June 2014 Our Place in the Story

By Tim Keller recently read Matthew Bow- Presbyterian planted Brick, Cedar doors, and found much of what I man’s The Urban Pulpit: New Street (later Fifth Ave), and Rut- was said incomprehensible. York City and the Fate of Liberal gers Presbyterian. First Baptist also Bowman also observes that by (Oxford, 2014). saw many new Baptist churches the 1880’s, New York City was The book recounts that the origi- begun around the city. By the becoming the first commercial nal established churches of New first half of the 1800’s, evangeli- urban capital, so filled with res- York were the Dutch Reformed cal was the “cultural taurants, stores, and theaters that and Anglican churches. Then the consensus” and had come to “cul- simply walking, shopping, and evangelical awakening, spear- tural dominance” in the New York eating became a past-time in itself headed by George Whitefield and (p. 33-34.) The Fulton Street re- (pp. 43, 155-165). This damaged others in the late 1730’s and 40’s, vival of 1857-1859 may have been the attractive reach of the church, emphasized the importance of a its high tide. which had always relied on being conversion experience through After this, however, Protestant the main form of communal eat- hearing the proclaimed. churches began to face a fast- ing, music, gathering, and instruc- Though the older church- rising population of poor and tion in society, drawing the neigh- es rejected Whitefield and the Catholic residents, especially in bors in to hear the Word preached. evangelical idea of the need for Lower Manhattan. There, Protes- Now all these supportive social conversion, the new Presbyte- tant churches found their atten- structures had been superceded. rian congregations were opened dances quickly dwindling. Their How did the Protestant church- to him. Over the course of the ministries assumed that non- es respond? At first they simply 18th century, led by the ministers Christians would be culturally moved from the more multi- John Gano of First Baptist and Protestant, that they would view ethnic, commercialized areas to John Rodgers of First Presbyte- their church as a place they ought residential, Protestant parts of the rian, these two denominations to be, and would understand the city nearer Central Park. Another embraced evangelical ministry sermons preached. But now they strategy was to erect enormous, and grew and flourished more were surrounded by people who stately, beautiful buildings and than other denominations. First would not darken the Protestants’ (Continued on page 4)

HFNY Spring Benefit — Thank you!

ope for New York’s Young (See our photos at http://goo. means that our young supporters H Supporters Committee gl/NHOSF8.) were part of raising more than hosted a Spring Benefit on Wed- Our Spring Benefit guests $138,500. nesday, May 7. The night was filled gave more than $88,500 to sup- Find out more at hfny.org/ with an inspiring program, great port our affiliates’ work to bring springbenefit, or email us at food, drinks, and music, and the empowerment, restoration, and [email protected] if awesome company of young New hope to people in need all over our you’d like to learn more about Yorkers passionate about mercy city! That number, plus a $50,000 Hope for New York’s Young and justice in New York City match from an anonymous donor, Supporters Committee. Help Us Spread the Word: Redeemer’s 25th Anniversary Weekend is September 19-21, 2014

hether you are a current the event page on Facebook at re- nect with old Redeemer friends Wcongregant or a former demeer.com/FB25 and help us and current congregants in NYC member/attender of Redeemer get the word out to other former that weekend. we want you to join us for our Redeemerites so that they know Special events are being 25th anniversary weekend. what’s going on during this special planned for the W83 Ministry See more about our anniver- weekend. Center throughout the weekend sary at redeemer.com/25years. Help us by using the Facebook for founders, diaspora, members To stay informed about plans event page to invite friends and and congregants, both past and for our 25th anniversary, RSVP to get updates so that you can recon- present. We hope to see you!

Compassion in Action: Hope for New York Distributes $1.3 Million in Grants

By Esther Larson, Senior Manager of Affiliate Development ope for New York’s (HFNY) This spring, we were able to in- We also distributed “matching H vision is for a city in vest over $1.3 million to strength- grants” to eight of our affiliates in which all New Yorkers — ev- en the work of our non-profit an effort to encourage new and ery individual, family, neighbor- affiliates across the city, from the increased donations to support hood, and community — flour- Bronx to Bushwick, from Long their work. We are working and ish through the demonstration of Island City to Chelsea. praying with these organizations Christ’s love through practical acts That’s $1.3 million to these as they seek to fulfill those match- of compassion. amazing organizations directly ing amounts. As Christians, we know that serving poor or marginalized pop- We’re so thankful for the gen- our response to the brokenness ulations, including the homeless, erosity of so many that makes serv- and pain we see all around us in at-risk youth, immigrants, vulner- ing and investing in the flourish- New York City should mirror that able women, and others. ing of NYC possible. Please pray of Jesus: compassion. Compassion Specifically, this year’s grants for us as we continue to partner for our fellow human beings, cre- will meet practical needs with our affiliate non-profits to ated in the image of Christ, loved including: strengthen and support their work by our Creator. • Emergency food supplies for throughout the year, and please At HFNY, we mobilize vol- food pantries pray for our affiliate organizations, unteers to demonstrate practical • Computers for job training that God would provide all that compassion every day of the week classes they need to continue their work throughout the City. Through • Sports equipment for youth of loving and serving the poor and the sacrificial generosity of our programs marginalized of our city. donors, we’re also able to dem- • Enrichment field trips and To learn more about HFNYs onstrate practical compassion college visits for mentoring grantmaking process, visit through financial grants. programs hfny.org/grant-giving.

The Redeemer Report is a publication of the Redeemer Presbyterian Church. REDEEMER REPORT Office: 1359 Broadway, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10018-7102 212-808-4460 (T) 212-808-4465 (F) www.redeemer.com Hunter College Auditorium W83rd Ministry Center Salvation Army Auditorium Kathy Keller E. 69th St. 150 W. 83rd St. 120 W. 14th St. Heather Klein (between Park & Lexington) (between Columbus & Amsterdam) (between 6th & 7th Aves.) Services: 10:30 a.m. & 6 p.m. Services: 9:30/11:30 a.m., 5 & 7 p.m. Services: 9:30 a.m. & 5 p.m. 2013-14 CFW City Rhythms Recap

his year, the Center for communication of beauty, and newly commissioned work Pres- T Faith & Work launched City Acoustic Associate Joe Solway of ence: 5 Haikus for 5 Boros, and a Rhythms, a series focused on ex- Arup who provided a fascinating theological response to the film ploring a wide spectrum of the behind-the-scenes peek into the by Baylor professor, Joe Kickasola. key industries and sectors con- long-awaited Second Avenue sub- The series concluded in May with tributing to the overall mosaic of way project. a celebratory focus on urban plan- New York City. The specific goals ning via the work of City Planner of the series are: Our winter events included Jonathan Keller. evenings focused on • To explore how each the Food and Market- particular vocation ing/Advertising indus- is important to and tries respectively, and contributes to the overall we were pleased to be- flourishing of our city gin working with our “resident chef,” Katy • To invite a deeper aware- McNulty, an entre- ness and appreciation for preneur and founder fields outside our own of The Pixie and the Scout, a custom caterer • To demonstrate the committed to “cook- interconnectedness of ing and eating toward all fields in regards to the future of food.” seeking renewal in our Amilee Watkins city In January, we introduced Overall, the series engaged over monthly theological reflections 700 participants and highlighted • To provide the necessary for each industry given by CFW 10 distinctive industries in the space and structure for Executive Director David H. Kim. City. We hope that through the attendees to process his/ These talks are available on the exploration of all these important her own work in light of faithandwork.org website and sectors, God’s love for this city be- how God is sovereignly have provided a theological per- comes even more evident, as he at work in our city spective related to the respective calls us to re-imagine our own areas of work explored. work in light of his larger redemp- The series began in September, tive purposes. highlighting the fields of Fashion The series resumed and Finance. James Herring, man- in the spring with aging director at a NYC finan- March’s focus on The- cial institution, and Fiona Dief- ater. This event fea- fenbacher, director of the BFA tured a performance by Fashion Design program at Par- Tony Award Nominee sons The New School for Design, Elizabeth A. Davis and shared their questions of calling an illuminating panel and identity that can be particu- of theater producers, larly challenging in these fields. marketers and experts Additional events for the month in the field. April fea- included tours of Manhattan’s fi- tured the Film indus- nancial and fashion districts. try through a conver- sation with Rachel October brought a focus on Chanoff, curator for various film For more details and Art with Mason Jar Music’s Jon festivals in our city. We were also resources from each of these Seale presenting his unique ap- excited to premier CFW’s Art- events, visit proach to collaboration and the ist-in-Residence Ben Stamper’s faithandwork.org/cityrhythms 1359 BROADWAY FIRST CLASS MAIL 4TH FLOOR US POSTAGE PAID NEW YORK, NY 10018 NEW YORK NY PERMIT # 349

Our Place in the Story... (cont’d from page 1)

sanctuaries, seeking to draw peo- pioneered the full-service church diverged more and more, Bow- ple in and assert their presence in that provided social and educa- man has two concluding chapters, the public space from which they tional services. Bowman writes: one on the fundamentalist Straton felt expelled (pp. 53-84.) None of “If redemption had come by and one on the liberal Harry Em- these things stopped the decline. hearing for generations of evan- erson Fosdick, who was the first Finally Bowman traces out gelicals since the , in pastor of Riverside Church. how the crisis split the church. New York City ... it would now In a short newsletter article it Slowly but surely some began to come through doing.” (p. 112) is impossible to avoid over-gener- move away from a confidence Rather than try to convert people alization. Yet it is hard not to see in preaching and in the trans- through changing their beliefs, that by the second half of the 20th mission of teaching and truth to the churches sought to make peo- century, the older kind of Protes- bring about conversion. At the ple followers of Christ through tant evangelicalism—true to his- more scholarly level figures like loving action, social reform, toric orthodox doctrine, yet also Charles A. Briggs of Union Theo- and education. intellectually robust and socially logical Seminary taught that the The other reaction to the secu- engaged—was weak or vanished Bible contained errors, that only larizing city was taken by the Bap- in New York City. And now it is the main story-lines of the Bible tists. While Presbyterians and oth- growing back. There are at least a were God’s Word, that human rea- ers moved toward what would be 100 churches that we can discern son and experience had to guide called Liberalism, moved that have been begun over the last us rather than only the Scripture. toward what came to be called 20 years in center city New York To appeal to the modern person, Fundamentalism. I. M. Haldeman, (and some older churches re- it was argued, we had to abandon who pastored First Baptist for al- newed) that are closer to the older the belief that the Bible was com- most 50 years and John Roach kind of Christianity that used to pletely truthful and the key to all Straton of Calvary Baptist de- flourish here. However, we too life-change. veloped a very combative stance face the issue of a culture that is At the practical level, Pres- toward the city. Fundamentalist not interested in what we have to byterian ministers like Henry preaching also moved away from say. How do we reach them? Van Dyke at Brick Presbyterian historic preaching because it be- We must not make the same sought to change people through gan to focus much more on ma- mistake again. We must not re- the arts and the aesthetic experi- terialism and moral evils such as spond with either withdrawal nor ence, while Henry Sloan Coffin drinking and sexual promiscuity. with assimilation to the spirit of at Madison Avenue Presbyterian To show how these two pathways the age.