Church of the Redeemer, Astoria

The Church of the Redeemer, Astoria was founded in 1866, and is part of the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island, under the auspices of Bishop Lawrence Provenzano in Garden City.

Episcopalians (Anglicans) are the result of a compromise between late medieval Roman Catholicism and the Protestant Reformation in Europe. Our ritual is very similar to the Roman church but our theology and discipline are very different.

For instance, we give unrestricted access to communion to all baptized people regardless of age, marital status, denomination, or anything else. Our clergy can be both male and female and can get married, and the congregation has control of the funds and operation of the parish through an open election process of a board of directors known as the Vestry.

We feel the children are very important and they are welcome to attend mass and participate actively in almost every aspect of our community life. Our program for children’s education is based on a Montessori format, using models of education that take the child seriously and encourage their participation via games and storytelling.

We have masses in English and Spanish, but our community is very diverse, running the whole spectrum from born-and-raised Astorians to people from all over the US and the world. We have an emphasis on service to the wider community in New York and run programs accordingly.