By Clare Marash

One of the fastest growing churches in New York is about to open a new home in the heart of the Upper West Side. This Sunday, March 4, the Redeemer Presbyterian Church will open its new Ministry Center at 150 West 83rd Street.

Senior Pastor Dr. Timothy J. Keller founded Redeemer in New York City in 1989. From an initial service drawing 75 listeners, the church has expanded to include over 1,800 members who attend five Sunday services in three different locations. According to a 2009 New York Magazine profile, over 5,000 people hear Dr. Keller speak each Sunday, many of them young professionals, and another 25,000 download his sermons online. There are now three other pastors with the church as well, including David Bisgrove, lead pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church West Side.

Bethany Jenkins, a member since 2006, said the teachings of the church were what drew her to Redeemer, particularly the encouragement to doubt, question, and approach the gospel intellectually. “Inquisitiveness is encouraged,” she said.

On Tuesday, the church hosted an open house for members to see the new space. They were clearly excited, but also said it did not feel like a significant change to the church as a whole. “It’s like going from a renter to a homeowner. We feel like we’ve already been here but now we have our own place,” Jenkins said. In fact, Redeemer has been holding services on the Upper West Side since 1999 and has a significant following in the neighborhood.

Redeemer’s leaders say they want to keep an open door for the entire community, similar to the JCC and other religious and cultural institutions on the West side. Church representatives say they are excited to establish more of a physical presence in the neighborhood through events, lectures and volunteerism now that they have a space of their own.

The Ministry Center is part of a ten-year expansion plan for the steadily growing church. As stated on the expansion campaign website, “By the end of this next decade the goal is to have four strong congregations serving a total of 9,000–10,000 people, worshipping at 7-9 locations and 12 or more services around the city, drawing many more unchurched people into a relationship with God, and with a reputation for serving and loving those in the city who don’t share our beliefs as well as those who do.”

Despite excitement over the new building, Redeemer Presbyterian Church has had more than a few issues arise during construction. In February 2011, two ironworkers on the project died after falling down an elevator shaft. Several required protective measures did not appear to be in place, the DOB commissioner said at the time.

There have also been grievances reported by neighbors; one co-op building lobbied so many complaints that a Department of Buildings (DOB) investigation was launched (in which 150 W 83rd Street failed the audit).

Nina Teicholz, a resident of 139 W 82nd Street, the building whose grievances sparked the DOB investigation, said that many of their issues had been resolved, although concerns remained over the building’s terrace (pictures from Teicholz’s residence at left). The terrace, which Teicholz described as “ten to fifteen feet away from our bedroom windows, including children’s windows,” is designed to host groups of up to 75 people and is connected to a room that can hold over 200 occupants. “It’s just extremely close. I can talk in my normal voice and be heard over there, and vice versa,” Teicholz said in a phone interview.

Residents of 139 West 82nd Street are most concerned with the proximity of the terrace and the noisiness they expect once it is opened. The church and the residents continue to seek resolution on the issue and will meet this Thursday to discuss the matter again. Teicholz maintained that her building wanted to resolve the issue in a kind, neighborly manner and the church wished the same. Until a resolution is found, Redeemer intends to keep the terrace closed and has hung curtains over the windows in the adjacent room.

While still undergoing the finishing touches, the new Ministry Center is bright and spacious. It has a balconied worship center that can fit a few hundred people, in addition to floors of meeting space and classrooms. As of Sunday, the building is officially open to the public. It will immediately begin hosting four Sunday services at 9:15 am, 11:15 am, 5:00 pm, and 7:00 pm. In addition, keep a look out for upcoming community events!

Photos by Clara Marash. Terrace balcony photos courtesy of Nina Teicholz.

The Terrace Room