Description of River City’s church setting:
The church is on the west side of Chicago in a neighborhood called West Humboldt Park, located in the 60651 zip code. Summary of census data for 60651
● The population of 60651 is approximately 62,819 residents
● The area has a diverse demographic, with a 28,000 Hispanic and 31,000 African American households
● The median household income is around $52,963 which is below the national average
● The unemployment rate in this zip code is higher than the national average, indicating economic challenge
● Educational attainment shows that about 70% of residents have a high school diploma or equivalent
● Housing data reveals a mix of single-family homes and multi-unit dwellings, with a median home value of approximately $200,000
Guided by the theology of place, our location is not incidental - it is intentional and integral to who we are as a body of followers of Jesus. We are here because we know that God loves our community and we have made a commitment to be here for the long haul. Although we are strongly committed to the West Humboldt Park community our members come from all over the city.
Describe any theological, congregational, historical, cultural, or other distinctive you would like a candidate to know about your church.
The church was founded in 2003 by a group of urban dwellers in Chicago led by Daniel Hill who was associated with Willow Creek Community Church in Barrington, IL. Daniel was the founding pastor of River City and remained in the senior pastor role until March 2024. In planting the church, Daniel and others in the church shared a strong and growing passion around racial reconciliation and cultural inclusion. This vision would translate into the primary core values of the church around worship, neighborhood development, and reconciliation. They became the three pillars of congregational identity.
Humboldt Park has been home to the church from the beginning, intentionally chosen by the group. A dramatic step of faith in the history of River City Community Church was the purchase and renovation of a foreclosed warehouse at 3709 W Grand Ave. in 2014, creating a permanent home for the congregation. The church is just a block from Cameron Elementary, an important component of being planted in the community. The congregation was able to secure the funds needed to create a space that further enabled them to live out the three pillars.
Since 2003, the church has gone through many transitions of pastors, staff and congregation, but the core of River City has remained unchanged--our belief in a loving God and a merciful Savior. We recognize Jesus as Lord and believe that Scripture is central to our understanding of who God is and how we as believers respond to God’s grace and love, and Jesus’ sacrifice. Our commitment to being a multicultural, multi-ethnic body has also remained the same. Our church body includes Asian, Latino, African American, Black and Caucasian members and attendees, with some having Spanish as their primary language. Our commitment to address racism and seek reconciliation continues. We often refer to it as “Seeking justice at the intersection of race and poverty.” As a community of believers, we affirm that all humans are made in the image of God and we disavow the evil of ideologies such as white supremacy.
Early in 2024, our founding/senior pastor’s tenure ended abruptly when it was disclosed to the leaders, and subsequently the congregation, that he had a moral failing. At the end of 2024, the assistant pastor also left, on his own accord. A transitional pastor was brought in spring of 2025.
Detailed Position Description:
Link to our detailed job description (Link to come when the job description if finalized)
Presently, the FOCUS OF OUR CHURCH'S MINISTRY is:
We seek to minister to the needs of a culturally diverse city and specifically the needs of our Humboldt Park neighborhood. Our community outreach is mainly through R City Community Development Corporation, commonly known as R CITY (https://www.rcitycdc.org/). We have a unique relationship with R City which is further described below. We also work with No Kids Die in the Chi (a local anti-violence youth organization https://nokidsdieinthechi.org/about/), a group of area pastors, and other groups. Our Rooted REPS committee also expands our ministry in the community by focusing on material needs, partnerships, and advocacy. We are currently focused on the needs of immigrants, supporting them as they navigate the challenging immigration process.
Additionally, we minister to the youth of our congregation through Youth City, with Sunday sessions ranging from infants to high school students. Our worship ministry is currently led by our full time Pastor of Worship and Creative Arts with multiple volunteers on the worship team. Another strong focus of our congregation is through our in-service prayer requests and our deeply committed prayer team. We have maintained our Midweek gathering as a ministry to facilitate group bible study and community building.
Our church's FACILITY (buildings and grounds) is:
In 2014, the church purchased and rehabbed an abandoned warehouse that was within walking distance of Cameron Elementary, a school that River City was already partnering with. The building contains a large meeting area, where church services are held on Sundays. This sanctuary is a multipurpose space, with movable chairs and easily accessible round tables. Additionally, there is a welcome area, eight classrooms, a food warming center, and a small gym. The church building also contains office space, a public gathering vestibule off the main entrance, and warehouse space. The entire building is used by R CITY on weekdays, along with church activities such as the Midweek gathering and is available to community groups.
When the building was purchased, there was a vision to eventually purchase the used car lot next door in alignment with our pillar of neighborhood development. In support of the vision, a door frame was built on the lot side of the church, with the hope of one day making it into a door from the church to the lot. In 2023, the lot became available and we took a leap of faith and purchased it. The lot was renovated to create a safe, vibrant outdoor space for the children and families of our neighborhood. Within our community, public parks, once meant to provide outdoor play spaces, are often unsafe. Plans for the lot were created with input from the local residents. Parents and youth said they needed alternatives, especially during the after school to dinner time. They believed having a safe space for their kids would be a valuable gift the church could give to the community. Through our partnership with R CITY and the work of countless volunteers, what was once a crumbling asphalt lot is now a beautiful playground, basketball court, soccer turf, and gathering place—and a vital expansion for R CITY programs and space to host community events. The door between the church and the lot is used frequently. While the lot is developed and in use, we are continuing fundraising efforts for the cost of ownership to fully secure the space as belonging to the church. Unlike most church capital campaigns, this project is not about building a bigger sanctuary or upgrading church facilities. Every dollar is directed toward the neighborhood, not just our church.
In our church, the WORSHIP SERVICE IS DESIGNED FOR
We have one worship service on Sundays which serves people of all ages ranging from youth to seniors and incorporates styles that reflect the diversity of our congregation. The atmosphere of the service is welcoming and visitors have commented on it having a feeling of a caring community. The service is livestreamed on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@rivercitycommunitychurch3314) with twenty or more people regularly participating online.
In our church, the WORSHIP SERVICE IS BASED ON:
At the core of River City Community Church is our belief in a loving God and a merciful Savior. We recognize Jesus as Lord and believe that Scripture is central to our understanding of who God is and how we as believers respond to God’s grace and love, and Jesus’ sacrifice. Our response is two-fold. Individually, our response is to seek transformation in our lives, taking on the likeness of Christ. We desire to grow individually as disciples of Jesus, deepening our faith and our understanding of what it means to be God’s beloved. We express our response to God through individual worship. We also respond as a community of believers. Our corporate worship reflects our multi-cultural, multi-ethnic body. We emphasize belonging, inclusion, and acceptance of all as modeled by Jesus. We seek to understand and honor differing perspectives and worship practices.
The service has three primary sections that are viewed as equally important as part of our worship: worship through music, worship through prayer and celebration, and worship through hearing God’s Word. Each section takes approximately one third of the time. An opening time of musical worship is followed by a time of prayer and praise/celebration. This intentional and extended prayer is led by a staff person, elder or sometimes a lay person who invites worship attenders in the room or listening on the live stream to share prayer requests which are prayed for in a variety of ways. The praise and celebrations can range from answered prayers to achievements or children looking forward to going to a birthday party. A unique element of the celebration time is acknowledging individual birthdays through a song created impromptu by the worship team. Following the praise time the children are invited to the stage and are prayed for before they leave for Youth City. The sermon takes the final third of the time followed by a closing song and benediction. We celebrate the Lord’s Supper on the first Sunday of the month.
Typically, the sermon has been based on a book of the Bible, series, or theme or such as “Questions God asks,” “Both/And” and “Forward.” Each quarter, there is a youth focused and led service in which children lead the worship and teenagers are invited to share their faith. Currently, our Transitional Pastor preaches two Sundays a month and we have guest speakers on the other Sundays.
In our church, the STYLE OF MUSIC used in the worship service is:
The music is primarily urban contemporary worship music with occasional styles that resonate deeply with different demographics, including songs using Spanish lyrics, hymns, and gospel music. The worship team consists of singers, keyboard, guitar, drums and sometimes violin or other instruments.
In our church, the PURPOSE OF THE SERMON is:
Throughout most of our history the focus of the sermon has been spiritual development. The style has been more teaching than preaching. The teaching takes the Bible seriously as God’s Word, making the text—not personal opinion—the foundation of the message. The teacher explains what the passage meant in its original context and why it matters today.
It has consistently pointed people to Jesus Christ, the heart of Scripture, showing how God’s story of redemption is fulfilled in him. The teaching connects God’s Word to the realities of everyday life, helping people see how Scripture speaks to their joys, struggles, decisions, and hopes. Frequently the sermon will engage with current issues and concerns relevant to our multi-cultural, multi-ethnic body.
Evangelism has not been a strong emphasis in the preaching/teaching although there have been occasional instances of an evangelistic call to Christ.
In our church, the FORM OF THE SERMON is:
We value preaching that is biblically faithful, rooted in Scripture, and clearly connected to daily life. Our congregation appreciates sermons that both teach God’s Word and inspire us to live it out in practical ways. We desire preaching that speaks to people at different stages of faith — offering depth for long-time believers while remaining accessible to those who are newer to the gospel.
In our church, LEADERSHIP is generally provided by the:
Historically, leadership at River City centered on our founding Senior Pastor, with the Elders and staff providing secondary leadership. In this season without a Senior Pastor, the Elders have stepped into a larger role, supported by our Interim Executive Pastor (more than 20 years at River City) and a one‑year Transitional Pastor.
Elders are volunteer church members who are nominated by members and approved by the Elder Board; they serve one‑year terms. The Senior Pastor also serves on the Elder Board.
In addition to these roles, there is volunteer leadership in both small groups and action‑oriented groups—such as Immigration Response and Rooted REPS— as needs arise.
Recently, we piloted a more congregationally engaged approach by establishing our first Search Committee and holding a member vote to confirm the team.
Our church seeks to ENCOURAGE SPIRITUAL GROWTH through:
The worship service and sermon/teaching are the primary ways that the majority of church attendees experience spiritual growth. Three years ago, a Midweek gathering was created as a means of nurturing community and spiritual growth. The gathering occurs at the church Wednesday evenings, 7 - 9pm, and consists of a brief large group time, breaking into small groups, and then having a shared meal. Groups are consistent for ten-week sessions and people may choose to change groups for subsequent ten-week sessions. Volunteer small group leaders facilitate community building, prayer, and discussion, which has typically been based on the sermon/teaching from the previous week. The small groups rotate responsibility for preparing the meal each week. The combination of small groups meeting and sharing a meal together, frequently eating with folk who are not part of their group has been a highly effective way to build community. During the summer months a large group backyard Bible study is held rotating to various homes throughout the ten weeks.
Spiritual growth in our youth is also strongly emphasized. In addition to the Youth City Director and many volunteer Sunday School teachers, a part time High School Ministry Coordinator engages with the high school students.
In our church, EVANGELISM STRATEGIES AND METHODS are:
Essential to our understanding of what it means to be a follower of Jesus is our engagement in the Humboldt Park Community. We see evangelism not only as sharing the message of salvation, but also as being present in our neighborhood with Christlike love. Our pillar of reconciliation speaks of seeking justice, engaging with compassion and seeking shalom. Our pillar of neighborhood development is an external witness of our internal transformation through Christ. We desire to not only bear witness through our actions, but also through sharing the Good News with our neighbors in Humboldt Park and our own communities. We seek a pastor who encourages us to share our faith in everyday relationships and helps us engage meaningfully with the community around us.
Our church is representative of the ECONOMIC DIVERSITY of our community:
As stated above, the median household income in the neighborhood is $52,963, which is below the national average. There is economic diversity in the congregation, but the feeling is a middle-class congregation. Although we do not have precise information, our congregation’s average household income is above the average neighborhood income.
Our church is representative of the ETHNIC DIVERSITY of our community:
As stated above, the area has a diverse demographic, with a significant percentage of Hispanic and African American communities. Those communities plus Asian and Caucasian are part of our congregation including multiple bi-racial families. Our value of being an inclusive and welcoming church has primarily focused on responding to racism and pursuing racial reconciliation. We also have members and attendees who identify as LGBTQ+. We are desiring a pastor that can help us understand more fully what it means to welcome the LGBTQ+ community based on an understanding of scripture.
Our church's RESPONSE TO COMPASSION, MERCY, AND JUSTICE NEEDS is:
Our three pillars of worship, reconciliation and neighborhood development are our way of expressing compassion, mercy and justice. This has been shaped by our support of R City, involvement in our local school grammar school, Cameron Elementary School and partnerships with other non-profits serving in West Humboldt Park. We also have a Crisis Fund for individuals in our church and community as part of our operating budget and last year gave away nearly $14,000 in crisis support.
Our church's MISSIONAL FOCUS is:
Eugene Peterson’s “incarnational” rendering of John 1:14 in the Message paraphrase states, “The Word became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood.” River City Community Church sees our primary function as one of actively moving into a community to embody and enflesh the word, deed, and life of Jesus into every nook and cranny.
River City was intentionally planted in the West Humboldt Park community. Humboldt Park is the neighborhood we believe God has “carried” us into. We believe we are to join what God has already been doing in our neighborhood and to learn from and invest into that neighborhood. Humboldt Park becomes the place where our vision and ministry is rooted, and from there we seek the shalom of our neighborhood, our city, and our world.
Our Interim Executive Pastor has cultivated strong relationships with other local ministries, churches, and pastors. These connections have enabled us to collaborate on numerous initiatives, including joint events, prayer meetings, and justice movements addressing social and political challenges, both local and national.