Our History
Our Landmark Church: Then & Now
In 1865, at the close of the Civil War, the Rev. Dr. Robert Shaw Howland, rector of Church of Holy Apostles (now on West 29th Street), founded our congregation, leading services at the Rutgers Female Institute at 42nd Street and Fifth Avenue. Three years later, Church of the Heavenly Rest was formally established, its name a memorial to soldiers felled in that recent conflict. The congregation then created our first worship space three blocks north, at 551 Fifth Avenue – later described as “one of the fashionable shrines” of our city. There, Heavenly Rest earned a reputation for benevolence, providing meals, shelter, and support to the needy. READ MORE…
Art Deco Stained Glass Window
Thanks to our low-rise neighbors, sunlight still illuminates our glorious stained-glass windows, created in an Art & Crafts style by the famous English glassworks Whitefriars Ltd. Those on the north and south sides of the nave present the principal events of the Christian year; a rose window glows above the reredos, while a tall arched West Window pours in jewel-toned light over the church entrance. READ MORE…
Organs
As a congregation that has long valued beautiful music, we are fortunate to have two pipe organs at Heavenly Rest. The Nave Organ at Heavenly Rest is one of the largest in the city, a magnificent 137-rank Austin Organ with over 8000 pipes and a 5-manual console built for us by Guilbault-Therien of Quebec. READ MORE…