In early June 2021, the youth of Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church (LAPC) in Brooklyn led a Community Walk-A-Thon in nearby Fort Greene Park. The event's purpose was to raise critically-needed funds for LAPC's Opening Doors Capital Campaign to restore our church's welcoming doors and iconic study tower, and make major structural repairs to our foundation and main façade.
Donations are still being gratefully accepted for the Walk-A-Thon!
Founded in 1857, LAPC is an historic church known for its abolitionist roots and continued commitment to social justice. The locally-beloved building is situated over the G train line running up Lafayette Avenue. After 100 years of subway vibrations, the tower wall, building foundation, and many other structural elements are showing signs of serious deterioration. The church's youth are focused on helping fund the tower and other repairs because the church is a highly-visible, recognizable landmark in our Fort Greene community. Help us to restore our church!
The Opening Doors Capital Campaign is the next phase of an ongoing and comprehensive body of restoration work. Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church is starting this capital campaign to fund this necessary work, set in motion with a large, $250,000 matching grant from the National Fund for Sacred Places. Matching gift: For every $2 that was given to this event, the National Fund augmented your donation with an additional $1!
How Does it Work? Although the event has passed, you may still make a contribution! As a sponsor, you click on a child's name (on the Leaders List on the upper left of this screen), determine how much you will donate, and complete your pledge online. The amount will immediately be added to the "Amount Raised" tally above! Thank you very much!
MORE ABOUT LAPC
& OUR YOUTH
When the Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church was founded in 1857, the issue of slavery dominated the national debate, and the congregation came together with racial progress at the core of its purpose. It continues as a multi-cultural, LGBTQIA-welcoming church family today.
Known from its founding as a “temple of abolition”, LAPC was forever destined to be at the forefront of the social justice struggles of the day. The first woman to preach from a Presbyterian pulpit did so at LAPC in 1872. The church’s second pastor preached a sermon that challenged the religious premise of the expedition of Christopher Columbus. The church was responsible for the opening of mission work in Korea. And today, LAPC continues to serve those in need from the U.S.-Mexico border to the thriving, diverse communities right here in Brooklyn.
Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, Reverend David Nunn-Telfort and the LAPC leadership have acted to protect our congregation by operating a robust offering of online worship services, Bible Study, prayer meetings and more. The church has supported communication and the needs of the community through its Mutual Aid Society and through the personal outreach of our church Deacons.
The youth of LAPC have maintained their Sunday School studies and connection to each other in virtual and socially-distant/masked/outdoor formats over the past year, and have also strived to express themselves in these turbulent times through meeting to stage their own protests in a safe manner. Our youth chose to produce and post art, and chalk up the sidewalk in front of LAPC with their reactions to ongoing events. The church is proud of our youth, their intentions with the "Restore Our Church" Walk-a-Thon, and the empowered way they seek to contribute to us all.