News and Trends From Brooklyn’s Houses of Worship

Francesca Norsen Tate, editor

Kate Taylor of Famed Musical Family Launches New ‘First Acoustics’ Season

First Acoustics returns to First Unitarian Church this weekend, launching a new season of folk and jazz concerts. Kate Taylor heads off the season this Saturday, October 3 in the McKinney Chapel Café on Pierrepont St.

Born in New England and raised in North Carolina, Kate’s dual musical heritage is one she shared with famed brothers James, Livingston, Hugh, and her late brother Alex. Kate’s roots run deep in the soul, gospel and rockabilly sounds of her southern upbringing and in the literate folk, pop and Appalachian stylings that comprise the balance of her family’s musical legacy. Tickets for the 8 p.m. concert are $25 in advance or $30 at the door.

St. Paul’s Church Celebrates 140 Years During ‘Open House New York’ Weekend

Open House New York, now in its 7th annual weekend, celebrates architectural beauty in New York’s religious sanctuaries, landmarks, and public buildings. As of press time for this column, at least three houses of worship in Brooklyn Heights and Cobble Hill sent descriptions of their participation in this year’s Open House New York, on Saturday and Sunday, October 10 & 11.

The founders and builders of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Carroll Gardens participated in the parish’s first Mass here 140 years ago on September 19, 1869. The church building is the work of famed Gothic Revival architects Richard M. Upjohn and Ralph Adams Cram. St. Paul’s Church will be participating in Open House New York, on October 10.

St. Paul’s Church will be open to visitors all day Saturday, October 10 and then Sunday afternoon, October 11. Activities scheduled for Saturday include both guided and self-guided tours throughout the day. The Rev. Peter Cullen, rector of St. Paul’s, will also present a Children’s Guided Tour from 2 to 3 p.m. The community is then welcome to an ice cream social from 3 to 5 p.m.

The parish community will be taking part in its own celebration right after Mass on Sunday, to celebrate its 140th anniversary. Doors to the public for tours will again continue from 1 to 5 p.m. that day.

St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church also offers tours and programs in conjunction with Open House New York on October 10-11.

Organ Mini-recitals will be presented several times over the weekend: 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Saturday, and at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Sunday.

Stained Glass Window Tours will be given on Saturday at noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., and on Sunday, at 3 p.m. Visitors can enjoy self-guided tours on both days.

Lecture, Outreach Fair and Concert Showcase Active Weekend at Christ Church

As part of Open House New York weekend, Christ Church, Cobble Hill features renowned architect Page Ayres Cowley. Cowley will give a presentation titled: “Christ Church — A Remarkable History and Building: Richard Upjohn’s Christ Church in 1841 & Louis Comfort Tiffany’s redecoration in 1916 — Upjohn and Tiffany, Collaborators in Design Although Seventy-five Years Apart.� Her talk begins at 2 p.m. on Sunday, October 11.

Christ Church, Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, is the first Richard Upjohn building in New York and is the oldest Episcopal church building in King’s County (Brooklyn). This house of worship was designed and built at the same time Upjohn was working on Trinity Church, Wall Street, and Church of the Ascension, also in Manhattan. Upjohn built Christ Church as his own parish church, and remained a member for 42 years, serving on the Vestry and as Warden.

Page Ayres Cowley has served for many years as a friend and architectural consultant of Christ Church, Cobble Hill. She is a founder and a principal of Page Ayres Cowley Architects, LLC, established in 1992. Her architectural practice focuses on building conservation, adaptive re-use and new construction in historic landscape settings and districts; and her firm has earned a reputation for its responsive, reliable and capable historic preservation experts. Her firm has received numerous preservation and design awards for their work on listed buildings. Recently completed projects include the Dyker Beach Golf Clubhouse rehabilitation and new addition in Dyker Heights. Her projects have received The New York Landmarks Conservancy’s Lucy Moses Awards. Cowley is presently supervising principal for The Corbin Building, part of the Fulton Street Transit Center, the restoration and rehabilitation of the Camellia House at Planting Fields Arboretum Oyster Bay and Central Presbyterian Church in Manhattan.

October 11 is a busy day for Christ Church, Cobble Hill.

In addition to architect Page Ayres Cowley’s lecture, the church at Clinton and Kane Street will also sponsor its third annual Cobble Hill Community Opportunities Fair from 12:30-3 p.m. This event has always drawn many neighbors from Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens and Boerum Hill. Participating are a number of organizations from Cobble Hill, which are partners with Christ Church in providing educational and cultural programs for both children and adults. The groups will highlight autumn and winter program offerings. As of press time for this column, organizations at the Opportunities Fair include Young Actors Workshop, Gymstars, Water Color Classes, Music Together, Cobble Hill Ballet, Health First Medicare, the NYPD/76th Precinct, Community Planning Board 6, The Dialogue Project’s “Speaking Across Differences�, The Arab-American Family Support Center, Cobble Hill Health Center, Long Island College Hospital, Vertical Players Repertory, Cobble Hill Community Supported Agriculture, Cobble Hill Park Tree Fund, Clinton Street Block Association, Cobble Hill Association. Linden Tree Preschool and The Neighborhood Playspace, and Christ Church will also be represented.

The Opportunities Fair takes place on the Clinton Street sidewalk and inside the church and school buildings.

The Canoni Chorale’s founder and director, Donald C. Barnum, Jr., has been very busy rehearsing his ensemble for two concerts taking place within a month’s time.

Last weekend, Barnum directed a concert in honor of the feast of St. Michael the Archangel, at a namesake church in Manhattan. Ending a week’s celebration, The Canoni Chorale, Artists in Residence at Christ Church, Cobble Hill, will sing Evensong for the Dedication of the Church, followed by Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, on October 11 at 5 p.m. under Barnum’s direction. The Canoni Chorale will feature music from the 16th to the 21st centuries.

Fort Greene Church Hosts Health & Wellness Fair

Health products and services ranging from free screenings, to insurance, assisted living and physical therapy will be available at Queen of All Saints Church’s Health & Wellness Fair this weekend. The fair, which runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, October 3, will include free giveaways. Health care professionals from several fields will be available to speak with fairgoers in strict confidence. Operational support is provided by the Office of City Council Member Letitia James. Queen of All Saints Church is at 300 Vanderbilt Avenue (corner of Lafayette Avenue) in Fort Greene.

Grace Church Bids Godspeed To the Rev. Sonia Waters

Grace Church/Brooklyn Heights bid a poignant Godspeed on Sunday, Sept. 27 to the Rev. Sonia Waters, who has served here as assistant to the rector since June, 2005. Mother Sonia begins her second year of a doctoral program in pastoral theology at Princeton University; she has found a part-time ministry closer to where she and her husband, the Rev. John Mennell, live in New Jersey. Pictured: The Rev. Stephen D. Muncie, rector of Grace Church, embraces Mother Sonia after presenting her with a gift from the parish community.

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