The grand structure on the corner of 73rd and Madison began its life in 1889 when the sanctuary was demolished and a new one was built with the proceeds of selling the Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church property on 55th Street. The church had recently merged with Philips Church in 1898, a union that initiated the move farther north. The church house behind the new building, however, was left standing, and passersby can still see the name, “Philips Church” above the door on 73rd.
Initially, the church had difficulty finding leadership after moving into its new building, until the congregation was introduced to Henry Sloane Coffin, Jr. in 1905. He had grown up in New York before attending Yale Divinity School. He agreed to step up to the MAPC pulpit for a salary of one dollar per year. Under his leadership, pew rentals were abolished, outreach programs were started, and an innovative Sunday school system was created. With the expansion of the church activities, MAPC physically expanded into a newly constructed eleven-story Church House building, which was converted from an adjacent carriage house. There were classrooms, offices, two gyms, two bowling alleys, a roof garden, and a swimming pool. These resources were open to members of the community, outside the congregation. Today, there remains a gym, a nursery school, and a homeless shelter that serve the greater neighborhood.
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