The church is a double-height-over-basement stone structure with a rectory,[1] and is located within the Central Park West Historic District, designated 1990 by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission.

[3] The congregation was founded in 1868 after splitting from St. James's Lutheran Church.

[1][2] The church building, designed by the noted architectural firm of Schickel & Ditmars, who were generally responsible for the designs of Roman Catholic commissions or other clients of German descent.

"[2] The church's Bach Choir records hymns and liturgical music for Augsburg Fortress Publishing House.

[2] The church also hosts a soup kitchen for people suffering from AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.