The Trinity is central to who we are and how we live. We believe in one God who exists eternally in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This profound mystery reveals a God of perfect love and community. The Trinity teaches us that love is not just something God does; it is who He is. Out of this eternal fellowship, God created us to reflect His love in our relationships and to live in communion with Him and one another.

In the center of New York City, where people often feel isolated despite being surrounded by millions, the Trinity reminds us of our design for meaningful connection. It shapes how we engage with our neighbors, serve our city, and build a community that reflects God’s love. The Father adopts us, the Son redeems us, and the Spirit empowers us to live as ambassadors of this divine relationship—proclaiming and embodying the gospel of grace in a way that brings renewal to both individuals and the culture around us.

We believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God, revealing His truth, love, and redemptive purposes for the world. Scripture is more than a guidebook; it is God’s living voice speaking into our lives today, offering wisdom, hope, and transformation. In the Scriptures, we encounter the fullness of God’s character and the story of His grace—calling us to know Him deeply and live out His purposes in a complex and ever-changing world.

In New York City, where competing narratives and pressures shape so much of daily life, Scripture provides a firm foundation and a renewed perspective. Through regular teaching, study, and reflection on the Bible, we aim to cultivate minds that are grounded in truth and hearts that are captivated by grace. As we engage Scripture, we seek not just knowledge but transformation, equipping us to follow Jesus faithfully and to love and serve our neighbors with wisdom, humility, and courage.

We affirm that every human being is created in the image of God. This foundational truth speaks to the inherent dignity, worth, and value of every person, regardless of background, status, or circumstance. Being made in God’s image means we are designed for relationship with Him, with one another, and with the world He has entrusted to our care. It also calls us to reflect His character in how we live, work, and serve.

In Midtown Manhattan, where identity is often tied to achievements or appearances, the truth of the image of God offers a deeper, unshakable foundation. It challenges us to see others—and ourselves—with the eyes of grace, recognizing the beauty and purpose God has given to every person. As a community, we strive to embody this vision, celebrating diversity and advocating for justice while calling all people to find their ultimate identity and hope in Christ, the true image of God who restores us to our intended purpose.

We are shaped by the biblical concept of covenant—God’s unbreakable promise to redeem and restore His people. From the beginning, God has entered into relationship with humanity, committing Himself to His people in steadfast love and faithfulness. Through Christ, the ultimate fulfillment of God’s covenant, we are brought into a relationship that is not based on our performance but on His grace, offering us security, purpose, and hope.

In the fast-paced and often transactional culture of modern urban life, the covenant reminds us that we are part of something eternal and unchanging. God’s commitment to us in Christ calls us into a community marked by trust, love, and mutual care, reflecting His covenantal faithfulness to the world around us. As we live out this promise, we invite others into the joy of knowing a God who always keeps His word and never abandons His people.

The gospel is the heart of everything we believe and do. The gospel is the good news that, through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God has redeemed and restored what was broken by sin. It is not merely advice or a call to self-improvement but an announcement of what God has done to reconcile us to Himself. Through faith in Christ, we are forgiven, made new, and invited into a life of purpose and hope.

Apart from God, the pursuit of success and fulfillment often leaves people feeling restless or disillusioned. The gospel offers true freedom and joy. It assures us that our worth is not based on what we achieve but on what Christ has accomplished for us. As a community shaped by this good news, we seek to embody its message by loving our neighbors, serving our city, and inviting others to experience the transforming power of God’s grace.

Worship is our response to the glory and grace of God. It is not confined to a Sunday gathering but encompasses every aspect of our lives as we seek to honor and enjoy Him. In worship, we lift our hearts in gratitude to the Father, who loves us; the Son, who redeems us; and the Spirit, who empowers us. Through prayer, song, Scripture, and sacrament, we are reminded of God’s faithfulness and renewed in His presence.

In the busyness of NYC, where many search for meaning and rest in the midst of noise and demands, worship is a countercultural act of re-centering our lives on what truly matters. As we gather to worship, we are shaped into a community that delights in God and seeks to reflect His beauty and truth in the world. Our worship not only lifts our eyes to Him but also sends us out, equipped to love and serve our city with joy and purpose.

At City On A Hill, we believe that calling begins with the invitation to rest in Jesus Christ. As He says in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Our first and primary calling is to know and be known by Jesus, finding in Him the rest, renewal, and identity that our souls long for. This is not something we earn but a gift we receive, freeing us from the relentless pressures of performance and self-sufficiency.

Flowing from this rest is our calling to live with purpose. As Ephesians 2:10 reminds us, we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand for us to walk in. Every believer is uniquely called to reflect God’s love and grace through their relationships, vocations, and acts of service. In New York City, where meaning and identity are often tied to achievement, this dual calling to rest and purposeful action offers both freedom and direction. At City On A Hill, we seek to help one another embrace both aspects of calling—resting in Christ’s finished work and stepping confidently into the good works He has prepared for us, bringing renewal to our city and glory to God.

At City On A Hill, we value imagination as a gift from God that enables us to see the world not only as it is but as it could be under His rule. Imagination bridges the calling we have received in Christ with the citizenship we are called to live out in the world. It helps us envision the renewal of our neighborhoods, institutions, and culture, seeing how God’s purposes might unfold even in the midst of brokenness. This sanctified imagination fuels hope and inspires action, encouraging us to live as agents of God’s kingdom in a city longing for meaning and transformation.

Imagination is also crucial for seeing reality as it truly is. In a world where the tools and systems of modernity often impoverish imagination, and where social media distorts our perceptions, a renewed imagination helps us push past superficial narratives to perceive the dignity of every human being and the complexity of God’s creation. The arts play a vital role in this process, inviting us to experience beauty, confront brokenness, and reflect on eternal truths. At City On A Hill, we celebrate the arts as a gift that cultivates empathy, renews vision, and deepens our understanding of God and the world.

This view of imagination aligns with Paul’s exhortation in Romans 12:1-2, where we are called to offer our lives as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, and to be transformed by the renewal of our minds. Imagination, shaped by worship and the truth of Scripture, plays a central role in this renewal. As our minds are transformed, we are empowered to discern God’s will and to reflect His beauty and truth in our lives and communities. Through worship, Scripture, community, and creativity, we seek to cultivate an imagination that is not conformed to the patterns of this world but is continually renewed to glorify God and serve His purposes.

At City On A Hill, we believe that every Christian holds dual citizenship—one in the kingdom of heaven and one in the world we inhabit. In Philippians 3:20, Paul reminds us that “our citizenship is in heaven,” calling us to live with hope and purpose, anchored in our identity in Christ. At the same time, God places us in specific times and places, calling us to engage with our earthly communities in love and service. This dual citizenship shapes how we live, balancing our heavenly hope with active participation in the renewal of the world around us.

In a global hub like Midtown Manhattan, where culture, politics, and ambition converge, living as dual citizens means navigating complexity with grace. Our heavenly citizenship gives us the freedom to engage without fear, knowing our ultimate identity and future are secure in Christ. Meanwhile, our earthly citizenship compels us to seek the welfare of our neighbors and our city (Jeremiah 29:7). At City On A Hill, we encourage one another to live faithfully in both realms—bringing the values of God’s kingdom to bear on our work, relationships, and community, as we anticipate the day when God’s kingdom will come in its fullness.

At City On A Hill, our understanding of faith is deeply shaped by the rich tradition of Reformed theology. At its core, Reformed theology emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the sufficiency of Scripture, and the centrality of God’s grace in every aspect of life. It reminds us that salvation is entirely the work of God, who redeems us through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and transforms us by the power of the Holy Spirit. This understanding leads us to live with humility, gratitude, and confidence in the God who is faithful to His promises.

In a city like Midtown Manhattan, where individualism and self-reliance often reign, the message of God’s sovereign grace offers profound hope. Reformed theology calls us to view all of life—our work, relationships, and culture—through the lens of God’s redemptive purposes, affirming that every sphere of life belongs to Him. At City On A Hill, we seek to embody this vision by engaging thoughtfully with Scripture, worshiping with reverence and joy, and actively participating in God’s mission to renew our city and our world for His glory.