Help Save Third Church’s Roof & Historic Building
Third Church of Christ, Scientist, has touched the lives of many throughout the years as a historic stalwart in iconic New York City, constructed in 1922 at 583 Park Avenue in Manhattan. Today we face a major challenge with the reconstruction of our roof, which must have slates replaced and a watertight cupola in order to withstand the weather and permit the church to continue holding services on the premises. Restoration must follow historic trust guidelines and will cost $100,000 for the first phase of reconstruction.
In the early days of the church’s founding in 1891 in Harlem, Third Church has been blessed by the founder of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy, as a branch of the Mother Church in Boston, Massachusetts. Since its humble beginnings, Third Church developed as a grassroots effort, funded by devoted members, many of whom were schoolteachers and families of modest means. Together, they found community, care, and hope in the mission to demonstrate divine Love as a beacon of hope for the public, funding a building designed by leading architects in Gregorian design, Delano and Aldrich.
Today visitors, members, and students of Christian Science attend church services, meetings, and Sunday School from across the city and to 80% of the countries around the world and learn about the healing presence of Divine Love. Visitors come and use the resources of our Reading Room for prayerful study and to read the Christian Science Monitor, an independent international newspaper whose goal is “to injure no man but to bless all mankind”.
-Exposed roof membrane.
Our membership group grows every year, welcoming new members who lead activities that celebrate our presence as a spiritual resource open to all in the middle of a bustling metropolis. Church services, talks, and lectures are broadcast live in both English and Spanish to hundreds of thousands of people from Third Church’s auditorium with music from our historic organ, where all are welcome and greeted by insignia that declare the words of our founder “Jesus' three days' work in the sepulcher set the seal of eternity on time. He proved life to be deathless and love to be the master of hate".
With grace and love as its mission, Third Church has stood strong through financial difficulty, the Great Depression of 1929, two world wars, the September 11th attacks of 2001, the financial crisis of 2008, and the global shutdown of the current pandemic. We have welcomed immigrant communities, famous celebrities, city leaders, tourists, working families, youth, and seniors alike to pray together in our halls, majestically designed along classic Gregorian-Colonial lines.
If you’re able to help us save our building from deterioration, we are very grateful for your support. Any and all donations are welcome. Every gift will receive a charitable tax credit receipt.
- Slates installed onto roof membrane.
