Abyssinian/Annie G. Newsome Hs Ctr.

An unforgettable experience. The Sunday service at Abyssinian Baptist Church is truly inspiring—filled with powerful gospel music, heartfelt preaching, and a warm, welcoming atmosphere. The congregation made us feel like honored guests. A beautiful expression of faith and Harlem’s vibrant community spirit.

What a wonderful place of worship! The people, from the lady welcoming us, the couple sitting next to us, the ushers, and the gentleman explaining the history of this church...thank you for making us feel welcome. NOTE: as a visitor, you will need to go to their website to make a reservation. You can't just walk in to attend their service.

Turning away newcomers is awful. Open an overflow area, let people stand in the back, or make an area with a tv so people who make the trek over can listen to the word. I’ve never been to a church that doesn’t allow non members in, and when they just pass along people are members while saying there’s no room for new folks- it’s just sad.

Very disappointing experience. The staff was rude and unwelcoming, and no one made any effort to share basic information or help. We came all the way after calling the day before, hoping to feel included, but instead we were made to feel like outsiders simply because we are not members. To make it worse, this experience completely ruined our Sunday morning. The irony is hard to miss—this is a church, after all. If kindness, openness, and hospitality are core values, they certainly weren’t reflected here.

We are deeply disappointed. On your website, the “New Here” section does not state anywhere that attending the gospel service requires a mandatory reservation. This lack of clarity is extremely misleading, especially for international visitors. Three months before our trip, I sent an email asking how to attend the service. I never received any reply, nor any delivery failure or error message. Today, we were simply told that our email was “never received,” despite the fact that I had evidence showing I followed the correct process. When we arrived, despite our good faith, preparation, and explanations, no solution was offered, no empathy, no attempt to help — just a blunt refusal. This trip was carefully planned, and this experience meant a lot to us. Seeing my partner in tears because of this situation is something I will not forget. A minimum of transparency on your website and a minimum of human understanding could have prevented all of this.