St. Peter's, Manhattan

[John_Hannah]

Many here know of St. Peter's in Midtown Manhattan (Lexington and 53rd). Last night it suffered serious water damage from a ruptured water main. The sanctuary and most of the educational rooms are below street level so it was extensive, probably in the millions of dollars. John Damm served as pastor for many years.

[Weedon]

So sorry to hear of this, John. Kathy Weidmann often took us there on Sundays for worship when I was at Concordia Bronxville, and that was when Pr. Damm first came to serve there. The basement of Citicorp!

[James_Gale]

Many here know of St. Peter's in Midtown Manhattan (Lexington and 53rd). Last night it suffered serious water damage from a ruptured water main. The sanctuary and most of the educational rooms are below street level so it was extensive, probably in the millions of dollars. John Damm served as pastor for many years.

This report is from the congregation’s web site:  Link

[Charles Austin]

Oh, My!
We were members there - before and after the new building - and I was an affiliated pastor there during the time I was working in Manhattan.

[Dave Benke]

The loss of what Channel 7 called "musical instruments" included a lot of memorabilia and actively used instruments from the Jazz Mass.   We use three or four numbers from Eddie Bonnemere, who was a featured musician at St. Peter's.  So you know, they have lost 60 parishioners to COVID-19, and have not worshiped in person since March, so the whole process of pulling together is made that much more difficult for God's people there.

Dave Benke

[J. Thomas Shelley]

The loss of what Channel 7 called "musical instruments" included a lot of memorabilia and actively used instruments from the Jazz Mass.   We use three or four numbers from Eddie Bonnemere, who was a featured musician at St. Peter's.  So you know, they have lost 60 parishioners to COVID-19, and have not worshiped in person since March, so the whole process of pulling together is made that much more difficult for God's people there.

Dave Benke

Kyrie eleison x 40!

What a bizarre intersection with the Great Feast of the Theophany, which for the Orthodox includes the Blessing of the Waters.

[Randy Bosch]

So sorry to hear of this, John. Kathy Weidmann often took us there on Sundays for worship when I was at Concordia Bronxville, and that was when Pr. Damm first came to serve there. The basement of Citicorp!

That architectural concoction, "saving" St. Peter's by "burying" it under Citicorp - one of the largest financial institutions on earth - won many acclamations from urbanists and designers.  The image, however, was very telling - the conquest of the church by a megacorporation. 

Prayers and blessings to the members who faithfully carried on in that shadowland.
The plumbing problem may have been baked into the enterprise, given the incredible weight of that monster building pressing down on the infrastructure - and church - below.  How firm a foundation...

[Charles Austin]

Randy Bosch:
That architectural concoction, "saving" St. Peter's by "burying" it under Citicorp - one of the largest financial institutions on earth - won many acclamations from urbanists and designers.  The image, however, was very telling - the conquest of the church by a megacorporation. 
Me:
Where on earth did you get that “image”?

Randy Bosch:
Prayers and blessings to the members who faithfully carried on in that shadowland.
Me:
Were you ever there? Shadowland? By no means!

Randy Bosch:
The plumbing problem may have been baked into the enterprise, given the incredible weight of that monster building pressing down on the infrastructure - and church - below.  How firm a foundation...
Me:
I guess you never were there.

[Randy Bosch]

Randy Bosch:
That architectural concoction, "saving" St. Peter's by "burying" it under Citicorp - one of the largest financial institutions on earth - won many acclamations from urbanists and designers.  The image, however, was very telling - the conquest of the church by a megacorporation. 
Me:
Where on earth did you get that “image”?

Randy Bosch:
Prayers and blessings to the members who faithfully carried on in that shadowland.
Me:
Were you ever there? Shadowland? By no means!

Randy Bosch:
The plumbing problem may have been baked into the enterprise, given the incredible weight of that monster building pressing down on the infrastructure - and church - below.  How firm a foundation...
Me:
I guess you never were there.

No need to guess, I referred to acclamations from urbanists and designers, and to architectural photographers - often mood seekers rather than realists - not personal acquaintance.  I did walk by once...

However, always check the foundations.

--- I rechecked the photos.  Inside the church, fabulous!  Outside, more than shadowland, crushed by the height and mass of the tower.  Reminds me of the faithful churches in the catacombs of Rome.

-- To help your understanding of different perspectives:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2609257/The-New-York-disaster-never-happened-How-one-phone-call-architecture-student-saved-915ft-Citigroup-skyscraper-crashing-Manhattan-hurricane.html

[Charles Austin]

I have been in Rome’s catacombs many times.
I have been in St. Peter’s, Manhattan, many many many times.
I see no comparison at all.

[Randy Bosch]

I have been in Rome’s catacombs many times.
I have been in St. Peter’s, Manhattan, many many many times.
I see no comparison at all.

Yep.  Crushed by the weight of centuries and overshadowed by the now-ancient church of San Clemente above, three layers of Christian churches exist as "catacombs" beneath.  We were blessed by attending a Lutheran church service down at the lowest level (very small).  The Christian artwork on the walls survives from that early time.  The Episcopalians then running services in the above-ground church were unaware of our activity, except for collecting the minor admittance fee for journeying down the centuries.  Kind of like Boston Properties, current owners of the Citicorp Buidling on Lexington Avenue. 

[MEKoch]

Took my three kids to worship at St. Peter's on a Sunday in 1987.  They still talk about the worship service - the worship space and all in the middle of Manhattan.