In February of 1963 the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered a guest sermon at Plymouth Church, then called Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims, in Brooklyn Heights. He spoke at the invitation of Plymouth’s then Senior Minister, the Rev. Dr. Harry Kreuner. In his sermon, which called for brotherhood and world peace, Dr. King […]
Tag Archives | Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims
Cranberry Curb Cut: Biggest Controversy at Plymouth Since Beecher Met Mrs. Tilton?
Over the last couple of weeks, many BHB commenters have mentioned the mysterious “pop-up” curb cut on Cranberry Street behind Plymouth Church. Sporting a freshly painted yellow curbline and signage warning that YOU WILL BE TOWED if you dare to park there, the “driveway” leads into the church’s playground area. A few, including your humble […]
Four Heights Houses of Worship on “Sacred Sites” Tour This Weekend
Four historic Brooklyn Heights churches–Our Lady of Lebanon Cathedral, Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims, St. Ann & the Holy Trinity, and St. Charles Borromeo–will be opening their doors to visitors this weekend (outside of normal service hours) as part of the New York Landmarks Conservancy’s Sacred Sites Open House Weekend. Our Lady of Lebanon, 113 […]
Heights History: Reverend Richard Salter Storrs
The Congregational Church of the Pilgrims and its founding pastor, Rev. Richard Salter Storrs, are probably the most underappreciated place and person in the Heights, because the church no longer exists. Plymouth was born out of Pilgrims, at Remsen and Henry Streets, whose members had left the First Presbyterian. The men who founded Plymouth felt that Pilgrims […]
Plymouth Church to Host “Community Conversation” on MLK This Friday
Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims will host a “Community Conversation” in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. this coming Friday, March 25th, beginning at 7:00 p.m. The Conversation will explore Dr. King’s legacy of public service and civic engagement, and will use as its starting point his sermon, “The Drum Major Instinct”. It will be […]
George and Abe Both Knew the Nabe
As we’ve noted before, in late August of 1776 General George Washington spent several days and nights here in Brooklyn Heights. It can’t have been a pleasant time for him: his Continental Army fought the British for the first time, and suffered defeat. Afterward, the weather was bad, though that would prove to be a […]
Update: BHA Annual Meeting to be Held at Plymouth Church
The 2011 Annual Meeting of the Brooklyn Heights Association, at which BHB Ten 2010 honoree Diane Ravitch will be the featured speaker, will be held on Monday evening, February 28, starting at 7:30 p.m., at Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims, Orange Street between Henry and Hicks.
NY1: Plymouth Church Featured in Underground Railroad Tours
As we’ve previously noted, Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims, at Hicks and Orange Streets, was an important part of the “Underground Railroad”. This was the clandestine system established by abolitionists, of which Henry Ward Beecher, minister at Plymouth in the pre-Civil War Years, was an inspirational leader, to help fugitive slaves escape to freedom in […]
Why is Henry Ward Beecher Wearing a Sash?
Gutzon Borglum’s statue of Henry Ward Beecher is bedazzled this week with a “welcome” sash in celebration of Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims’ announcement of a new Assistant Minister. Al Bunis, a Brooklyn Heights resident and member of the church since 1998, has been named to the newly created position. Official press release after the […]
Mr. Junkersfeld’s Omnibus Returns 6/11/10
This week’s video focuses on the PS8 Paddlewheeler Festival, as well as changes to Heights locations over the years, including many churches that have been demolished (and one, Plymouth, that has not). It’s good preparation for this Saturday’s BHA-sponsored historic church tour.
Nabe Chatter