Park Street Church

The Park Street Church (built in 1809) in downtown Boston, Massachusetts is an active Conservative Congregational church with 2,000 in Sunday attendance and around 1,000 members at the corner of Tremont Street and Park Street. The church is currently pastored by Gordon P. Hugenberger.

Park Street Church is a historic stop on the Freedom Trail. The founding of the church is predated to 1804 when the "Religious Improvement Society" began weekly meetings with lectures and prayer. The society organized the charter of the church on February 27, 1809 by twenty-six local people, mostly former members of the Old South Meeting House, who wanted to plant a church with orthodox Trinitarian theology.

The cornerstone of the church was laid on May 1 and construction was completed by the end of the year, under the guidance of Peter Banner (architect), Benajah Young (chief mason) and Solomon Willard (woodcarver). Banner took inspiration from several early pattern books, and his design is reminiscent of a London church by Christopher Wren. Park Street church's steeple rises to 217 feet (66 m), and remains a landmark visible from several Boston neighborhoods. The church was the tallest building in the United States from 1810 to 1828.

The church is located adjacent to the historic Granary Burying Ground. It had its first worship service on January 10, 1810. The church became known as "Brimstone Corner", in part because of the fervent missionary character of its preaching, and in part because of the storage of gunpowder during the War of 1812.

Park Street Church has a strong tradition of missions, evangelical doctrine, and application of Scripture to social issues as well as a notable list of Firsts. Edward Dorr Griffin (1770–1837) served as the first pastor of the Park Street Church and preached a famous series of Sunday evening sermons attacking the New Divinity. In 1816 Park Street Church joined with Old South Church to form the City Mission Society, a social service society to serve Boston's urban poor.

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