This week we’re focusing on Saint Thomas’ longstanding commitment to 53rd and Fifth Avenue.
After the fire of 1905 destroyed all of the third Saint Thomas Church except the altar cross, the parish faced a critical decision: follow the fashionable trend and relocate to the Upper East Side, or rebuild on 53rd and 5th. The Rector at the time, the Rev. Dr. Ernest M. Stires, recommitted Saint Thomas to the corner where it stands today. The new building was dedicated in 1913.
And while we now enjoy a global presence and reputation, Saint Thomas remains a local parish at heart, dedicated to improving the community around us. Opportunities to help those in need include our Soup Kitchen, which will resume its mission in the coming months, our participation in the Ecumenical Outreach Project through which Saint Thomas, Saint Patrick’s Cathedral and Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church jointly employ a social worker to work with the homeless in our neighborhood, and our Grants Program, which distributes a good portion of its funds locally.
