the pulpit. A gym was also built in the church basement.

1903 - Ordination of Harry Emerson Fosdick (the most prominent liberal Baptist minister of the early 20th Century and author of the hymn God of Grace and God of Glory) held at MABC.

1906 - The Parish House replaced the chapel (at E. 31st) to better serve the community.

1929 - The church replaced its original structure with the Roger Williams (pioneer American baptist/founder of Rhode Island) Hotel. The church sanctuary was placed within the hotel structure. New stained glass was added depicting the Gospel Writers and their symbols: Matthew/Cherub, Mark/Lion, Luke/Ox, and John/Eagle.

Learn the history of the pipe organs built for the church by visiting this link from the New York Organist guild.

1930's-1940's - The Great Depression and WWII, ministry adapting

1950's - MABC sponsored church school, adult and young adult groups and film festivals.

1971 - First performance of "Jesus Christ Superstar" was held at MABC on April 4th

1978 - Parish House was home to the Bel Canto Opera Company

Early 1980's - MABC begins Sunday Afternoon Meal for Seniors (free meals for the midtown elderly) and also a Shelter for the Homeless.

1989 - MABC and New York Theological Seminary go into partnership in developing Kids Clubhouse, an after-school program for children living in midtown Welfare Hotels. The program was housed in the Parish House.

1992 - The church begins ministries to person with AIDS at Bellevue Hospital sponsored by the Bellevue Chaplains Office, and in 1995 at the Flemister House, ABC Metro NY's AIDS ministry on West 22nd Street.

1993 - MABC became a Charter member of the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptist made up of American Baptist Churches and Organizations desiring to be inclusive of gay and lesbians.

1996 - Dramatic Renovation of the Roger Williams Hotel, Rafael Vinoly, Architect.

2001 - On September 11, the World Trade Center was attacked. All of our lives were changed.

1985-2004 - MABC worked with twelve Student Interns from Union Theological Seminary and New York Theological Seminary. Six were ordained to the Christian Ministry by MABC. They are: the Rev. Dana Fenton, the Rev. Bette Buffa, the Rev. Michele Grimes, The Rev. Paul Raushenbush, the Rev. Jennifer Harvey and the Rev. Susan Sparks.

2007 - Rev. Susan Sparks, a former lawyer turned standup comedian and American Baptist minister, is installed as the first woman senior pastor in MABC's 165 year history.

2007 to Present - MABC begins cyber ministry, including a new website, an iTunes Channel (and sermon podcasting), a Facebook page, and a Twitter account. An innovative new music program is started featuring Minister of Music Paul Stephan and a new MABC quartet. The church also begins several new ministries, such as NY Cares, Ecclesia Ministries (worship service and lunch for homeless) and caroling to the homebound of MABC. As part of a wider ministerial outreach, Rev. Susan Sparks offers national and international sermon broadcasts through such groups as Day 1 and the Chicago Sunday Evening Club and is a blogger with Huffington Post and Psychology Today. The church and pastor are widely featured in television and print media, such as The New York Times, CNN, ABC, CBS The Early Show and the Oprah Magazine. Membership grows extensively with worship attendance quadrupled.