The American Church in Paris (formerly the American Chapel in Paris) was the first American church established outside the United States. It traces its roots back to 1814, and the present church building - located at 65 Quai d'Orsay in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, France - dates to 1931.
| American Church in Paris | |
|---|---|
Église américaine de Paris | |
 Street view of the American Church in Paris from the Quai d'Orsay | |
  American Church in Paris The location of the American Church in Paris | |
| 48°51′44.0″N 2°18′23.7″E / 48.862222°N 2.306583°E | |
| Location | Paris |
| Country | France |
| Denomination | Interdenominational |
| Website | acparis.org |
| History | |
| Former name(s) | American Chapel in Paris |
| Founded | 1814 |
| Dedication | 1931 |
| Architecture | |
| Style | 15th century Gothic |
| Groundbreaking | March 1, 1926 |
| Completed | September 6, 1931 |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 600 (main level), 100 (balcony) |
| Clergy | |
| Senior pastor(s) | Rev. Dr. Paul Rock |
 | |
History
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In 1814, American Protestants started worshiping together in homes around Paris and at the Oratoire du Louvre temple.[2] The first American sanctuary was built in 1857, on rue de Berri.[3]
The American Church in Paris was then, as now, an independent interdenominational fellowship, for all those adhering to the historic Christian tradition as expressed in the Apostles' Creed. It served both the American expat community, and a wide variety of other English-speaking people from different countries and denominational backgrounds.
Today
editThe American Church, or ACP,[4] continues to minister to many Anglophone Protestants in Paris, with multicultural programming, and a congregation coming from some 40 nations and 35 Christian denominations.
The congregation is led in worship by the senior pastor, associate pastor, youth pastor and a retired guest pastor who handles weddings.[citation needed] Its staff is also diverse in terms of background and denomination. It is run by a church council represented by a committee of ministries namely: Communications, Community Life, Christian Education, Development and Property, Finance and Stewardship, Human Resources, Membership and Evangelism, Mission Outreach, and Worship and Music. The building hosts two bilingual nursery schools, a variety of twelve-step program recovery groups, fitness classes, kung fu, basketball leagues, a free concert series, and an ad board for housing and job opportunities. Many more community-based services are housed in the church building.
Gallery
edit- The church spire and the Eiffel Tower
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The distinctive green spire of the American Church in Paris in front of the base of the Eiffel Tower -
The Eiffel Tower with the church spire on the right from the Pont Alexandre III -
A close-up view of the spire from the Invalides bridge, with the Eiffel Tower in the background -
The spire, center, as seen from the Invalides bridge
- Views of the Church
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The church entrance from Quai d'Orsay -
The courtyard, with the parish house on the right and the sanctuary on the left -
The altar and organ -
Interior
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Cochran 1931, Chronological record.
- ^ "L'Eglise de l'Oratoire Saint Honoré ou du Louvre". Oratoire du Louvre (in French). n.d. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
- ^ Cochran 1931, Chapter V.
- ^ "Welcome to the ACP — A Beacon on the Seine since 1857". The American Church in Paris. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
Sources
edit- Cochran, Joseph W. (1931). Friendly Adventurers a Chronicle of the American Church of Paris (1857-1931). Paris: Brentano's. ASIN B000J0NSKA. Archived from the original on September 12, 2018.
External links
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