In pursuing our mission, we seek to emphasize the following values:
Scripture -- The Bible is the inspired and inerrant Word of God, the only infallible rule of faith and practice. It contains the whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for His glory and for our salvation, faith, and life. We want to be a church where God's Word is learned, loved, believed, and obeyed (2 Tim. 3:16-17).
Disciple-making -- We want everyone in our church to grow continually in the grace and knowledge of Christ. Because of this, we intend to put much energy into Christian education and spiritual formation for our church members of all ages.
Worship and Prayer -- The Father seeks worshipers who worship him in spirit and in truth (Jn. 4:23-24). He invites his children to cry out to him in prayer (Eph. 6:18; 1 Tim. 2:1). We want to be a church that worships God with reverence and joy. We want to be a congregation whose devotion to prayer demonstrates our dependence on God’s power and our faith in God’s love.
Mercy and Justice -- God calls his people “to act justly and to love mercy” (Micah 6:8). We want to demonstrate the kindness of God through works of service to our neighbors, especially those who are poor, needy, or marginalized.
Neighborhood -- Some churches are called to reach out to a broad metropolitan region. We are not. Though we welcome people wherever they live, we understand that God’s purpose for us is to be a parish-based congregation focusing on reaching the neighborhood of Astoria, Queens with the gospel of Christ.
All Nations -- Scripture tells us to “make disciples of all nations” (Mt. 28:19) and that God is glorified when the gospel unites people from different backgrounds (Eph. 3:10-11; Rev. 7:9-10; Jn. 17:20-21). We rejoice to live in one of the most ethnically diverse neighborhoods in the world. We want to be a church that reaches the nations for Christ, a church where people from various backgrounds are not only welcomed, but also heard, valued, and empowered to contribute and to lead.