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About

To build up a multi-ethnic and cross-cultural church that proclaims Jesus Christ to everyone and displays the gospel everywhere.

 

We are a non-denominational church aspiring to be a faithful congregation on the Southside of Chicago and in the shadow of a world-class university. We hold to theological convictions that emerged from the Protestant Reformation centered around faith in Jesus Christ and the sufficiency of the Bible.

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By God’s grace, the congregation of Christ Church Chicago has been thriving on Chicago’s south side for nearly 25 years. Originally planted in 1998 as Holy Trinity Church, the founding congregation in Hyde Park grew to become four assemblies in strategic neighborhoods of Chicago. Through subsidiary organizations the church has helped launch 27 additional churches.

On May 3, 2020, the Hyde Park congregation embarked on the next phase of gospel growth and maturity. Moving out from the Holy Trinity Church umbrella, the south side congregation was founded anew as Christ Church Chicago. As we venture out as an independent congregation situated in a newly renovated historic building, we look forward to all that God will do.

Join us on Sundays at 9 a.m. for our education hour (classes for all kids, youth, and adults) and 10:30 a.m. for our corporate worship service.

Street parking is available in our lot located on the southeast corner of Woodlawn and 62nd St.

6154 S. Woodlawn Ave., Chicago, IL 60637

312-880-9770

Staff

Amanda Zagnoli
Communication and Administration Coordinator
Amanda Zagnoli
Communication and Administration Coordinator

Prior to joining our team in 2016, Amanda amassed seven years of publishing experience. She met her husband Charlie while attending Wheaton College. They live in North Kenwood and are raising three rambunctious boys.  She manages all things related to congregational communication and events. 

Amy Koehler
Children's Ministry Director
Amy Koehler
Children's Ministry Director

Amy oversees the programming, training, and curriculum for our children. Before starting this role in August 2019, Amy worked as a librarian for 13 years at Moody Bible Institute and as a Resident Head in College Housing at the University of Chicago. Amy met her husband Dan in graduate school at the University of Chicago. They currently live in Hyde Park with their four sons, all of whom enjoy telling bad jokes, taking walks, going to visit family (especially at the beach), and reading.

Bing Nieh
Associate Pastor of University Ministry & Congregational Life
Bing Nieh
Associate Pastor of University Ministry & Congregational Life

Bing was brought up in a Chinese immigrant church in the heart of the Silicon Valley. After working for a few years as an electrical engineer he transitioned into pastoral ministry. He arrived in Chicagoland to pursue his theological education at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School where he received his PhD. In addition to his responsibilities at Christ Church, he also serves as a Religious Advisor for The University of Chicago. Married to Christy, they have the joy and privilege of raising four children.

David Helm
Senior Pastor
David Helm
Senior Pastor

Dave considers it an immense privilege to be a member of this church family. Previously he served on the pastoral team of Holy Trinity Church for 22 years. And prior to that, as a pastor at College Church in Wheaton for a decade. Pastor Helm’s ministry is rooted in his love for Jesus and God’s Word. He chairs the board of the Charles Simeon Trust, an organization committed to equip others to teach the Bible. His writings include The Big Picture Story Bible, One to One Bible Reading, A Conversation with Jesus, and Expositional Preaching. Dave and his wife, Lisa, enjoy spending time with their children: Noah (Julie), Joanna Panner (Ben); Baxter (Kelsie), Silas, and Mariah, and seven grandchildren. At the end of the day, you’ll find Pastor Helm in conversation around the dinner table or on his screened-in porch.

Jeremy Meeks
Resident Pastor of Ministry Apprenticeship
Jeremy Meeks
Resident Pastor of Ministry Apprenticeship

Jeremy came to Chicago to be the founding director of the Chicago Course on Preaching after being the lead pastor of churches in Nicaragua and Tennessee. His pastoral role at Christ Church involves helping Pastor Helm with training the next generation of church leaders. He also serves the broader Church and Christian community throughout Chicago by preaching and teaching in a variety of contexts. He and his wife Marjorie are privileged to raise their two teenage children blocks from the church. He enjoys teaching, cooking, and feeding people.

Joe Pace
Executive Pastor | Worship & Community Engagement
Joe Pace
Executive Pastor | Worship & Community Engagement

Joe has passion for serving God’s church and building up God’s people, with over 35 years of church ministry experience, serving as a Worship Pastor, Campus Pastor, and Executive Pastor, leading musically, administratively, and pastorally in a wide range of multi-cultural ministry contexts. Raised in a military family that traveled extensively, Joe’s exposure to and heart for ministry diversity was shaped at an early age. He is also a Grammy, Dove, and Stellar award nominated producer, artist, songwriter, and 25-year gospel music industry veteran, creating worship albums and resources used to grow and nurture hundreds of worship leaders, music ministries, and churches across the globe. He and his beautiful wife Nico are the proud parents of four children.

Marjorie Meeks
Women's Ministry Director
Marjorie Meeks
Women's Ministry Director

Marjorie resides in Woodlawn with her husband, Jeremy and their two teenage children, Jake and Alexis. Having recently completed the Chicago Course on Preaching, Marjorie desires to see women grow in understanding and applying the Bible. She also serves on the board of Radstock Ministries, a church planting network. Prior to Chicago, she and her husband were church planters in Nashville, TN, and San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua.

Mary Manoah
University Worker
Mary Manoah
University Worker

Mary grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and holds a graduate degree from Moody Theological Seminary. She has six years of experience in campus ministry and has a heart for mentoring women. Mary is passionate about women seeing themselves as theologians, disciples, and helping others lament their pain and suffering. She is also a part-time student in the Chicago Course on Preaching through The Charles Simeon Trust. In her free time, she enjoys going for walks with her husband Lazarus through Washington Park.

Milton Taylor
Director of Youth Ministry and Facilities
Milton Taylor
Director of Youth Ministry and Facilities

Milton was born and raised in the South Shore neighborhood of Chicago. Known also as the recording artist “Thre,” he is an active contributor to Christian hip hop. Milton is also a part-time student in the Chicago Course on Preaching. He is both a husband and father with a particular burden to engage and serve the local community. Milton desires to be a catalyst and conduit of change in the lives of youth. 

 

Paul Fowler
Director of Finance
Ruby Black
Youth Ministry Apprenticeship
Ruby Black
Youth Ministry Apprenticeship

Ruby is originally from Wichita, Kansas and is currently studying linguistics at Moody Bible Institute. She aspires to do full-time ministry overseas. Her hope is to see unreached people groups have access to the Bible and have a relationship with God. Ruby is passionate about discipling youth and seeing them grow in their knowledge and love of the Lord. Ruby serves in youth ministry focusing on girls’ discipleship. In her free time you’ll find her catching up with friends at different coffee shops in the city.

Values

Centrality of the Bible.

Power of the Gospel.

Supremacy of Christ.

Significance of Family.

Life of Mercy.

Richness of Community

Irony of Weakness.

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Centrality of the Bible. We believe that the Bible is God’s Word. The belief in the total authority, veracity, and sufficiency of God’s Word is at the core of our church. Therefore, we value equipping ourselves in God’s Word. We want to know it and be transformed by it. We work hard at listening to it and joyfully submitting our entire lives to it.

Power of the Gospel. The gospel, or good news, is the message of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection for our salvation and God’s glory. We believe that the gospel is God’s power to transform those who believe in Jesus. Therefore, we value sharing the gospel through both word and deed to bear witness to the gospel’s transforming work.  

Supremacy of Christ. We believe that Jesus has all authority in heaven and on earth. Jesus is God’s king and he deserves our allegiance and praise. We seek to submit ourselves to his rule and reign. 

Significance of Family. We believe the Bible shows us that family goes beyond blood relations. We belong to a faith family that consists of those pursuing Christ together. Whether young or old, married or single, parents or without children, we believe we are enriched by each individual, regardless of relationship status. 

Life of Mercy. Because we have experienced God’s mercy, we desire to extend God’s mercy to others, particularly those in need. We want to see the love of Jesus extended to our neighbors by offering physical, emotional, and spiritual relief to those around us. 

Richness of Community.  Our community is brought together by the reconciling work of Jesus Christ. This enables us to value diversity. We believe that racial, cultural, and socio-economic diversity strengthens, enhances, and enriches our faith community.  

Irony of Weakness. While common thinking places a high value on strength, our church is learning to live in weakness. Why? Because when we are weak, we are actually strong. You may call it the irony of weakness. God is drawn to humble and reliant people, so we value prayer and dependency on the Holy Spirit rather than self-dependency.

Statement of Beliefs

Christ Church Chicago subscribes to the historic Westminster Confession of Faith (1646) as our doctrinal statement. We are governed by a Constitution, also called the Book of Church Order. It is, in part, based on the Presbyterian Church in America Book of Church Order.

View Christ Church Chicago's Constitution