LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE
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We believe that Jesus is the true leader and ultimate pastor of our church. We believe that Jesus provides his church with leaders who give their lives to serve and care for the church. Jesus gave the church a few offices to help structure leadership. First, we are led by what we call elders or pastors. Second, we also have deacons who function in a lead servant role. Third, our members function like an office. We believe that membership at the church is an important commitment that comes with responsibilities to live out the "one anothers" of the faith to care for each other and to be involved in the direction and decision making of the church.
Elders
Steven Castello
Lead Pastor
Steven is the Lead Pastor for City on a Hill: Forest Hills. He is married to Amy and they have four daughters (Lily, Addisyn, Amelie, and Karis).
He has been working in ministry since 2002. Before joining the staff at City on a Hill Brookline in 2018 in preparation to start City on a Hill: Forest Hills, Steven planted a church in downtown Birmingham, AL. He holds a B.A. in Human Development and Family Studies from Samford University and a M.Div from Birmingham Theological Seminary.
He enjoys reading, good coffee, spending time with family, and watching practically any sport.
Matt Waldrep
Executive & Worship Pastor
Matt leads City on a Hill by overseeing & equipping leaders to serve in our various ministries as well as provide operational clarity & strategy. Matt seeks to foster a culture of worship at City on a Hill for all of life. He has a desire to see people formed through the weekly liturgy to adore Jesus. Originally from Birmingham, AL, Matt has led worship and served as an elder for over ten years in Alabama and Massachusetts. He is married to Heather and has two daughters (Cora and Eliza). Matt has a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies from Southeastern Bible College.
Matt Harris
PAstor
Matt Harris is an experienced, lay elder having served as an elder in two churches prior to City on a Hill, including City on a Hill: Brookline. He is happily married to Sue his wife of 47 years. Together they have two children and seven grandchildren! Matt loves to spend time on the water in his sailboat and at their families camp in Maine. He is a lifelong Patriots fan and loves the city of Boston. Matt’s primary responsibility is care and shepherding for church members.
Cam Sardano
Elder Candidate & Church Planting Resident
Cam is the Church Planting Resident, and serves as the Director for Community Groups and City Ministries. He is married to Carissa.
He has been in ministry since 2020. Cam joined the staff at City on a Hill Forest Hills in 2024 as he and his wife prepare to lead a team in planting a new church in Dorchester. Before moving to Boston, Cam served at Grace Baptist Church in Cedarville, OH. He holds a B.A. in Biblical Studies and an M.Div from Cedarville University.
He enjoys disc golf, hiking, spending time with friends and family, and reading good books.
Darren Paul
Elder Candidate
Originally from Dallas, TX, Darren has been a part of City On a Hill: Forest Hills for two years. He is currently one of the worship leaders here as well as a co-leader of a Community Group with his wife, Misarline.
His background is in Theatre and for four years, he was a part of Sight & Sound Theatres; a company that creates and performs biblical stories for the masses.
Rick Kennedy
Elder Candidate
Rick is an elder candidate at City on a Hill where he also leads the Audio/Visual team and serves in the Youth Ministry alongside his wife and Deacon, Jesse Kennedy. Originally from the Birmingham area of Alabama, Rick moved to Boston during in 2019 to support the launch of City on a Hill and has been a faithful servant leader throughout the life of the church thus far. He works in the Engineering department at Northeastern University and in his spare time loves to read. Rumor has it he also makes the best Smoked BBQ in Boston along with a signature sauce he makes from scratch.
Deacons
Amy Castello
Deacon & Director of Women’s Discipleship and Care
Amy is the Director for Women’s Discipleship and Care for City on a Hill: Forest Hills. She is married to Steven and they have four daughters (Lily, Addisyn, Amelie, and Karis).
Amy has served in the local church, discipling and counseling women since 2009. She has also started two small businesses and has coached other small business owners. Amy enjoys reading, working out, and spending time with her family.
Jesse Kennedy
Deacon & Youth Director
Jesse is City on A Hill's youth director and a bi-vocational engineer dedicated to guiding students and young adults in their faith journeys. With a love for teaching and exploring the depths of the gospel, she strives to disciple youth and young adults as they begin their journey into the world. Outside of her work, she enjoys participating in community events, camping with her husband Rick, and indulging her inner nerd through books, music, board games, and video games. Jesse believes in the importance of fellowship —both with our Creator and with one another—and seeks to create a welcoming space where young people can deepen their faith while enjoying and preparing for life together.
Sue Freeman
Deacon
Sue has been serving as a deacon at CoaH Forest Hills since 2022, following her time at CoaH Brookline. She has been serving in many CoaH ministries at Brookline and Forest Hills. She is married to Matt Harris and is a proud grandmother of seven.
Passionate about both faith and service, Sue has been actively involved in local and international missions. As an engineering professor, she created a program where her students volunteer in Boston Public Schools to mentor underserved communities in STEM.
In her free time, Sue enjoys reading, sailing, and hosting dinner parties.
Kayla Woodworth
Deacon
Kayla has been a part of City on a Hill since 2011 when she moved to Boston for graduate school. In early 2020 she joined the core team to plant City on a Hill Forest Hills. Kayla actively serves as a deacon, Setup Leader, in CoaH Kids, as a CG Leader and really anywhere behind the scenes as needed on Sunday mornings. She also volunteers with and has developed relationships with the church's local mission partners, YoungLives and English High School.
Outside of church and working full time with Steinert's Pianos Kayla enjoys hiking, exploring the city, reading, buying too many plants and spending time with friends.
Misarline Paul
Deacon
Misarline serves City on a Hill by overseeing the Connections ministry and helping newcomers and visitors feel welcomed, cared for and plugged into the church. She attended City on a Hill Brookline from 2016-2020 before joining the core team to help plant City on a Hill Forest Hills. She is married to her wonderful husband Darren and enjoys baking, reading, watching sports, and spending time with her family.
Haven Jones
Deacon Candidate
Haven grew up in the church and has been attending City on a Hill Forest Hills since April 2022. She currently serves as a Worship Leader and Youth Ministry Leader, and regularly volunteers with Kids Ministry.
A Massachusetts native, Haven has called Boston home for nearly a decade and works in the city’s public schools as a high school social worker. Her excessive nerdiness led her to pursue her PhD in Urban Education Leadership & Policy at UMass Boston, which she hopes to complete by August 2025. When not at work, school, or church, Haven enjoys reading, knitting, and sending her friends far too many memes and Instagram reels.
Mark Lee
Deacon Candidate
Mark has been attending City on a Hill since October 2020 and serves on the worship team (and softball team!). Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, he has followed his wife Annie to Boston, by way of Kansas and New York.
A former civil engineer, Mark has taken his passion for food and heart for service and now works as a chef, while pursuing his dream of owning a food truck. In addition to all things cooking and barbecue, Mark enjoys working with his hands, basketball, board games, and a solid Whitney Houston playlist.
Lindsey Tillman
Deacon Candidate
Lindsey is married to Joe and a mom to their son, Judah, with another baby boy on the way. They live in Jamaica Plain and have been part of the City on a Hill Forest Hills community since August 2022.
As the Creative Team Lead at the church, Lindsey manages a team that owns communications, social media, and content creation. Full-time, she works in Operations at a nonprofit in Cambridge. She’s also a passionate photographer, specializing in capturing couples and families in unique ways.
In her free time, she loves spending time with her family and friends, going for walks, and reading. A textbook extrovert, she cherishes every moment with her loved ones, finding joy in both everyday adventures and special gatherings.
Staff
Carissa Sardano
Administrative Assistant
Carissa is the Administrative Assistant and is married to Cam.
She has been a Christian since 2014 and has throughout that time been a member of her local church and has served in various capacities, most recently being a small group leader and discipling other women at her previous church in Ohio. She holds a B.A. in Linguistics and teaches English to speakers of other languages in the Workforce Development department at Quincy College.
Carissa enjoys gardening, cooking, being outside and spending time with people.
Heather Waldrep
COAH Kids Director
Heather serves City on a Hill: Forest Hills as the CoaH Kids Director. She has served in children’s ministry for over ten years.
Heather is married to Matt and has two daughters (Cora and Eliza). She attended Southeastern Bible College.