CHURCH OFFICERS

Leadership

The bible shows us that Jesus Christ alone is the head of the church. He exercises His rule by His Word and Spirit. Jesus has appointed leaders to represent His rule in the church through a plurality of elders and deacons. Elders oversee the teaching and spiritual life of the church, while deacons serve the church by showing mercy and charity to those in need. We believe that churches should be members of churches. We are accountable to a group of churches known as the United Reformed Churches of North America.

    • Pastor Daniel Ragusa

      pastorragusa@merfnyc.org

      PASTOR, MESSIAH’S REFORMED FELLOWSHIP

      Daniel was raised in a Christian home in Long Island, NY. He grew up attending a Pentecostal church, but when he was a senior in high school became convinced of Reformed teaching and became a member at West Sayville Reformed Bible Church (URCNA). He earned his M.Div. from Mid-America Reformed Seminary and Ph.D. from Westminster Theological Seminary. He served as Stated Supply at Pompton Plains Reformed Bible Church (URCNA) for two years before accepting a call to pastoral ministry at Messiah’s Reformed Fellowship. 

    • Pastor Paul Murphy

      ptmurphy@merfnyc.org

      PASTOR OF EVANGELISM, MESSIAH’S REFORMED FELLOWSHIP

      A native New Yorker, Paul was raised in an Irish-Catholic neighborhood in the Bronx. At the age of 29 he was confronted with the claims of Jesus Christ. Thinking them foolishness, he sought to refute Christianity with the teaching of secular philosophy. The Lord broke down the barriers of his heart and captivated his life. Like the apostle Paul, this Paul can say “to live is Christ.” Prior to spearheading the founding of Messiah’s Reformed Fellowship in 2003, Rev. Murphy pastored Dutton United Reformed Church in Dutton, Michigan, for 13 years. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife and family.

    • Elder Cesar Santana

      cesar@merfnyc.org

      ELDER, MESSIAH’S REFORMED FELLOWSHIP

      A native of New Yorker, Cesar was born and raised in the South Bronx. Cesar came to know Jesus in his early 20s. He now lives in Westchester with his wife and four kids.

    • Deacon Fredy Pinto

      fredy@merfnyc.org

      DEACON, MESSIAH’S REFORMED FELLOWSHIP

      Born in the country of Colombia, Fredy was raised in the Roman Catholic faith by his parents. During his early 20s, he came to embrace faith in Jesus Christ as his savior and became a member of a Pentecostal congregation. After moving to New York in 2013, he understood Reformed teaching as the way to “glorify God and enjoy him forever” and now feels blessed to be part of the MeRF family. He lives in Westchester with his wife and two sons.

    • Deacon Fernando Torres

      fernando@merfnyc.org

      DEACON, MESSIAH’S REFORMED FELLOWSHIP

      Fernando was born in Albany, NY with a Roman Catholic upbringing. While he acknowledged the existence of God, the truth and power of the gospel was not made evident in his life until the summer of 2020. He later discovered Reformed theology which led him to become a member at Messiah’s Reformed Fellowship in 2022. He feels blessed to be part of a church family that seeks to love and serve the Lord.