The community that became Community Reformed Church first gathered in 1732, when 65 families in the Village of Lake Success, then part of Great Neck, began what is now one of Long Island's cornerstone congregations. The congregation relocated to its present home on Plandome Road in 1816, and the people who walk through its doors today are part of a continuous ministry that stretches from the era of the American Revolution to the present day.
Grace Without Shame, Love Without Fear
The congregation's motto, "Grace without Shame and Love without Fear," defines its posture toward newcomers. A member church of the Reformed Church in America, the oldest Protestant denomination with a continuous ministry in the Americas, Community Reformed Church sits firmly in the Reformed tradition while speaking to the present and the future. The welcome is intentionally broad: "Whether you have been a 'life long church goer' or have never stepped foot in a Christian church, you are welcome to join us," the church says. Visitors are invited to participate "at whatever level you are comfortable with (even if that includes simply observing)."
Sunday Morning at 10:30
Sunday morning worship begins at 10:30. The service includes music, teaching, and prayer, and a printed bulletin helps newcomers follow along. The pastor, the Rev. Dr. Tim TenClay, regularly explains the various parts of the service so first-time visitors are not left guessing.
The sanctuary draws on classic Reformed design. The chancel is split, with a pulpit on the left and a lectern on the right, with a central communion table and a visible baptismal font. Thirty-three stained glass windows line the worship space, depicting scenes from across the Old and New Testaments as well as the four gospel writers. A giant Christ window rises behind the communion table, and an amber-green window in the adjoining meditation room is the single artifact that survived an 1897 fire that destroyed the original 19th-century building. The current sanctuary was built in 1898.
The Lord's Supper is celebrated at least monthly, usually on the first Sunday of the month.
The Labyrinth Ministry
Community Reformed Church is the home of a labyrinth ministry founded and facilitated by its pastor. Pastor Tim is certified by Veriditas as an Advanced Labyrinth Facilitator and serves as a Regional Representative and board member of The Labyrinth Society. The church has offered open labyrinth walks for All Saints Day since 2019 and built a large outdoor labyrinth in 2020 that remains available to the surrounding community around the clock. Facilitated and private labyrinth experiences can be arranged by contacting the church.
Going Deeper: Thursday Evenings and Sunday Book Studies
For those who want to go beyond Sunday morning, the church offers two regular formation opportunities. On Thursday evenings, the Lectio Continua Service gathers people around a single book of the Bible for a verse-by-verse study led by Pastor Tim. The church describes it as accessible to anyone who wants to learn how to read Scripture more attentively and apply it to ordinary life. On Sunday mornings, after worship and coffee time, the congregation works through a book study together, open to all ages and levels of experience. No prior church background is required for either gathering.
The pastor is also available for discipleship coaching and pastoral care. He holds a BA in Religion from Central College, an M.Div. from Western Theological Seminary, and a D.Min. in Worship and Spirituality from Northern Theological Seminary. He describes himself as a "Husband, Father, Pastor, Baker, Knitter, Labyrinth Facilitator, Pizza Maker, Bicycle-r, and all-around love-to-learn-new-things-er."
A Campus with a Bell Tower, a Cemetery, and a 1956 Education Building
The Plandome Road campus is layered with history. The bell tower, one of the tallest structures in the surrounding area, was rebuilt in 2018 and houses a Chime Master electronic carillon that chimes at noon and at various other times of day. Lit throughout the night, the church calls the tower a metaphorical "light in the darkness" to anyone who may be in need of encouragement.
The Education Building, built in 1956, is in continuous use both by the congregation and by community partners including the Music Institute of Long Island and North Shore Nursery School. It houses a fellowship hall with a stage suitable for recitals and performances, the church library, and offices for the Minister and Church Administrator. A rotunda and meditation room sit behind the sanctuary and are used for fellowship after services as well as quiet reflection.
The cemetery, in use since the early 1800s, is a few hundred yards from busy Northern Avenue and Plandome Road yet feels removed from it. Some of the monuments recall people born in the early to mid 1700s, and the names of several of Long Island's earliest leaders are visible among the gravestones. Benches scattered through the grounds make it a place to pause.
Mission on Four Levels
The church describes its mission in four concentric circles. Globally, it supports RCA missionaries JJ TenClay and Angel Lopez and contributes to timely relief projects as needs arise. Regionally, it backs the Long Island Council of Churches Emergency Food Pantry, refugee resettlement efforts, the Long Island Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependency, and a number of other Long Island organizations. Locally, it collects clothing, funds, and donations for groups like Adventures in Learning. Personally, the church teaches that every member is called to use their own gifts, skills, and resources to make their corner of the world "a more just, healthy, life-affirming, grace-filled experience for all."
Two of the church's young adults, Sophia and Petra, organize an ongoing backpack and reusable water bottle collection that supports Interfaith-RISE's refugee resettlement work. Four times a year, the church hosts drive-through donation drives in its parking lot, making it easy for neighbors to drop off clean, bagged clothing and textile donations, backpacks, school supplies, and other items.
Giving, Parking, and the Commuter Lot
Online giving is available through Tithe.ly, and givers are invited to cover the processing fees when they can. The church also rents commuter parking spaces during the week in its George Street lot, about a five-minute walk from the Manhasset Long Island Rail Road station at Plandome Road and Park Avenue.
For those who want to keep in touch between visits, the pastor sends out a regular email update that anyone can sign up for.