For a neighborhood so rich with families, Tribeca certainly seems like it would have an established Christian church. There used to be one, Mosaic Manhattan, that met at P.S. 89, but it folded in 2007. Some of the congregants continued to get together, however, eventually gearing up to relaunch as the non-denominational Lower Manhattan Community Church. They’ve been in beta, if you will, since last Christmas, meeting at P.S. 89. “We’ve been finalizing a style, coming up with a purpose statement, deciding what kind of church we want to be,” said pastor Ryan Holladay over a cup of coffee at Pécan. And this Sunday—that’s Easter, for you heathens—marks the official launch of the LMCC. Everyone is welcome, and there’s a no-donation policy for visitors.

Setting up for an LMCC children's event

The LMCC’s promotional materials—you may have received a mailing last week—couldn’t be clearer that the aim is to be as inclusive as possible: They tout “friendly, authentic people”; “a relaxed, informal environment”; “a place where people can feel comfortable”; “a place that gives, not takes.”

“We’re not hellfire and brimstone,” said Cara Marriott, another LMCC pastor who joined us. There are four pastors total; Holladay does most of the preaching but the others occasionally pitch in.

Holladay said that people who may not have worshipped in years can be assured that they won’t be diving into the deep end. “We want to be an accessible, easy-to-understand entry point into the historic Christian message, to help understand what it means to follow Jesus today and in everyday life,” he said. “And we want them to remember what it was about Christianity that they liked.”

“Christmas?” I asked. Holladay and Marriott laughed, and not just to be polite. They really were lovely.

A music rehearsal

Currently, about 50 adults are members of the congregation, but LMCC is hoping to get the number up near 500. There’s a 75-minute service every Sunday at 11 a.m. and an accompanying childrens’ program, Treehouse Kids, both held at P.S. 89. (And there’s an Easter egg hunt this Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.) Subgroups also meet weekly at members’ homes to investigate Christianity. For more information, see lowermanhattanchurch.com.

Do they plan on having an actual church building someday? Holladay shrugged. “Having a physical presence is less important than just having a presence in general,” he said.