After the flames, a New York church returns to Christmas -- and to itself

The Middle Collegiate Church, a centuries-old space in New York City's East Village, will hold its first in-person Christmas Eve service after a six-alarm fire destroyed the building in 2020.

Founded by Dutch Protestants in 1628, the church is the oldest continuous Protestant congregation in North America. For generations, it has served as a hub for charity and community, hosting food and clothing drives, offering financial support during the coronavirus pandemic and being a space of gathering for congregants.

"The Middle Church has always been a front for justice and taking care of families," Senior Pastor Reverend Doctor Jacqueline Lewis told NPR's Morning Edition.

Lewis, who has led the congregation for 22 years, said the fire marked one of the church's biggest transformations. Flames from a vacant building next door spread to the church, destroying the church.

"The fire was hot and fast and our tears were falling in the rain and we were weeping and just watching our memories, watching our stuff, our memories burned out," Reverend Lewis said.

The church officially reopened on Easter this year, following a long rebuilding process of the social hall and classroom space that was right next door to the old church. While the new sanctuary is smaller, the service is available to livestream with new updated audio and visual equipment.

"This space, though smaller, actually has a bigger electronic footprint, a digital footprint," Lewis said.

Reverend Lewis said her Christmas sermon is focused on reminding people of the power of rebuilding together.

"We all have the power, to make love a public ethic, to change our neighborhoods, our families, our communities with love, not hate, with peace, not outsized power," she said. "And therefore, we can all get some joy because the world gets better.

Listen to the full interview by clicking on the blue play button above.

The digital version of this interview was edited by Majd Al-Waheidi.