In Search of Growth
Christ Church Riverdale in the Bronx experienced 13 percent growth from 2017 to 2021, and now it is adjusting to life after COVID. “There’s no magic bullet for growth,” said the Rev. Emily Anderson Lukanich, rector. “We experienced the growth from 2017, but with a change in leadership.”
Christ Church’s strength, Lukanich said, is that the parish reflects its surrounding borough. “We are an incredibly diverse group. Multi-language is reflective of our community, and we look very much like our community.”
Longtime parishioner Demitrio Acot agreed. “In a time of declining church participation and overall apathy, I believe we are sustaining and growing because we create real value for families and individuals. Our themes of diversity, welcoming without judgment or guilt, sense of family, and genuine support and care are just some of the reasons why people are proud to call Christ Church Riverdale their spiritual home.”
Acot added: “As a long-standing member of the Christ Church Riverdale choir, I believe we truly do our best to enhance the service and raise the worshiping experience of our fellow parishioners. The camaraderie throughout the years has been very important to me personally.”
The parish also reflects diversity in age, Lukanich said, from the “very little ones to our oldest member who is 98.”
Christ Church sponsors a generation-spanning Sunday school because “churches are one of the last places where generations sit next to each other,” Lukanich said.
The parish has a strong history of 160 years. Its well-known parishioners included Mayor Fiorello La Guardia and the New York Yankees’ legendary first baseman Lou Gehrig. Richard M. Upjohn was the architect of the Gothic Revival building, which was designated a New York City landmark in 1966.
“We are building on solid foundation,” Lukanich said. “Christ Church has been an anchor in the community for many years.” An AA group has met at the church for 80 years.
Christ Church, like most of society, is different post-pandemic. “We don’t have as many bodies in the pews, but we have a lot of people online,” Lukanich said. “The congregation is still engaged, but in different ways. We are connecting more organically, less programmatically.”
An inaugural post-lockdown step was to host small parties at the rectory. “It’s a mix of active members, newcomers, and some we haven’t heard from in a while,” Lukanich said. “It’s a great way to get to know each other. Small parties allow people to connect.”
Among the congregational events that haven’t changed are coffee hours and shared meals. “My people like to eat,” Lukanich said, laughing.
A long-standing favorite tradition, halted during the pandemic, has returned — the international dinner. “We brought it back after pandemic,” Lukanich said. “At the international dinner, everyone brings a dish from their country of origin. It’s potluck, it’s a small fundraiser. The parish hall is decorated with flags, and we invite community members.”
Christ Church maintains a long-standing relationship with Riverdale Community Center and neighboring churches for social ministry. It also works closely with the Northwest Bronx Clergy and Community Coalition.
The church’s ministries range from feeding people to teaching. Christ Church’s food pantry “started with canned goods in a closet and now we do it once a week,” Lukanich said. “We have a group that works with a school specifically for English-language students.”
The church opens its doors and its “huge parish hall” to the community, she said. Arts groups, music programs, and children’s theater are among those it welcomes. “We have music concerts four times a year, and that’s the place where I see the community come back,” Lukanich said. “We invite artists in. They know that when they come, they are welcome; when they call, we will help them. They might not know we are an Episcopal church.”
The goal, she explained, is “to reestablish our ties to the community. We can’t always help the people across the world, but we can worry about the people closest to us that it affects.”
“I think we are going through our challenges just like other parishes,” Acot said. “It’s not necessarily changes that have affected the church growth, but more of a sticking to our values, our commitment to our church, and — in effect — our commitment to each other.”
