St. George's Church (Queens) facts for kids
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St. George's Church
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2016, with new steeple
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 Location in New York City
Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | 135-32 38th Avenue, Flushing, Queens, New York 11354 |
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| Area | 1.5 acres (0.61 ha) |
| Built | 1854 |
| Architect | Henry C. Dudley and Frank Wills |
| Architectural style | Neo-Gothic |
| NRHP reference No. | 08000143 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | March 7, 2008 |
St. George's Church is a lively Episcopal church in Flushing, Queens, New York City. It's a place where people from many different countries and cultures come together. Since the 1700s, this church has welcomed new people. The building you see today was built in 1854. It is now a special New York City designated landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Contents
A Long History: St. George's Church
How It All Began
St. George's Church started way back in 1702. It was a mission from the Church of England. Three missionaries, Rev. George Keith, Rev. John Talbot, and Rev. Patrick Gordon, helped set it up. Rev. Keith even visited the Quaker Meeting House in Flushing to preach and discuss ideas.
At first, St. George's was connected to other churches. Rev. Patrick Gordon, the first leader, lived in Jamaica, Queens. Later, Rev. William Urquhart held services in Jamaica, Flushing, and Newtown (now Elmhurst). Over time, these communities grew into separate churches. The one in Flushing became St. George's.
Early Buildings and Important People
The first church building was finished in 1746. Before that, services were held in an old Guard House. In 1760, a man named John Aspinwall gave money for a steeple and a bell.
An important person connected to the church was Francis Lewis. He was one of the people who signed the Declaration of Independence! He served as a church Warden from 1765 to 1790. His son, Francis Lewis Jr., was also a Warden.
For about 100 years, St. George's was officially linked with the churches in Jamaica and Newtown. But in 1803, St. George's decided to hire its own leader with Newtown. By 1809, St. George's was fully independent.
New Buildings and Big Changes
The church building was rebuilt in 1821. The current church, which is the third one on this spot, was built in 1854. It was designed by architects Henry C. Dudley and Frank Wills. They used the Neo-Gothic style, which looks like old European cathedrals.
The church's large tower bell was remade in Troy, New York. It used metal from the first bell and still had the original message: "The gift of John Aspinwall, Gentleman, 1760." The church even received a special paper called a Royal Charter from King George III of Great Britain in 1761. After the American Revolution, the "Prayer for the King" in the church's prayer book was changed to a "Prayer for the President."
A Church for Everyone
As Flushing's population changed with many new families from Latin America and Asia, St. George's reached out to them. In 1988, Rev. Dr. Franco Kwan joined to help the Chinese-speaking members. A priest also came to help the Spanish-speaking members.
Today, the church holds special services in three languages: English, Chinese, and Spanish. Readings are done in all three, and copies of sermons are given out in these languages too. This helps everyone feel welcome and included.
In 2000, the church building, the Old Parish House, and the graveyard were named City Landmarks. St. George's celebrated its 300th birthday in 2002!
The Steeple and the Organ
On September 16, 2010, a strong storm called a microburst hit Brooklyn and Queens. It destroyed the church's 45-foot wooden steeple! The steeple crashed onto two New York City buses parked on Main Street. It was rebuilt in 2013 and looks great again.
The church also has a beautiful pipe organ. It was built in 1922 by the Ernest Skinner Organ Company. In 1952, it was updated. The organ has 37 sets of pipes and can be played using four keyboards and a pedalboard. Phillip R. Lamb has been the Director of Music and Organist since 2015.
See also
