The Brighton Heights Reformed Church has stood on St. Mark's Place on Staten Island's north shore since the 1860s, and the congregation itself reaches back even further. What began as worship services held inside the walls of an early nineteenth-century quarantine station grew into an independent Reformed congregation in 1823, eventually settling in Brighton Heights in 1864 and rebuilding on the same ground after a 1996 fire destroyed the original building.
Today the church gathers at 320 St. Mark's Place, Staten Island, under the leadership of Senior Minister Rev. Dr. Alfred Correa, DMin. Its vision is to create a community of believers who worship God and want to live by and proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Its mission is to worship, pray and sing together, organize programs of evangelism, provide Christian education for children and adults, give members opportunities to serve the church and the larger community, and practice good stewardship.
From the Quarantine Walls to St. Mark's Place
The story of the congregation reaches back to the early 1800s, when a quarantine station stood on the north shore of Staten Island between the waterfront, St. Mark's Place, Hyatt and Hannah Streets. Immigrants from Europe sick with smallpox, yellow fever or malaria were detained there. Daniel D. Tompkins, governor of New York State from 1807 to 1817 and later Vice President, became a close friend of the Rev. Peter I. Van Pelt of the Reformed Dutch Church in Port Richmond and persuaded him to hold services inside the station walls.
In 1818 Tompkins donated land outside the quarantine grounds so a church could be built, on what is roughly the site of a present-day Taco Bell. The cornerstone was laid on October 1, 1818 and the building dedicated on October 23, 1820. Five years later, in July 1823, the Tompkinsville church became an independent congregation known as the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church in Tompkinsville, with the Rev. John I. Miller called as the first pastor.
As Tompkinsville grew more commercial, the congregation looked for a quieter setting. In 1862 land in Brighton Heights was given to the church, and the cornerstone of a new building was laid on October 27, 1863. Completed the next year at a cost of $20,000, including furnishings and an organ, the new home took the name Reformed Church, Brighton Heights in 1870. A church hall was added in the 1880s and enlarged in 1922. Ten stained glass memorial windows were installed in the sanctuary between 1910 and 1964, and a stained glass window in the church hall came from Central Presbyterian Church when it disbanded.
On Friday, June 28, 1996, an accidental fire destroyed the 133-year-old building. The congregation met on the vacant lot on Saturdays to pray for a new place of worship, and in an act of ecumenical friendship the Jewish Community Center in Tompkinsville permitted the church to use its facilities. The first service in a former bank building next to the old property was held on Palm Sunday, March 23, 1997. Ground was broken on October 19, 1997. The Port Richmond firm Diffendale & Kubec designed the new building. The cornerstone was laid on October 30, 1999 and the Rev. James L. Seawood, the congregation's twentieth pastor, led worship in the finished building on March 5, 2000. The new church was dedicated on October 14, 2000.
Sunday Morning at 10:45
Sunday worship begins at 10:45 AM in the sanctuary on the first floor. Midway through the service, children and youth are sent to Sunday School. Pre-K through grade 5 meet on the second floor; grades 6 through 12 gather in the lower level. A Sunday Bible Study meets beforehand at 9:30 AM in the Consistory Room on the second floor. After the service, the Fellowship Hour in the lower-level Fellowship Hall gives the congregation a chance to gather over conversation and food.
Worship is livestreamed on Facebook and on the church's YouTube channel, so members who are traveling or unwell can still join in.
Children and Youth in the Building
The Children's Ministry is one of the church's signature programs. Children attend Sunday School during the latter half of the 10:45 AM service, with separate classrooms by age group on the second floor and in the lower level. The Sunday and Wednesday Bible studies, holiday concerts and seasonal events give children and teens steady programming through the week.
Prayer on Weekdays and Sundays
Prayer sits at the heart of BHRC's life. Mid-Day Prayer is offered Monday through Friday from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM in the sanctuary lobby on the first floor, giving anyone in the neighborhood a quiet place to step inside and pray. Two Bible studies anchor the week: Sunday mornings at 9:30 AM in the Consistory Room, and Wednesday evenings at 6:00 PM in the Fellowship Hall.
Music Across the Sanctuary
Music has been a long-standing strength at BHRC. The choirs have included the Men's Fellowship Chorus and the Women of Christ, joined by a BHRC String Ensemble. Combined choirs performed for the congregation's 190th anniversary celebration, and seasonal Christmas concerts have featured the ensembles and choral groups performing works like "Emanuel," "Away in a Manger," "December Fanfare" and "Little Drummer Boy." Select sermons and musical performances are available on the church's YouTube channel.
Consistory, Elders and Deacons
BHRC is governed by a Consistory of Elders and Deacons. The Elders are Quintilia Greene, Diane Heigh, Joan Rannie and James Samuels. The Deacons are Dana Blocka, Karen Card, Anthony Ferguson, Joycelyn Gumbs and Mary Jimmerson. Erica Minott serves as Treasurer. The Consistory can be reached at bhConsistory@gmail.com.
Tithing, Memorial Gifts and Community Outreach
Tithes, gifts and donations are welcomed online through the church's giving page and can also be mailed directly to 320 St. Mark's Place, Staten Island, NY 10301. Brighton Heights Reformed Church is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, so contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. A separate Memorial Tree fund supports a designated project. Outreach to the wider Staten Island community is described as a vital part of the church's mission.