About City On A Hill
Who we are.
City On A Hill is a gospel-centered church in Midtown Manhattan, committed to historic Protestant theology. The Church as a City On A Hill emerges when we make the restoration and renewal of the image of God our purpose. We are in the center of the city with a vision to serve all of New York. We are a church plant of Exilic Church.
We began from scratch with no core group a year ago. We wanted to see a new culture emerge around the restoration and renewal of the image of God. We now have a team of people ready to reach this city this fall.
Is God calling you to join our team? We have space to utilize your gifts and talents to fulfill this mission.
I.
The Team
Current leaders.
Founding Pastor
Rev. Dr. Jay Harvey
Jay is the founding pastor of City On A Hill. He came to Manhattan in 2018 with his wife Melody and their four children, initially to lead Reformed Theological Seminary’s New York City campus, where he taught Pastoral Theology and served as founding director of the Center for the Bible in NYC. He also serves as an adjunct mentor with Linden Grove Mentoring.
Jay holds an A.B. from Princeton (1995), an M.Div. from Reformed Theological Seminary, and a D.Min. from Erskine Theological Seminary. He is writing a second doctoral dissertation under the supervision of Prof. Philip Ziegler at the University of Aberdeen on reimagining liberalism. The project gives significant attention to the role of the doctrine of the image of God in the political discourse of Western democracy, as well as the neglect of the image of God in practice.
Worship Director
Katie Cooke
Katie is a highly regarded worship leader who leads worship at regional conferences and at prayer-and-praise nights across the city. At City On A Hill, she leads our singing each week with heartfelt joy and remarkable skill.
Katie is a Ph.D. student in ethnomusicology at Columbia University.
Choral Director
Adella Flynn
Adella provides leadership for our special services at Easter and during Advent, supports our regular worship services, and develops vocal ensembles for our small groups.
A classically trained musician, Adella has served as a music director, organist, and accompanist across a range of musical and liturgical settings.
Director of Operations
Chrystal Kim
Chrystal oversees setup and sound on Sunday mornings and organizes the worship bulletin. She is an actor and filmmaker from Los Angeles, with a background in film and digital production.
Seminary Intern
Helder Nozima
Helder is pursuing a Master of Arts in Biblical Studies at Reformed Theological Seminary, New York. A Brazilian consular officer, he has authored a book in Portuguese on infant baptism and previously served as an associate pastor in Brazil.
II.
Still Gathering
Your gifts may be part of what we are becoming.
City On A Hill is a new church, gathering to implement a city-wide strategy. The team above leads our Sunday worship and our common life through the week — but they cannot do this work alone. If our mission resonates with you, please reach out to us.
Where help could land
Music
Singers, instrumentalists, and accompanists for Sunday worship and special services.
Hospitality & Greeting
Welcoming visitors, hosting refreshments, helping people feel at home on Sunday mornings.
Children’s Ministry
Leading our youngest in the formation of faith.
Sound & Setup
Setting up the space each Sunday and running the tech during worship.
Bible Study Host
Opening your home to host a regular gathering of believers and seekers across the week.
Bible Study Leader
Leading a small group through Scripture, with COAH’s curriculum and pastoral support.
Men’s Ministry
Cultivating discipleship and friendship among the men of the church.
Women’s Ministry
Cultivating discipleship and friendship among the women of the church.
Interest Groups
Bringing people together around shared interests — running in Central Park, book clubs, community service, museum visits, and more.
If any of this resonates with you, we would love to be in touch.
connect@cityonahill.nycIII.
Come and See
The best way to know who we are is to worship with us. Sundays at 11:00 AM at New York City Center.