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Constructed of brownstone and brick, it had been built for the New England Congregational Church between 1851 and 1852. The early history of that congregation is illustrious. The pastor at the time the church was built was Thomas K. Beecher, brother of the famous Henry Ward Beecher, whose own congregation was nearby in Brooklyn Heights, and who, with his sister Harriet Beecher Stowe, was prom' prominent in the history of the abolition.
Built in 1852-1853 to the designs of the architect Thomas Little, the New England Congregational Church in Williamsburg is a unique surviving example of an Italianate style church in Brooklyn. One of the earliest Congregational churches in Brooklyn, it was organized under the popular minister, Thomas Kinnicut Beecher, a member of that celebrated and colorful family of New England preachers.
The church building itself is an excellent example of architecture. With a brownstone facade that echoes the scale and ornament of the surrounding row houses and tenements, the church is emphatically part of its neighborhood.
In 1894 a fire destroyed the church's interior, and it was rebuilt to a new design that incorporated the Sunday school rooms and galleries that we found so attractive when we purchased the building. Because of its architectural and historic importance the church was designated a New York City landmark in 1982.
By the early twentieth century, the neighborhood around the church badly changed and the original congregation had gone into decline. At some point the building was sold to a German Lutheran congregation. The Lutheran congregation, in its turn falling victim to the changing nature of the neighborhood eventually followed its members to Queens, and in 1945 we purchased the building.
Deteriorated by weather and water, cracks in the roof over the main sanctuary made the roof run the imminent risk of falling at any time. Immediately shoring was erected to brace the roof and the congregation moved into the chapel near the main entrance for Sunday worship.
The congregation's first reaction to the condition of the trusses was to stay in the building, not to give up or abandon what seemed to be an insurmountable problem. There were some practical reasons for this decision. First, as a local church with our membership drawn from the neighborhood, there were no other suitable meeting places available nearby. Also, despite the building's precarious condition, we needed the ample and flexible space that it provided for programs and activities. We could still use much of the building for the immediate future while we raised money to repair the structural damage. If we sold it, we would lose the space and resources that the building provided forever.
As a result of all our efforts, we raised in excess of $160,000 over the course of six years. We did not use a fundraising consultant, mainly because we were unaware that fundraising specialists existed. Nevertheless we made significant progress towards our goal. Although this was not all the money we needed, it was enough to begin soliciting bids from contractors.
The Light of the World Church, was designated by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission on November 24 in 1981. The Commission noted that this church building was important due to its significant historical associations with the prominent Beecher family of Brooklyn and the development of the Congregational faith in New York. The structure's architectural styling and appearance are also notable and worthy of preservation.
The New England Congregational Church, today Light of the World Church is a unique surviving Italianate style church in Brooklyn, is an exceptional example of a church building which has been consciously and carefully integrated into the surrounding urban residential surroundings. The building remains a significant element in the Williamsburgh streetscape and a reminder of the important role played by the Congregational church in mid-nineteenth century Brooklyn.