Early Missions

Early Missions of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church

Out of Frank Edgington's History of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church emerges several conclusions about what he calls "church extension", the process by which new churches were developed as the City of Washington expanded.  First, existing churches spawned new churches in the Nineteenth Century as members of established churches like New York Avenue and its precursors, the F Street and Second Presbyterian congregations, agreed to form the nuclei of new congregations.  In that fashion, New York Avenue was instrumental in the initiation of the Fourth, Westminster, Northminster, Covenant (now National Presbyterian) and Gunston Temple Churches.  This form of mission subsequently became the responsibility of the Presbytery.

Another thrust of church extension was the development of mission churches, Sunday schools really, in some of the poorer areas of the city.  One example is Bethany Chapel.  Immediately after the Civil War the YMCA moved to bring the gospel to the underprivileged of Washington through the Canal Mission.  That organization welcomed the offer of New York Avenue to provide Sunday school teachers and occasional preachers for the mission.  In 1873 this church built and equipped the Bethany chapel at the triangle formed by C Street, 13th Street and Ohio Avenue, NW, as a permanent facility for the Sunday school.  Membership in the Sunday school soom expanded from 75 to 200, and Sunday preaching was formalized.  As Mr. Edgington notes, "The ministry of Bethany Chapel did not stop at its doors but reached out through street preaching.  It was supplemented by a portable organ, cornet and other musical instruments."  (During World War I Bethany Chapel was outfitted with 80 cots, adequate showers, baths and sanitary conveniences to serve soldiers on leave from surrounding camps).

Bound to the Chapel was the Bethany Industrial School.  Several women of New York Avenue instituted the school, which met every Saturday afternoon in the Chapel.  Eventually it grew to include 32 officers and teachers and 33 students.  The teachers instructed the students in sewing so that they could make clothes for themselves and for others.  In one seven-month term, over 200 garments were distributed.

Faith Chapel, founded by members of New York Avenue near the Southwest waterfront in 1890, followed much the same pattern as Bethany -- first a Sunday school and industrial school staffed by members of the home church and subsequently Sunday worship services.  Members of the Chapel assumed a larger role in leadership as time went on.  In the case of Faith Chapel, its work was later absorbed by other churches, including Westminster in Southwest.

Information from Frank E. Edgington
History of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church
Washington: 1962.