An Episcopal Parish in the Heart of Astoria
On a quiet block of Crescent Street in Astoria, Queens, an ashlar granite church has stood since 1868. The Church of the Redeemer has grown up around it: a Spanish-speaking and English-speaking congregation, a Wednesday community supper that fed more than 800 neighbors in a single year, a Godly Play classroom that has shaped children's faith for more than two decades, and a busy calendar of twelve-step recovery meetings that opens the building to the wider neighborhood every day of the week.
The parish belongs to the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island, under the care of Bishop Lawrence Provenzano, and traces its roots to a small society of Episcopalians organized on August 19, 1866. More than 150 years later, the congregation continues the rhythm of weekly worship, formation for adults and kids, and outreach to the surrounding community of New York.
A Parish Rooted in 1866
The Protestant Episcopal Church of the Redeemer was organized on August 19, 1866. For its first eighteen months, the society met in a store on Main Street, where Holy Communion was celebrated on September 22 by the Rev. William D. Walker, who would go on to lead that diocese in North Dakota. The Rev. Edmund D. Cooper became the first rector in December 1866.
Plans were drawn up quickly for a permanent home. The cornerstone was laid on June 27, 1867. Built in a plain Gothic style of ashlar granite, the new church hosted its first service on Sexagesima Sunday, February 9, 1868, with a sermon preached by the Rev. Dr. Haight of Trinity Church, New York.
The congregation carried debt for years as it built out the building. On May 22, 1872, the Vestry resolved to add an organ chamber and commissioned Messrs. Odell of New York to build the organ. A bequest from the late Mr. Trafford paid for the square tower that rose in 1872 and 1873, along with a chime of ten bells. The society was finally free of debt and consecrated in 1879.
The sanctuary remains open every day for private worship or for anyone who simply wants a quiet place to sit.
Sunday Mass in English and Spanish
The Church of the Redeemer offers three Masses each week. On Sundays, an English-language Mass is celebrated at 11:00 AM, followed by a Spanish-language Mass at 12:30 PM. A midweek Mass is offered on Wednesdays at 6:30 PM.
The parish describes itself as very diverse, ranging from born-and-raised Astorians to people from across the United States and the world. Two Masses in two languages each Sunday reflect that mix, and both services follow the Episcopal Church's liturgy.
Worship is led by the Rev. Carlos Rendon, the parish's eleventh rector, who became the Priest-in-Charge in October 2025.
Wednesday Around the Table
Wednesday is the busiest day at the Church of the Redeemer, and the day is built around the community dinner. From 5:00 to 6:00 PM, the parish serves a free, hot, home-cooked meal to anyone who wishes to join. A typical plate includes meat, rice or pasta, salad, coffee, and other beverages.
The ministry began in 2019 and is led by Yolanda Jimenez and Cristina Acevedo. Volunteers join them in the kitchen each week, and Isaac Marquina serves as head chef, organizing the logistics. In 2025 alone, the parish served roughly 1,938 meals to more than 800 people across 34 gatherings.
At 6:30 PM, the Wednesday Mass follows, and at 7:30 PM a weekly Bible study gathers on Zoom. The Bible study is hosted by Fr. Carlos Tamayo and reflects together on the upcoming Sunday readings and other passages of Scripture. Newcomers and longtime students of the text gather to ask questions and grow spiritually in a supportive setting.
Godly Play for the Youngest Members
Children are a serious part of parish life at the Church of the Redeemer. Each Sunday from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM, the Godly Play program meets during the English Mass, welcoming children into Bible stories, wonder questions, and hands-on crafts that help them build a lifelong foundation of faith.
Godly Play is led by Sarah and Duane Jonke-Burke, who have faithfully served the parish in children's formation for more than twenty years. The children's education program overall uses a Montessori format that takes the child seriously and encourages participation through games and storytelling.
Children are welcome to attend Mass and to take part in nearly every aspect of community life. The parish emphasizes that there is no age restriction on participation in the life of the church.
A Building That Hosts Recovery
The Church of the Redeemer opens its doors to the wider recovery community throughout the week. A long schedule of twelve-step meetings meets in the parish halls, including:
- Safe and Sober (AA) on Mondays through Fridays at 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM, and on Sundays from 4:00 to 5:00 PM.
- Take It Easy (AA) on Tuesdays from 6:00 to 7:00 PM.
- Bridge to Recovery (NA) on Tuesdays from 7:30 to 9:00 PM.
- Codependents Anonymous (CoDA) on Thursdays from 12:00 to 1:00 PM.
- Bump in the Road (Cocaine Anonymous) on Thursdays from 6:00 to 7:00 PM.
- Clean Heads (Marijuana Anonymous) on Fridays from 6:00 to 7:00 PM.
- Abstinence Hook (Overeaters Anonymous) on Saturdays from 10:30 to 11:30 AM.
- Saturgays (GMM) on Saturdays from 1:00 to 2:00 PM.
- El Buen Camino (AA, in Spanish) on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays in the evenings.
- Astoria Recovery (NA, in Spanish) on Sundays from 7:30 to 9:00 PM.
The gatherings reflect the parish's commitment to service beyond its own membership, and they keep the building in use from morning to night.
The Vestry and Parish Leadership
The Church of the Redeemer is governed by an elected Vestry in the Episcopal tradition. Roger Krauss and Susana Castillo Silva serve as Churchwardens, and the Vestry includes Lucila Garcia, Luz Dary Martinez, Daisy Orellana, Camilo Villareal, Cristina Acevedo, Shirley Longshare, Duane Jonke-Burke, Flor Jerez, and Alma Rodriguez Bock.
Christian Education is led by Duane and Sarah Jonke-Burke. The Community Supper team includes Isaac Marquina as head chef, along with Luz Dary Martinez, Cristina Acevedo, and Nelcy Arias.
Father Carlos Rendon, born in Cali, Colombia, was ordained a deacon in the Episcopal Diocese of Colombia on May 14, 2022 and ordained a priest on September 16, 2023 by Bishop Provenzano. Before coming to Astoria, he served as assistant priest at Iglesia de La Santa Cruz in Brooklyn, New York, from October 2022 to September 2025. He is married to Monica Tatiana Muñoz Lozano, and they are the parents of a four-year-old son, José María, and one-year-old twin daughters, Alicia and Milagros.
An Episcopal Identity
The Church of the Redeemer describes itself as Episcopal and Anglican. The parish is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion and shares the historic liturgy, while leaving questions of doctrine and order to local discernment.
Episcopalians welcome all baptized people to communion regardless of age, marital status, or denomination. The clergy may be male or female and may be married, and the congregation governs its own affairs through an elected board known as the Vestry.
The parish lists four non-negotiable points of belief, shared with most Christian traditions:
- There is one God, who is a Trinity of Persons.
- The First Person of the Trinity, traditionally called the Father, created all things at the beginning of time.
- Jesus Christ, the human rabbi of two thousand years ago, is the Son of God, the Second Person of the Trinity, and the church's Savior.
- The Holy Scriptures, written by human beings under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, contain all things necessary for salvation.
Beyond those points, the parish leaves many theological questions open. The Episcopal Church is bound together, the parish teaches, by love for God in Christ Jesus, by shared traditions and experiences of God in worship and community, and by mutual affection. Mary is honored as the Mother of God with a special place in liturgical life, though that veneration is described as a local parish tradition.
Planning a Visit
The Church of the Redeemer sits at 30-14 Crescent Street, Astoria, NY 11102-3249, in the heart of western Queens. Sunday worship begins with English Mass at 11:00 AM, followed by Spanish Mass at 12:30 PM. A Wednesday Mass is celebrated at 6:30 PM, with the community dinner beforehand at 5:00 PM and Bible study on Zoom afterward at 7:30 PM.
Office hours run Monday through Friday from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The parish can be reached by phone at (718) 278-8093 or by email at redeemer.astoria@gmail.com. Father Carlos Rendon can be reached at CarlosRendon@redeemer-astoria.org. Services are livestreamed on YouTube for those who cannot attend in person.
Giving to the parish is available online through Breeze and PayPal, and pledged gifts are tax-deductible. A walk through the granite doors on Crescent Street leads into a congregation where the rhythms of 1866 still set the pace: a sanctuary open every day, a community supper on Wednesday evenings, a children's classroom humming with Bible stories each Sunday, and a steady welcome for anyone who finds their way to the table.