Episcopal Church of the Incarnation

This is a nice church with some pretty windows and it’s quiet. There some curious statues upfront that I should have tried to decipher and will if I go again .I like old city churches.

I happened upon Incarnation while living in the Murray Hill area and continue to attend services even after leaving the neighborhood a few years ago. Incarnation is a welcoming community of diverse parishioners from across the New York City area. The congregation is very active and hosts a variety of secular and non-​secular events, including film screenings and educational lectures. There is a genuine sense of warmth from the moment you walk through the doors of this landmark building, but there is no pressure to participate in all it has to offer. Each individual can choose his or her level of involvement. The incredible choral music and the intimate 5pm candlelight service are highlights for me. I also appreciate the intelligent sermons from the Rector and Assistant Rector, who are among the most sincere and kind clergy people I’ve ever met. I highly recommend Church of the Incarnation for visitors & NY residents alike!

Not a Safe Church
Some people call this church «welcoming,» but I had a terrible experience with it – and in particular, with its Rector (head priest). A lot of Episcopal churches are only as good as their Rector. This review is just one person’s experience, so take it for what it’s worth. But it does seem to exemplify other things people have told me about Incarnation.
Shortly before the church’s Assistant Minister was ordained from deacon to priest at the church in December 2011, I reported what I thought was a rule violation on her part. Trust me, that was not an easy thing to do. I cared about this person, and about how reporting it would impact her career, and her life. I was an emotional wreck.
So how did the Rector react? In almost exactly the worst way possible. He called my mobile phone, told me that the Assistant Minister was «in a lot of trouble», and hung up without giving me a chance to ask questions. It sent me into a panic attack. What kind of trouble? Personal? Disciplinary?
Then, the Rector didn’t return any contact for almost a year, over the course of a painful, national-​level disciplinary case which ended up on the cover of the newspaper. He printed a letter about me in the church bulletin without asking me first. Months after everything was over, I texted the church to see if, in the spirit of reconciliation, I could take communion there. Not only did the Rector deny it to me, but he invoked his lawyers and told me to go find God somewhere else.
Not a hint of compassion. No diplomacy. Nothing to put me at ease that the Assistant Minister was OK. No outreach to see how I’d been affected by all this. The Rector was basically as unpastoral as you could be, to someone who really just needed a kind word.
I’d heard before that the Rector has very strong control over the Church of the Incarnation — he’s been there forever. I’ve also heard that he can pretend not to hear things that he doesn’t want to respond to. The church has a huge endowment, so it can support two priests, even though the congregation is relatively small. It’s the richest denomination in the richest neighborhood in the richest city in the world. So, I think, the Rector can behave however he wants — including dismissing a young person who really needed to be listened to. The national Episcopal Church eventually ended up paying almost $ 10,000 worth of counseling for me because of the trauma caused by this case. That might have been avoided, if the Rector had used a little bit of heart early on.
Religious communities can seem very welcoming at first, and Incarnation’s building and music are certainly beautiful. But just: beware. Often, under a pretty exterior lies an harmful core. Incarnation appears to take some people into its fold and make them feel very valued and able to think freely. That’s great. I’m sure a lot of wonderful stuff goes on there. But the Church of the Incarnation also has the capacity to wound people badly… so if you’re looking for a safe place, you may wish to find a different house of worship.

Went here for Christmas Eve services, and after having seen the place, I couldn’t understand why it wasn’t packed. This is a beautiful church… a great old building, beautiful stained glass… everything a church should be. The choir was quite good, and the service definitely left us in the spirit of Christmas… right down to the bells playing as we walked away.

I’m not an Episcopalian and never attended services here, but this church was across the street from my office and as such I would stop in here to check out the artwork. The church isn’t open all day — I think it closes to the public at 2 p.m. on weekdays — but the caretaker won’t rush you out if you’re in still in there at 1:55 p.m.
This church is definitely impressive. From the marble flooring to the carved pews, this place breathes history. The stained glass windows, with their depictions of angels and saints, are quite lovely, although my favorite was the huge mural over the altar. I also loved the quaint little chapel off of the lobby.
On Ash Wednesday last year, a bunch of my Catholic coworkers came to this church to receive ashes because the nearest Catholic church was too far away for them on their lunch hour. I went here too, for the same purpose. The Episcopal priest standing at the altar with his little bowl of ash didn’t ask questions, and everything seemed solemn and subdued. It was a nice experience, and it seems like a nice church.