The New York Buddhist Church (NYBC) was founded by Rev. Hozen Seki in 1938. They are a temple of Jodoshinshu True Pure Land School Buddhism, whose head temple is Nishi Hongwanji in Kyoto, Japan.

Rev. Seki was detained during WWII, but the church continued their activities. They performed services for people who relocated to New York, especially for members of a Buddhist Youth group from Honolulu, organized visits to and dance parties for Nisei soldiers, and provided accommodations for relocated persons who were Buddhist.

Charity performances held twice a year provided the necessary funds for these services, and at the same time they provided enjoyment for the Issei, who were suffering severe hardships during the war. In 1948, to commemorate its tenth anniversary, NYBC announced the establishment of the American Buddhist Academy, a university with dormitories. The unveiling ceremony of the statue of Shinran Shonin from Hiroshima was held on September 11, 1955. The church celebrated its 50th anniversary on June 4 and 5, 1988.

They are still active to this day and hold services every Sunday.