Mission At Fort Washington Collegiate Church we take our Mission pretty seriously: It supports every activity, every event, every program and, certainly, every worship experience at Fort Washington. It was developed over time with the input of folks representing every segment of our congregation. So, with the help of God, our mission is: To welcome, love & nurture all who seek comfort, peace, spiritual guidance and growth; To prepare all through word and deed, for Christ-centered leadership in the Church, home, community, city and world; To celebrate our great diversity and rejoice in our common acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord; To recognize our need to give to others and to encourage sharing the gifts we receive; To honor our historic beginnings and seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit in the ministries of our Church. back to the top of the page

Worship At Fort Washington Collegiate Church we worship informally anytime we gather together. For a more traditional worship experience, join us on Sunday mornings at 11:00 o'clock. For those who prefer to worship in Spanish, there is a Spanish-language service at 12:30 P.M. Our Sunday services are comforting in their familiarity. Our order of worship is fairly traditional but the style is relaxed. Rev. Morris and Rev. Cruz strive always to bring God's Word to us in very relevant ways. Sermons are hopeful, inspiring and geared to helping all of us lead Christ-centered lives. Our sacred music program has a fine reputation in New York City and the Collegiate Choristers figure prominently into every worship service. With a vast repertoire ranging from Bach and Wagner to today's contemporary Christian music, our choir is sure to inspire you. Some folks who worship at Fort Washington prefer to dress up for worship while others choose to come to church in jeans. Clothing is not nearly as important as having an open heart when it comes to celebrating God's love for us and our love for God at Fort Washington. In addition to our regular Sunday services, we also have special mid-week services during Advent (the Christmas season) and Lent (the period leading up to Easter). We also celebrate Holy Communion the first Thursday morning of every month at 7:00 o'clock. This early morning service is informal and a wonderful way to begin the day. back to the top of the page

Programs The program life of Fort Washington Collegiate Church is a vibrant one, continuously changing to better meet the needs of our congregation and the Washington Heights community. These are some of the programs at Fort Washington. To find out when these groups meet or how to get involved, please call the church office at (212) 568-4014. Sunday Worships Bible Study Children's Sunday School Vacation Bible School - Register Now! Senior Adult Mid-Day Fellowship Christian Women's Fellowship Men's Brotherhood After School Tutoring Program After School Children's Program Police Athletic League Basketball Program Prayer Groups Alcoholics Anonymous Young Adult Fellowship Thrift Sales Computer Classes - Summer Session Youth Group Spiritual Enrichment Program Food Pantry Narcotics Anonymous Stephen Ministry Boy Scouts Girl Scouts Cub Scouts back to the top of the page

Directions Fort Washington Collegiate Church is easy to reach using public transportation. We are located at the corner of 181st and Fort Washington Avenue in the Washington Heights section of Upper Manhattan. Subway: Take the A Train to 181st Street and exit the station at the South end. The church is located directly across from the subway station. (This takes about 20 minutes from midtown Manhattan.) Take the #1 or #9 Train to 181st Street. (about 25-30 minutes from midtown). Exit the station and walk west five short blocks to Fort Washington Avenue. The church is on the corner. Bus: Take the M100, Bx7, Bx11, Bx36, Bx3, Bx13 or Bx35 to 181st Street & Broadway. Walk west on 181st two short blocks to Fort Washington Ave. Take the M4 or M98 to 181st and Fort Washington Ave. Take the M3 to 181st Street & St. Nicholas Ave. Walk west 5 blocks to Fort Washington Ave. Take the M101 to 181st Street and Amsterdam and walk west 7 blocks to Fort Washington Ave. back to the top of the page

History The Collegiate Church is the oldest Protestant church - and the oldest corporation - in the United States. In 1623 there were enough people scattered up and down the Hudson river that church leaders in Holland sent two lay people across the ocean to serve as readers of the Word and comforters of the sick. Within five years, a minister, Rev. Jonas Michaelius, was called to formally organize the first church on the island of Manhattan (New Amsterdam). Since the summer of 1628, the Collegiate Church has provided worship services to Manhattan residents every Sunday.     The word "collegiate" was taken by the Church in the early days when the ministers shared the responsibilities of serving several scattered houses of worship. Today, our ministers still form the collegiality as ministerial colleagues, with one board (our Consistory) responsible for the ministry of our four congregations: Fort Washington Collegiate, Middle Collegiate, West End Collegiate and Marble Collegiate. To find out more about the history of the Collegiate church, please visit the Collegiate Church Corporation online. back to the top of the page

Links The Collegiate Church Corporation Marble Collegiate Church West End Collegiate Church Middle Collegiate Church The Reformed Church in America back to the top of the page

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