Church of the Epiphany

“A clergyman (The Rev. Dr. McVickar), having occasion one Sunday in the autumn of 1832 to pass through Stanton Street, encountered throngs of idle and destitute boys playing in the street or lounging in the sun. Addressing one of the group with the question why they were not at Sunday School, he was answered that there was none; why they were not at church, that there was no church. His heart was moved at the situation of these children and their parents, and he reported the case to two Christian ladies, who at once placed in his hands seventy five dollars, saying: ‘We will have on that spot a mission church.’ A room was sought for in that vicinity, and with some difficulty obtained. It was a small, dark room over an engine house. Here were assembled on the sixth of January 1833--the Festival of the Epiphany--six adult worshippers with two prayer books, and a few ragged children who were persuaded to enter. Hence, the church then commenced was most appropriately called ‘the Church of the Epiphany.” 

--From an address given by the Rev. Lot Jones, first Rector of the Church of the Epiphany, on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the founding of the Church

In 1874 the church finally moved uptown. The Church of the Reformation owned four lots on the South Side of East 50th between 2nd and 3rd Avenues (228 East 50th Street)

A small wooden church, in poor condition, was on two of the lots and the other two were vacant. Epiphany and Reformation exchanged properties-Reformation obtained the Stanton Street property which it used for mission work and Epiphany finally had a stronghold uptown. Epiphany and Reformation merged their parishes. The congregation moved to 50th Street. The Reverend Uriah T. Tracy had been the rector of Reformation. He was asked to be the Rector of the merged church and he remained, becoming the Rector of Epiphany.

By 1893 the church was struggling financially after years of ministering to the poor in a poverty-stricken neighborhood. Bishop Potter thought a merger with another parish would be the answer. Talks were successful with the Church of St John the Baptist, located on Lexington Avenue and 35th Street. Epiphany moved to the 35th Street location and joined with St John the Baptist.  The Rector of St John the Baptist, Dr. Duffie, became the Rector of the combined church, and the new vestry was made up of equal numbers from both churches. The name of the combined churches was the Church of the Epiphany, as Epiphany was the older parish. Although Epiphany had heretofore been a free church, in order to stay financially solvent, every other pew was rented.

Epiphany celebrated its 100th Anniversary the first week of 1933. The parish children had their own party on Wednesday the 4th, complete with entertainment. Friday, January 6th, a parish social was held and more than one hundred people were present at “one of the most enjoyable times” the parish had ever had. Epiphany held its Anniversary service on Sunday, January 8th. The church was full of parishioners and friends. Bishop Jones, grandson of Rev. Lot Jones was present, as were Mr. Crocker, Dr. Suter, the man who had been called to succeed Rev. Crocker, and many former curates. Bishop Manning gave the sermon. The Bishop praised Rev. Crocker for his devoted ministry to Epiphany: “The memory of his faithful loving and self-effacing ministry will not be forgotten.”

The early 1960s were years of physical growth for Epiphany. The congregation worshipped in an expanded sanctuary with a new chapel and listened to a new organ.

On November 3, 1963, the church dedicated St. Faith’s Chapel, built on the south side of the church, as a memorial to the Rev. William Tufts Crocker, who served as Epiphany’s 11th rector. The chapel was built with funds donated by Crocker’s widow. Three years later, on November 6, 1966, a columbarium under the chapel was dedicated to the memory of Arthur Allen Marsters.