Church Building and Garden
In a tree-lined neighborhood distinguished by splendid 19th century townhouses, PSUMC has a beautiful, oak‑wainscoted sanctuary that seats about 300 people, and an award‑winning garden.
Completed in 1915, the sanctuary has stained glass, a pipe organ and a small choir loft above the altar. There is an office underneath the loft, and a large basement level downstairs. The basement includes a kitchen, bathrooms, classrooms, and a storage area. These spaces are used in many ways: for the after‑service social hour, Sunday school, youth groups and all manner of meetings. The basement is rented during the weekdays by Beansprouts, a preschool program. There is no accessibility for persons who use wheelchairs; in the past, members have been physically carried up the church steps.
The parsonage is a beautiful, Victorian three‑story brownstone a block from the church. It was purchased by the church in 1910 for $8500 and has been used by every PSUMC minister since. As well as being home for the pastor's family, it also houses the church office, and is a setting for meetings and celebrations at the pastor's invitation.
In 1971, under the leadership of Rev. West, Faithe Davis, Pat and Monte Clinton, a rubble strewn vacant lot next to our church building was transformed into a beautifully designed and landscaped garden. The original design was by local architect Robert McMahon, who donated his services. In 1974, the garden won an award in the city’s Dress Up Your Neighborhood contest. It is one of the church’s most cherished assets, particularly on Spring and Summer Sundays, when coffee hour is held there.
In 1999 the garden was named the Schaef Earth Garden, in honor of Rev. A. Finley Schaef, who served our church and the Park Slope community for 25 years, and Nancy E. K. Schaef, producer, activist, and active PSUMC member.
We have just completed the first phase of a major renovation project. The old uneven brick area, which had major drainage problems, and the railroad ties-seating area have been replaced with an amphitheater shaped social space in the front and new planting areas.
Future phases will involve adding an accessible ramp and accessible pathways, replacing the chain link fence with an attractive iron fence and a central entrance, for an even more beautiful garden.