Our Story
A Spiritual Home in the Real World
Avenue Church NYC exists for people who are trying to live faithfully in the real world — not an idealized one.
We are a community centered on following Jesus with honesty, courage, and care for one another and our neighborhood. We believe faith should be practiced, not performed. Lived, not curated. Strong enough to hold questions, grief, joy, doubt, and hope — all at once.
On Sundays, we gather for worship shaped by Scripture, prayer, music, silence, and shared life. During the week, we meet in small groups, serve our neighbors, and learn what it means to love God and love people in tangible ways.
We are building a church where people are known, not managed — where belonging comes before believing — and where spiritual growth happens in community, over time.
We describe this as being “a spiritual home in the real world.”
A place to return to. A place to be formed. A place to be sent from.
Who We Are Becoming
Avenue Church NYC is in a season of renewed clarity and growth.
We are organizing our life together around four simple practices:
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Teaching — forming lives shaped by Scripture and the way of Jesus
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Tables — cultivating real relationships and shared spiritual life
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Teams — discovering purpose through serving alongside others
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Touchpoints — showing up consistently for our neighborhood
These are not programs. They are rhythms — ways of practicing faith that can last decades, not seasons.
As we look toward our 150th anniversary in 2027, we are not trying to preserve the past. We are stewarding a living tradition — asking what faithfulness looks like now, on the Upper East Side, in this moment of history.
A Church Shaped by Welcome and Justice
Avenue Church NYC is part of the Presbyterian Church (USA), and we are proudly Open and Affirming, committed to the full inclusion of LGBTQ+ people in every aspect of church life.
We believe the gospel leads us toward justice, hospitality, and repair — not fear, exclusion, or withdrawal from the world.
Our partnerships, preaching, and service reflect a faith that takes the dignity of every person seriously and understands love of neighbor as essential, not optional.
Our Story Didn’t Start Yesterday
Our roots on the Upper East Side stretch back to 1877, when a small group of Czech immigrants gathered for New York City’s first worship service in the Czech language.
The church was founded by Rev. Gustav Albert Alexy, a Hungarian missionary serving the Czech community in what was then known as Little Bohemia. From an initial gathering of 18 adults and 22 children grew The First Evangelical Bohemian Presbyterian Church, later known as Jan Hus Church.
Above the entrance of the original building on East 74th Street were the words “Truth Prevails” — a phrase associated with Jan Hus, the Czech priest and reformer whose legacy shaped the spiritual imagination of the congregation. Hus believed truth belonged to God, not institutions — and that faithfulness sometimes requires courage in the face of power.
That conviction echoed through the church’s early years. Under Rev. Vincent Pisek, the congregation became known for its openness — welcoming immigrants, crossing ethnic lines, and blessing marriages others refused to recognize.
Still Being Written
Our story is not finished.
We are a church still becoming — shaped by ancient faith and present realities, grounded in place, attentive to the Spirit, and committed to showing up for the Upper East Side with humility and hope.
Whether you are exploring faith for the first time, returning after a long absence, or looking for a community where your questions are welcome — there is room for you here.
Come be part of the next chapter.
