| Church of Sweden, New York | |
|---|---|
| Swedish Seamen's Church | |
Svenska kyrkan i New York | |
The church in 2024 | |
![]() Church of Sweden, New York | |
| 40°45′26″N73°58′39″W / 40.757142124°N 73.9774614°W /40.757142124; -73.9774614 | |
| Location | 5 East48th Street, Midtown Manhattan, New York City |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Church of Sweden |
| Architecture | |
| Completed | 1921 (104 years ago) (1921) |

Church of Sweden in New York (Swedish:Svenska kyrkan i New York; also known as theSwedish Seamen's Church) is aChurch of Sweden church at 5 East48th Street inMidtown Manhattan,New York City. It is a parish of theChurch of Sweden Abroad. Dating to 1921, it was placed on theNational Register of Historic Places in 2014.[1]
The church is currently open Wednesday to Sunday. A library and reading room (featuring a memorial plaque toRaoul Wallenberg) is located on the first floor, while the chapel,sacristy and children's room is on the second floor. The chapel's organ dates to 1986, the work ofTorshälla'sWalter Thür.[2][3][4] The uppermost floors are private residences and a rooftop terrace.
Its founding came after around 1.4 millionSwedes arrived on American shores between 1820 and 1900.[5] They found solace in these churches, where they could keep up with news from their homeland, collect and send mail and enjoy refreshments.[2]
In 1921, a year after a donation of around $250,000 from Henrietta E. Francis Talcott, the church was rebuilt in aGothic style. The donor was the wife of farmer-turned-millionaireJames Talcott, who died in 1916 at the age of 86. The new building was the work of architectWilfred E. Anthony (1878–1948).[2][6] Henrietta died in December 1921, aged 79; it is not known whether she got to see the finished building.
On March 31, 1978, the Church of Sweden Abroad bought the property from theNew York Bible Society for $570,000.[2] Theair rights were sold in 1981 for $1 million and paid off the debt.[6]
The song "Christmas in New York" was written by Billy Butt on the church's piano in 1979.[7]