A Church Two Blocks from the White House
New York Avenue Presbyterian Church stands in the triangle formed by New York Avenue NW, H Street NW, and 13th Street NW, in downtown Washington, just two blocks east of the White House and within easy walking distance of McPherson Square and Metro Center stations. Since 1859 the congregation has occupied the same site, and the present building has been the place where presidents, cabinet secretaries, and members of Congress have worshipped alongside neighbors who live, work, and sometimes sleep within blocks of the sanctuary.
The church describes itself as an inclusive community of faith in the heart of Washington, engaging in God's transforming work, challenging the powerful, standing with the oppressed, lifting up the broken-hearted, and making God's love and justice visible by welcoming and loving all. Its credo is two lines long: Expressing God's Love, Engaging in God's Justice.
From Two Congregations to One
The story begins with two distinct predecessors. In 1803, the F Street Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church organized in the shadow of the new White House under the Rev. Dr. James Laurie, who served from 1803 to 1853 and was an early advocate for racial equality in education and a founding officer of the American Colonization Society. Seventeen years later, in 1820, Second Presbyterian Church formed on the exact site where New York Avenue stands today. Second Presbyterian's roster included future presidents John Quincy Adams (later a trustee) and Andrew Jackson, and its first pastor, Daniel Baker, admitted Black members before leaving in 1828 for the South and Southwest.
The Black members of Second Presbyterian chose to leave in 1840 and formed 15th Street Presbyterian, the first African American Presbyterian congregation in the nation's capital. In 1859 the F Street and Second Presbyterian congregations merged under the leadership of the Rev. Dr. Phineas Gurley; the new building opened the next year, and the combined body took the name of its location, the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church.
President Lincoln's Pulpit
President Abraham Lincoln attended his first service at New York Avenue in March 1861, and soon afterward the Lincoln family rented a pew and attended Sunday worship and mid-week evening prayer. As the Civil War ground on, the President valued that Gurley "did not preach politics from the pulpit," even as the pastor's sermons and their frequent conversations shaped Lincoln's reading of the war's meaning. Their friendship reached a public culmination in the Second Inaugural Address and the famous call for "malice towards none and charity toward all."
The church still displays, in Lincoln's own handwriting, draft legislation dated July 14, 1862, proposing compensated emancipation for enslaved persons in the Confederate states, a proposal the border states rejected, leading Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation without compensation on January 1, 1863. The bells that sound every fifteen minutes from the bell tower were given in 1929 by Robert Lincoln's wife and daughter, with an inscription noting that Lincoln was "a pew holder and regular attendant at the services of the church," the only physical memorial to the President ever created by his descendants.
The Great Dissenter, the Social Gospel, and a Growing Congregation
For thirty years, Supreme Court Justice John Marshall Harlan taught the men's Bible study at New York Avenue. Contemporaries said he went to bed with the Bible in one hand and the Constitution in the other; it was after a Sunday morning service at the church that he went home and wrote his lone dissent in Plessy v. Ferguson, including the lines, "Our Constitution is colorblind, and neither knows nor tolerates classes among citizens."
The Rev. Dr. Wallace Radcliffe led the congregation through three turbulent decades beginning in 1892, navigating debates over science, Biblical criticism, and the Social Gospel Movement. He befriended William Jennings Bryan, exchanged pulpits with Francis Grimke (a co-founder of the NAACP), and served as a leader of the Presbyterian Church in the United States during the era's upheavals. By 1949, under the ministries of the Rev. Dr. Joseph Sizoo (1924 to 1936) and the Rev. Dr. Peter Marshall (1937 to 1949), membership had grown beyond two thousand, straining the old building's capacity.
Peter Marshall and a Church for Service Members
Peter Marshall, a Scottish-born pastor whose reputation for powerful preaching spread quickly, insisted that the church was not only for Sunday worship but also a place where service members could socialize during the week and where neighborhood youth could find recreation. In the late 1940s he was appointed U.S. Senate Chaplain, and some of his sermons, like his Senate prayers, condemned the injustices of American society. His widow's memoir and a 1955 film of the same name brought his name to a national audience.
Selma, Vietnam, and the Turn Toward Justice
The shift from a church focused on personal devotion to one centered on public justice came during the pastorate of the Rev. Dr. George Docherty, who served from 1951 to 1976. Docherty is the preacher who famously convinced President Eisenhower to add "under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance, an addition Docherty later said was meant to acknowledge divine providence rather than to claim America was always right.
In January 1965 Mary Docherty, the Senior Pastor's wife, and Thelma Odom, an African American church staff member, answered the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s call to join the Selma, Alabama voter registration drive. On a second trip that February, George Docherty and other New York Avenue pastors and lay people joined the march that led to the Voting Rights Act of 1965. In a sermon afterward, Docherty said, "We went to Selma, Alabama, to see some Negro folk and we found the Living Christ."
The church hosted the first two national convocations of Clergy and Laity Concerned about Vietnam, with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. among those preaching from the sanctuary. The crowd proceeded from the church to the Pentagon to present concerns to Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, then a member of the church. King asked to preach at New York Avenue on Sunday, March 31, 1968; amid tensions over the war, the session dis-invited him by a close vote. He preached elsewhere and was assassinated four days later, after his last sermon.
Poor People's Campaign and the Stained Glass
In 1968 New York Avenue served as the Washington Information Center and DC headquarters of the Poor People's Campaign, hosting leaders including Ralph Abernathy, Bernard Lafayette, and Andrew Young. The Rev. William Barber later introduced his revival of the campaign at the church in 2019.
The first-floor windows of the sanctuary, completed between 1968 and 1972, tell the Biblical story from creation through life everlasting, while the balcony windows affirm how the faith is lived out in the world. The Genesis window pairs images of God's garden with images that caution against literal Biblical interpretation. Another window shows prophets speaking God's truth to the powerful in the U.S. Capitol and the Kremlin, and the One Nation Under God window portrays immigrants, African Americans, Native Americans, disabled Americans, and women in leadership, with symbols from Abrahamic and non-Abrahamic faiths.
Women Pastors and a More Light Congregation
In 1979 New York Avenue called its first female assistant pastor, the Rev. Rosemary C. Mitchell, beginning a continuing line of female ordained pastors. Under the Rev. Rob Craig, who served from 1990 to 1999, a Task Force on Sexuality spent two years in deliberation, and the Session unanimously voted to become a More Light Congregation and join the Covenant Network of Presbyterians, affirming the full membership, participation, and leadership of LGBTQIA+ persons.
The Rev. Dr. Roger Gench served from 2002 to 2019, bringing contemporary theological scholarship that stressed the theology of the cross, drawing young adults and families downtown, and supporting the congregation's growth through small book groups, silent retreats, and Ignatian spiritual practice. His book The Cross Examen: A Spirituality for Activists captured his interest in community organizing and urban ministry.
The First Installed Woman Senior Pastor
In 2022 New York Avenue called and installed the Rev. Dr. Sarah Johnson Austin as the first installed woman Senior Pastor. Sarah came to the church from Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church in Dallas, where she had served as Associate Pastor and Senior Associate Pastor from 2013 to 2021; before that, she served at Pinnacle Presbyterian Church in Scottsdale, Arizona, and at Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago as a Lilly Pastoral Resident. A North Carolina native, she holds a Bachelor of Arts in religion from Furman University, a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary (where she received the John T. Galloway Award in Expository Preaching), and a Doctor of Ministry from Duke Divinity School.
The Associate Pastor, the Rev. Rachel Pacheco, has served since August 2020. Previously she served at Church of the Pilgrims in the Dupont Circle neighborhood, where she directed The Pilgrimage, a ministry hosting groups from around the country who came to DC to volunteer, learn about poverty and homelessness, and reflect on their experiences. Pacheco partners with the congregation in ministry to children, youth, and families, mission and justice efforts, congregational care, and the nurture and formation of the congregation, especially young adults. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Language and Literature from Duquesne University and a Master of Divinity from Wesley Theological Seminary, where she received the Laurence Hull Stookey Award for Outstanding Leadership in Liturgy and Worship.
Foundational Worship on Sundays at Ten
Sunday worship at New York Avenue begins at 10 a.m. and lasts about one hour and fifteen minutes. Each service includes music, a children's moment, prayer, a sermon, and a parting blessing. Worship Play, available on most Sundays for children ages three through third grade, lets young worshipers leave the sanctuary during the sermon and return afterward. The service is also offered online via Zoom and YouTube, with a designated off-camera section in the sanctuary for those who prefer not to appear on the livestream.
Programming for children, youth, and adults takes place at 9 a.m. from Labor Day through Memorial Day: preschool through fourth grade meet on the fifth floor, middle school on the second floor, high school on the first floor, and adults gather for Adult Conversation Hour in the Docherty Center on the first floor. After worship, the congregation gathers for coffee and refreshments at the back of the sanctuary, or in front of the church at Triangle Park on sunny days.
Music that Draws from a Wide Repertoire
Under the direction of Director of Music and Organist Robert Baird, who also serves as Dean of the DC Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, the music ministry draws from traditional hymns, gospel music, and classical masterpieces. The chancel choir is supported by Soprano Choral Associate Whitney McColley (who also coordinates children and youth music), Tenor Choral Associate Steven Murray, Bass Choral Associate David Oluwo, and Alto Choral Associate Maggie Ramsey. The sanctuary's organ and choir are a frequent host for recitals and special programs, including the annual Installation of Officers and Members' Recital of the DC Chapter of the American Guild of Organists. Dr. Stan Engebretson serves as Director of Music Emeritus.
Children, Youth, and the Nursery
Sunday School at New York Avenue meets at 9 a.m. from Labor Day through Memorial Day and is divided by age: Preschool and Kindergarten, Lower Elementary (grades 1 to 2), Upper Elementary (grades 3 to 5), Middle School (grades 6 to 8), and High School (grades 9 to 12). Confirmation, offered every other year and paralleling the school year, is designed for students in grades 8 through 12. Each student is paired with a church member mentor, and the program explores the Bible, theology, worship, prayer, and discipleship.
The nursery is available at 8:45 a.m. through worship on the third floor for families with children up to age four, staffed by trained, certified professional caregivers. Children of all ages are welcome in worship, including all their excitement and noises. A dedicated children's space in the back of the sanctuary holds supplies and room to wiggle, and brightly colored worship kits are available at each sanctuary entrance for use throughout the service. During the children's moment, children are invited forward to the front pew.
Young Adults, Adults, and Small Groups
The Young Adult Ministry offers a supportive space for college students, young professionals, and others navigating young adulthood, with social events, engaging discussions, and opportunities for service. Presbyterian Women meets the first Tuesday of each month at a member's home for lunch and conversation. Dinners for 9, a rotating small group, gathers every other month to share a meal and conversation.
Prayer groups meet weekly: Sunday mornings at 9:15 (hybrid), Tuesday mornings at 8 (Zoom), and Thursday mornings at 8 (Zoom). The Wednesday Book Study gathers on the first and third Wednesday of each month at 10 a.m. on Zoom. A Work Stress Support Group meets on the second and fourth Wednesdays at 7 a.m. on Zoom.
The Adult Conversation Hour, at 9 a.m. on Sundays in the Docherty Center, introduces a topic each week for discussion or simply holds space for sharing joys and concerns. The conversation ends at 9:50, and no registration is required.
The Radcliffe Room: A Sunday Morning Breakfast Since 1981
For more than forty-five years, on Sunday mornings, New York Avenue has invited people experiencing homelessness to join volunteers in the church for refreshments, conversation, and hymn singing. The Radcliffe Room, named for the pastor the Rev. Dr. Wallace Radcliffe who served from 1892 to 1922, opens at 8 a.m. and serves eggs, bacon, sandwiches, bagels, and coffee until 9:45 a.m. Frequently, more than a hundred guests gather to share a meal, often served by neighbors and unhoused friends alike.
During their visit, guests may use the church restrooms, acquire clothing from the clothing closet (gendered options are available), and obtain transportation passes. They are also encouraged to join in serving food and drink, welcoming others into conversation, and joining in song. Donations of men's clothing, bananas, oranges, lemonade mix, and coffee grounds are always welcome, and a $250 donation can sponsor a meal.
Community Club: Six Decades of Mentorship
Community Club, founded in the early 1960s, pairs students from Washington, DC public and charter schools with adult volunteers for one-on-one mentoring. Every Thursday at 7 p.m. during the school year, Peter Marshall Hall fills with more than a hundred seventh through twelfth graders and more than a hundred tutors working on homework, longer-term school projects, and college applications. At 8 p.m. work concludes and the room hears announcements, including the latest scholarship and college acceptances, with younger students applauding the seniors' achievements.
Students and tutors spend an October weekend together at Prince William Forest State Park, where they bond through hikes, arts and crafts, sports, skits, and shared camp chores. A tutor workshop, monthly stipends for students in grades 9 through 12 who maintain good grades and steady attendance, and a graduation ceremony in May that fills the sanctuary with tutors, students, and families are part of the rhythm of the program. Graduates are eligible for the Club's college scholarships.
Cuba and Kenya: Beyond City and Nation
Since 1999 New York Avenue has been in partnership with the First Presbyterian-Reformed Church of Havana, Cuba, an arrangement made formal in May 2005. The relationship affirms the unity of the Presbyterian Church under Jesus Christ through mutual exchange of people, communication, spiritual understanding, Christian education, theology, cultural understanding, financial support, and political understanding. Most years, members of several local Presbyterian churches travel to Cuba to deliver supplies and build relationships; a yearly trip visits First Havana, where visitors stay in the church's dorms.
Each spring the Cuba Partners Committee holds a supply drive for the partner church. The current wish list emphasizes powdered milk, over-the-counter medicines, and batteries, along with vitamins and toiletries. Goods are shipped directly to New York Avenue through a Target registry, and funds and airline baggage fees can be given online through the church's partner in the project, Church of the Pilgrims. The supplies stock First Havana's medical clinic and store, both provided at no charge to church members and the local community.
Since 2007 New York Avenue has partnered with the Njoro Presbyterian Church of East Africa (P.C.E.A.) to support the Njoro Orphan and Vulnerable Children Program. The program provides nutritious meals, clothing, educational supplies (uniforms, shoes, schoolbags, books, writing materials), school fees, sports shoes, tutoring, and physical fitness materials to about thirty-five children. Assistance is also extended to the relatives and foster families caring for the children, including corn flour for those facing economic hardship.
Justice, Returning Citizens, and the Wider District
The Justice Committee, a board chaired by an elected member, discerns and oversees the mission and justice work of the church. New York Avenue is part of the Returning Citizens Assistance Network (RCAN), a coalition of Washington, DC congregations that responds to requests from the DC Public Defender Service for short-term assistance to clients reentering society. Help includes clothing and food for those just out of prison, informal life-skills counseling, help finding an apartment or paying application fees and security deposits, sending books to those still incarcerated, collecting furniture for new apartments, eviction-prevention funds, help with official documents, and assistance finding work.
In 2019 New York Avenue entered into an agreement with the City and the Downtown Business Improvement District to host the Downtown Day Services Center in its renovated basement. The Center offers a single point of access for residents of Washington experiencing homelessness, providing help applying for housing, obtaining IDs, accessing other services, restrooms, showers, laundry, phone charging, emergency clothing, and lunch. In winter months, a first-floor room has been used as a Warming Center.
New York Avenue also works with the McClendon Center, a professional socialization program for adults in Washington affected by mental illness that has provided therapy, skills training, arts instruction, and peer conversation to dozens of individuals five days a week for nearly fifty years. The McClendon Center grew out of the ministry of the Rev. Dr. Jack McClendon, the Associate Pastor from 1957 to 1991, whose friendship with the Rev. Dr. George Docherty and dedication to the souls under his care inspired three of the church's longest-running ministries.
The McClendon Scholar Program
Since 2006 the McClendon Scholar-In-Residence Program has brought theologians, ethicists, Biblical scholars, pastors, and political leaders to share their insights with New York Avenue and the wider Washington faith community. The program has hosted Walter Brueggemann (its first scholar), James Cone, Bryan Stevenson, Ellen Davis, Senator Chris Coons, E.J. Dionne, Taylor Branch, James Forman Jr., Raphael Warnock, Kelly Brown Douglas, and William Barber. Programs typically feature a sermon at Sunday worship and a public lecture or conversation during the week, and recordings of past events are available online.
The program is directed by Theo Brown and supported by the McClendon Scholar-in-Residence Board. Heather Brady, a Field Education Seminarian, also preaches regularly from the New York Avenue pulpit.
Pastoral Care, Funerals, and the Columbarium
The pastors and a team of deacons offer spiritual, emotional, and relational support to the congregation and the wider community. Deacons visit the sick, elderly, bereaved, homebound, and those in nursing facilities, coordinating memorial services and delivering flowers. Prayer requests submitted through the church reach the Deacons; requests marked confidential are handled with discretion. A Visitation Ministry sends a team to hospitals, nursing homes, and homebound members.
Pastors work closely with families to plan funeral and memorial services, in either the Sanctuary or the Lincoln Chapel (which has Tiffany windows and seats about sixty). Members of the church also have the opportunity to be interred in the church's own Columbarium, a sacred place for the cremated remains of loved ones.
A Building Full of History
The sanctuary seats approximately seven hundred on the lower level, plus balcony seating, and the Lincoln Chapel, with its Tiffany windows, seats about one hundred. Peter Marshall Hall accommodates 510 standing or 250 seated theater-style. The Radcliffe Room holds 240 standing or 111 seated using a mix of pews and chairs. For smaller gatherings, the John Quincy Adams Room, the Lincoln Parlor, and the Docherty Center each seat about thirty-five to forty people. Building use is available for events from concerts to recurring meetings, with reservations accepted at least one month in advance.
Weddings, for both members and non-members, can be held in the Sanctuary, the Lincoln Chapel, and reception rooms. Many reception venues and hotels are within walking distance in downtown DC. Giving is available online or by mail.
Welcome at the Doors
Newcomers reach the Sanctuary by either of two entrances: the outside stairs at the back, or the New York Avenue side entrance, where the elevator or stairs lead to the second floor and the front of the Sanctuary on either side of the pulpit. The accessible entrance is on the New York Avenue side of the building, with elevator access to all floors. Assisted Listening Devices are available at the back of the sanctuary, including a wireless receiver, headphones, and a t-coil adapter for hearing aids; ushers can assist.
A gender-neutral restroom is available on the second floor, just outside the Sanctuary doors on the New York Avenue side of the building. Free street parking is available on the surrounding streets, and a bike share station is right around the corner.
Members and visitors dress in a range of styles, from "Sunday Best" to blue jeans and T-shirts. Children are welcome in worship, including all their excitement and noises. A greeter at the Lincoln Pew in the front of the Sanctuary shares information about the church's history and current missions.
New York Avenue is part of the More Light Presbyterians and the Covenant Network of Presbyterians, working toward the full participation of LGBTQIA+ persons in the life, ministry, and witness of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and in society. The church is a member of the National Capital Presbytery and of the Washington Interfaith Network.