Who We Are
Our Mission
Leading People to Love, Trust, and Follow Jesus in Everyday Life
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No matter where you’re from, what you’re going through, or where you’re at in your faith journey – City on a Hill is here for you.
We are a new church that began meeting on September 13, 2020. We seek to be a church, where people from different cultures and backgrounds can explore about God, life and meaning in relationships with others who care. So, whether you consider yourself a seeker, skeptic or even a seasoned Christian, you are invited to join us at City on a Hill Church. We’ve saved a seat for you.
Our Vision
Every Person. Every Culture. Experiencing the Gospel.
Our church desires to see this vision come to be by being:
Passionate about the glory of God and the good of the city.
Radically diverse with an uncommon unity.
Generous with time, money, gifts and caring relationships.
Pursuing gospel-justice and care for the city.
Strategically sharing the truth, love and hope of Jesus locally and globally.
Our Core Values
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Gospel
The Gospel is the good news that addresses the most serious problem that we have as human beings – God is holy and just, and we are not. As people, we have all fallen short of God’s design and standard as Creator. Sin has separated us from a relationship with God where life, joy and peace abound. However, God has done for us what we couldn’t possibly do for ourselves. He made a way to repair this divide. As God, Jesus took on our sin as if it was his own, and received the justice that we deserved for our wrongdoing. Jesus died in our place canceling our entire record of sins. In power, Jesus rose from the dead three days later to extend love, forgiveness and his own life’s record of righteousness to any person who simply believes this message. This is indeed, good news. But it gets even better...
Community
The Gospel makes us a family. The good news of Jesus not only reunites people to God, but it unites people into a community – where God is Father and church is family. A family that is vibrant, diverse and growing as the gospel transforms lives and desires to love God deeper and love others better. There are few things more refreshing than experiencing the unconditional love and authenticity of a community marked with the grace and hope of the Gospel. For us at City on a Hill, this community is family – and you’re invited to the table.
Mission
The Gospel makes us a family on mission with God. The beauty of the gospel not only unites people together into a powerful and loving community, but it also gives this community a mission – to delight in, declare and display this gospel to the world in word and deed. This means that our jobs, education, neighborhoods, and resources are tools and platforms to share the love and truth of Jesus. In other words, this gospel that saved us, is the same gospel that sends us on mission with God for the good of others.
Our Story
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City on a Hill Church: Forest Hills is the 4th congregation within the City on a Hill Network. Our history reaches back to the fall of 2009 when Hope Fellowship Church in Cambridge, MA started a new church in Brookline, MA. The new church was led by Bland Mason and adopted the name, “City on a Hill Church” based on Matthew 5:14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.”
Starting new churches has been part of City on a Hill’s DNA since the beginning. We love the city and want the very best for it. We believe that’s found in Jesus. Therefore, we desire to share the love, truth and hope of Jesus and believe one of the most effective strategies to do this is by starting new churches locally and globally.
Since the fall of 2009, City on a Hill Church in Brookline started Hub Church in South Boston, Renewal Church in Bay Village, Indian Community Church in Waltham, and Milestone Church in Natick. In 2018, a young church in Somerville, called Redeemer Church, joined forces with City on a Hill to become City on a Hill Somerville and a network of neighborhood churches was born. In 2019, City on a Hill Brighton began. From this point, our heart has been to start more City on a Hill congregations, pooling our resources together for the glory of God and the good of our city. With this hope in mind, City on a Hill Church: Forest Hills began meeting in Fall of 2020. As we press into the future, we desire to be a network of neighborhood churches that continually grows in generosity, service and love for God and our city. The best is yet to come!