Church of Our Saviour

In the year 1898, a young minister, the Rev. William H. Feldmann, like Pastor Frederick H. Knubel from the congregation of the old St. John's on Christopher Street, made a personal canvass of homes in what was then the outlying section of upper Manhattan. After three weeks of diligent effort, a meeting was called at the home of one Mrs. Peters, the front and back parlors of the house having been offered for this purpose. There were present about 15 persons and it was then decided to organize a congregation. A Sunday School was started on the afternoon of the same date with an attendance of approximately 23.

After a few weeks, it became necessary for this band of worshippers to find another place of worship. A vacant store was secured on what was then Kingsbridge Road (now Broadway) on the very edge of the city, with no houses for blocks. In the meantime an organization had been effected with 30 charter members. The new quarters, however, were inaccessible and the people near the place of worship were non-Protestant. A movement, therefore, for the purchase of ground was started, this effort having been led by John D. Feldmann and Peter Sackman. After much difficulty and following discouragement upon discouragement, the congregation took possession of their new Church home at 178th Street and Audubon Avenue in October 1899.

There were many trials through which these pioneers of the Heights passed, but they were not defeated. There stood forth through the most dispiriting days the loyalty of those who loved the work and the sacrifices of the pastor, who accepted a pittance of a salary and yet performed the work of janitor as well as minister. The congregation, with the exception of the first year of its existence, paid its apportionment in full and after ten years ceased to be a mission congregation. There were many accessions but also frequent and disheartening removals to other communities and, therefore, to other churches. Pastor Feldmann served the congregation for 15 years and 6 months. When he relinquished the work there was a membership of about 125.

Church of Our Saviour's Atonement

The time came when it became not only advisable but imperative for the Church of the Atonement to abandon the community in which a strong congregation had developed and where the membership had mounted to one thousand souls. The neighborhood in an incredibly brief period had changed utterly and the process continued. White citizens of our own and other faiths moved out as the Negroes of New York and from other sections of the nation poured into Harlem.

A lot on Hamilton Terrace was leased by the congregation and a chapel was built. In September of 1924 members of the Church of Atonement were holding services in this chapel, which was a temporary but necessary expedient to hold the people together.

Negotiations for a merger were shortly begun with the Church of Our Saviour, which was now worshipping [since 1925/1926] in a comparatively new church building on 187th Street [between Audubon and St. Nicholas]. The merger of the two congregations was consummated in June 1927. The former congregation of the Atonement, however, held services and conducted church activities in the chapel until April 1928, when they joined with the members of the congregation of Our Saviour for worship and service at the church on 187th Street.

On 16 January 1928, the merged congregation of Our Saviour's Atonement began the erection of our present edifice. On 16 December 1928, the structure was completed and the congregation took possession.