WHAT WE BELIEVE
GRACE ALONE. FAITH ALONE. WORD ALONE.
"We are all beggars.
This is true."
- MARTIN LUTHER
We believe that men, women, and children are rescued from the effects of sin purely by the undeserved mercy of God. It is by faith --a relationship of dependence upon Jesus that God Himself gives us-- that forgiveness and more become ours. Lastly, God's Word stands over us as ultimate. In it, He gives us the rule and norm for all belief, and through it He makes us aware of sin, fills us with faith in Jesus, and guides us in faith-filled living.
what we confess
APOSTLES’ CREED
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into Hell.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Christian Church,
the communion of the saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
AMEN.
OUR DENOMINATION
We proudly belong to the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, a church body founded in 1847. The word “Synod” in the LCMS comes from Greek words that translate to “walking together.” The term has rich meaning in our church body because congregations voluntarily choose to belong to the Synod.
Though diverse in their service, our congregations hold to a shared confession of Jesus Christ as taught in Holy Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions.
Lutheran congregations are confessional. Our congregations believe the Lutheran Confessions are a correct interpretation and presentation of biblical doctrine.
Contained in The Book of Concord: The Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, these statements of belief were transcribed and shared broadly by church leaders during the 16th century.
Luther’s Small Catechism contains essential summaries of our beliefs, while the Augsburg Confession gives more detail about what Lutherans believe.
CHURCH LEADERSHIP
JESUS IS KING
OSNY is first and foremost under the leadership of Jesus. Having forgiven us through His death on the cross and marked us as His at our baptisms, Jesus is the Chief Overseer of this and every other church. He's the true "Senior Pastor." Jesus then calls qualified men and women to serve on his behalf in the life of His churches.
PASTORS | ELDERS | DEACONS
Pastors and Elders are trained, qualified, and called servants who oversee the faithfulness of the local church in regard to her theology, mission, and the celebration of God's grace in the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's Supper. Pastors at OSNY have gone through a rigorous process of ordination, and our Elders participate in local training and discipleship prior to being installed into leadership roles.
Deacons are trained and qualified Owners who oversee and execute the general operations of life in Jesus' church. The word "deacon" literally means "servant," and that's what they do --serve sacrificially to make sure the details of church administration happen in a way that brings glory to God and blessing to others. Deacon roles include anything from non-pastoral staff roles to high-level lay-leadership roles within the church.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Our Saviour is led by a Board of Directors made up of our Pastor, Executive Director, Elders, and Deacons. Deacons on the Board consist of qualified men and women who champion the right stewardship of financial, material and human resources toward the mission of the church. Meeting together, and chaired by the Pastor, they oversee the ministry of Our Saviour New York by placing a healthy level of accountability on church leadership and operations.
OWNERS
Owners of OSNY are men and women who, feeling compelled by God and after having undergone a time of training and maturing, make a public commitment to live as an integral partner in the mission of OSNY. We rely on owners to support the ministry and to carry out much of the work required for us to be "New York's Neighborhood Church." In turn, the leadership of OSNY aims to love and serve her owners well.
If you’re led to make a deeper commitment to OSNY, follow the steps listed HERE.
MEET THE PASTOR
Dear Friends,
Thanks for stopping by our website and checking us out! It’s a blessing to meet you in advance.
My name is Anthony Forgione, and I was ordained as the pastor of Our Saviour New York in January of 2019. I have been blessed to call OSNY my church home since 1999 when me and my family began attending weekly services and soon got immersed in church life. I am a native New Yorker, born and bred in Queens County. Let’s go Mets! I am so blessed to be serving in both the church and local community that I grew up in.
As a native New Yorker, I have first hand experienced the beauty of this city’s diversity and multiculturalism. As an alum of Forest Hills High School, I had formed relationships with friends from every cultural background. Growing up in Queens is a global education unto itself. One of the many great things I love about our church family is that we consist of people from all nations. Attending a service at OSNY is a reminder of the reach of God’s kingdom in Jesus Christ to all people from all places. It is a joyous and humbling thing to witness as pastor of Our Saviour.
Prior to my call into ministry, I worked in the field of public education. After obtaining my undergrad and masters degrees from Queens College, I began teaching English Language Arts at the middle school and high school level. After my tenure in the Department of Education, I transitioned into being a Special Education coordinator in the private education sector. Both vocational experiences helped to prepare me for the role that God would soon call me to in ministry. While involved in education, I was simultaneously serving as an elder at Our Saviour, a valuable experience that gave me a small foretaste of the pastoral life. Upon receiving my call from the Holy Spirit to serve in ministry, I enrolled at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. The Lord had brought me full circle as a child of the congregation to the pastor of the congregation. I am humbled to be walking down the road He has guided me on.
I am married to my beautiful, intelligent, and patient wife Roma. She is my greatest blessing. We have one son. I hope to be able to meet you soon at one of our weekly services.
Peace be with you, friend!
IN CHRIST,
REVEREND ANTHONY FORGIONE