At the Corner of York and St. Charles
Cityview Community Church sits at 343 S. York Street in Elmhurst, on the corner where York meets St. Charles Road. The building has been home to a congregation for decades; one of the current elders, Steve Knopp, moved to Elmhurst as a child when his father accepted the call to pastor what was then First Baptist Church of Elmhurst, and he has been part of the church for forty-five years. The name changed to Cityview Community Church along the way, but the building, the neighborhood, and many of the people remain.
The name Cityview reflects a vision that runs through the entire congregation. To magnify Christ, the church teaches, they are sent to serve the seeking, the church, the family, the city, and the culture. A practical outworking of that vision takes shape on the southeast side of the building, where an external door opens the first Saturday of every month from 10 a.m. to noon. That is the church's free Clothes Closet, stocked with clothing from infant sizes to adult, available to anyone who walks in. A 24-hour drop box on the east side of the building accepts donations year-round.
Sundays on York Street
Sunday is the rhythm that holds the week together at Cityview. The morning begins at 9:15 with the Explore Hour, classes for every age from nursery through adult. Adults choose from a rotating menu of workshops and studies during the school year; the children's classes use Explore the Bible and The Gospel Project, and the students meet in their own track. The atmosphere is informal. A first-time guest can expect to be greeted by hosts at the door, handed a bulletin, and pointed toward coffee, a classroom, or a seat in the worship service.
At 10:30 the congregation gathers for the main worship service, which typically runs about seventy-five minutes. The order includes singing with a worship team, prayer, Scripture reading, and a sermon, followed by a time of response and the Lord's Table on designated Sundays. Dress ranges from suits and dresses to sweatshirts and jeans, and the church explicitly tells visitors to come in whatever they would wear on a Saturday at home. The service is livestreamed on YouTube for those who cannot be there in person, and recordings of recent sermons are available on the church's podcast feed through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, RSS, and email subscription. Sermon audio reaches back through series in Matthew, Philemon, the Psalms, Isaiah, Joshua, 1 Corinthians, Colossians, Philippians, 1 Peter, Daniel, and more, with new messages posted most weeks.
Several other rhythms layer onto the Sunday morning. On the third Sunday of every month at 6:30 p.m., the church gathers for an evening prayer meeting. Throughout the year, members host potlucks, outreach events, and the quarterly Tour the City dessert, where Senior Pastor Brandon Cooper sits down with newcomers over food to share the story and the vision of the church.
Kids' City: From Cribs to Third Grade
Children's ministry at Cityview is called Kids' City, and it has its own entrance, its own set of classrooms in the lower level, and its own team of screened volunteers. On Sunday mornings during the Explore Hour at 9:15 and during the worship service at 10:30, the children are divided into four classrooms by age.
The Nursery (0 to 1 year) is staffed by volunteers who pray for each child, read age-appropriate storybooks, and provide a sleeping room for naps. Pagers are available for parents who want to be reached during the service. The Toddler class (1 to 2 years) uses The Gospel Project, with story time, free play, singing, snacks, and take-home pages to reinforce the lesson. The Preschool class (3 to 5 years) uses Explore the Bible during the Explore Hour and The Gospel Project during the worship hour, with a similar mix of storytelling, play, singing, and snacks. The Kindergarten through third-grade class follows the same curriculum pair. Children who are not yet potty trained remain in the toddler room, and a bathroom is available in the PreK classroom for those who are trained.
For first-time families, the process is simple: come in the main door and head to the lower level, register the child, and a host will show you to the right room. For parents with infants who want to stay in the service, the worship service is livestreamed in a Family Resource Area. There is no cost, and the only paperwork is a one-time registration so the team can contact families in the event of an emergency.
CityStu: Students in Sixth Through Twelfth Grade
The student ministry, called CityStu, serves grades six through twelve with the same mission statement as the rest of the church: to equip students to magnify Christ and serve others. On Sunday mornings at 9:15, students gather during the Explore Hour for teaching that keeps the Word of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ at the center. On Sunday evenings from 6:00 to 8:00, CityStu meets for its youth group, a time with friends and leaders, snacks, games, teaching through God's Word, and small-group discussion.
CityStu is led by Jake Thomas, the Director of Student Ministries. Jake grew up in Iowa, attended Moody Bible Institute, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Pastoral Studies, joined Cityview while in college, served as an intern, and became the director in 2024. He and his wife Hannah were married in 2025.
Family Ministries: Consider, Create, Capture, Celebrate
Cityview's Family Ministries department exists to partner with and equip parents to be the primary disciple-makers of their children. The ministry's mission statement reads, "To partner with and equip parents to be the primary disciple-makers of their children as they help them move from seeking Jesus to serving Jesus through the gospel."
To make that practical, the team teaches a framework called the Four Cs. The first C is Consider: a parent considers his or her own walk with Jesus before calling a child to follow him. The second C is Create: parents create rhythms of family worship - reading Scripture, singing, and praying together at home. The third C is Capture: parents capture the teachable moments that arise in daily life, turning ordinary conversations into gospel conversations. The fourth C is Celebrate: families celebrate the big spiritual milestones and attribute every good gift to God.
Family Ministries produces a monthly newsletter and an annual ministry plan that walks parents through how to apply the Four Cs at every age and stage. The department is overseen by Kyle Bjerga, the Pastor of Discipleship and Family Ministries, who grew up attending a church in Elmhurst, graduated from Elmhurst College, later completed his Master in Theological Studies at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and has served in youth and family ministry for more than a decade.
Adults: Community Groups, Journey Groups, and the Well
Small groups are the backbone of adult discipleship at Cityview. The church offers two main kinds, and they are designed to work together.
Community Groups are the first step. These groups meet off campus, typically every other week, and they focus on fellowship, prayer, and discussion of the previous Sunday's sermon. They are relaxed, fun, and explicitly a place to invite friends and neighbors who do not yet attend Cityview. The aim is community, the kind that Luke describes in Acts 2, where the believers devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.
Journey Groups are the deeper commitment. A Journey Group is a small, same-gender group that meets weekly for an intense, three-year cycle of life-on-life, missional discipleship. The commitment is high, the schedule is rigorous, and the result, the church teaches, is unparalleled spiritual growth. New Journey Groups launch periodically, and the application process is intentional.
For those who are still exploring Christianity, there is The Well. The Well meets during the Explore Hour at 9:15 on Sunday mornings and is designed specifically for people who are questioning the faith or new to it. It is a safe, loving environment to ask the hard questions without pressure.
CityCrew: A College and Young Adult Community
CityCrew is Cityview's ministry to 18-to-25-year-olds, whether in college, in grad school, or just starting a career. The group meets on the first Friday evening of every month for a social gathering and twice a month for lunch immediately after the Sunday worship service. CityCrew exists to help young adults connect to the Cityview community and grow deeper in their faith through relationships.
The Pathway: From Seeking to Serving
Cityview has a clear pathway for moving people from the fringes of the church to the heart of its mission. The church calls this the pathway, and it has five steps.
Step one is Explore. The church invites everyone to explore the Christian faith in a safe and loving environment, and The Well is the main on-ramp. Step two is Engage. People engage by attending the quarterly Tour the City event, joining a Community Group, or attending the Explore Hour. Step three is Establish. Members set down deep roots by joining a Journey Group or a Community Group, or by taking classes during the Explore Hour. Step four is Equip. Members who are established begin serving in the church and the community, often through a Journey Group or the Tyrannus track of classes during the Explore Hour. Step five is Embark. Members who are equipped and established begin to lead, teaching in the Explore Hour, leading a Community or Journey Group, or engaging in informal relational evangelism and life-on-life discipleship.
The model is meant to capture the conviction that the church exists to help people move from seeking Jesus to serving Jesus, and that no one ever fully arrives.
Care, Prayer, and Shepherding
The Care Team exists to help church family members when needs arise. Volunteers provide meals, help around the house with cleaning, repairs, or yard work, and visit the sick, the homebound, and those in the hospital or rehabilitation. A prayer chain prays for specific requests, and a team of pastors is available for spiritual counsel and shepherding. The Care Team does not advertise its work broadly; instead, members and regular attenders learn about it through relationships.
Local Mission: The Clothes Closet and City Partners
Cityview's local mission strategy is built around the conviction that the church should be conspicuously present in its city. The most visible arm is the Clothes Closet, a free clothing ministry that distributes items for every age from infant to adult. Volunteers are always needed to greet, sort, launder, and pray with guests.
Beyond the Clothes Closet, Cityview partners with a network of local ministries. Through CAP (Christians Against Poverty), the church runs a Debt Center with two staff members who offer free credit counseling, money courses, and ongoing support to individuals and families facing financial crisis. Through CarePortal, the church mobilizes members to respond in real time to the practical needs of vulnerable children and families in the surrounding area. Through Caring Network, members support a pregnancy resource center in Glen Ellyn with donations, diaper drives, and the annual Walk for Life.
Cityview also partners with Elmhurst Walk-In Assistance Network, which coordinates help among local congregations, schools, and service organizations for residents in need; Inner City Impact, which runs programs for children and teens in urban neighborhoods; Love Christian Clearinghouse, a referral network for those seeking financial and material assistance; Outreach York, a multi-purpose resource center in nearby Villa Park; and Safe Families for Children, which hosts children from families in crisis.
Global Outreach: Missionaries Near and Far
Cityview supports a substantial network of missionaries serving across the United States and around the world. The church maintains regular contact with these families through a ministry called the Gaius Team, named for the man commended in 3 John 1 for welcoming missionaries. The team prays for, communicates with, and provides hospitality for missionaries both on the field and on home assignment.
Among the missionaries Cityview supports, Juan Felipe and Majo Avila serve in discipleship, visitation, and evangelism in Colombia with Latino Evangelistic Ministries. Jeff and Candy Campbell minister to global missionaries through Novo. Diane Eliason serves as a nurse practitioner in a clinic and hospital in Côte d'Ivoire, meeting physical and spiritual needs through World Venture. Greg and Faith Hurst, through SIM, disciple families who multiply gospel-focused churches in La Paz, Bolivia. Ron and Lelah Kanour, with the Navigators, focus on personal evangelism and discipleship. Nick and Alison Miller serve international students throughout Chicago through International Friendships. Tom and Janice Paver serve in the IT department of Operation Mobilization's headquarters. Ann Peddicord grows Haus Nazareth ministries in Berlin with Philosophia International. Mike and Marina Shank serve in Bolivia with South America Mission. Alex and Cami Vlasin train and shepherd cross-cultural missionaries with Barnabas International in England. Susie Walter shares God's love with the poor in San Diego and Baja through healthcare, education, and housing development with YWAM. Tim and Melanie Wendel serve as regional director for Latin America with the Christian and Missionary Alliance, ministering in Uruguay. Michael and Hannah McCallister serve in Europe with North African people groups. Arleen Blycker serves as a music missionary among the Hispanic population in Texas with Avant Ministries. Dick and Cindy Bailey planted churches among unreached people groups with Christar. Prayer letters and reports from these families are shared regularly with the congregation.
The Leadership Team
Brandon Cooper serves as the Senior Pastor. A native of the Chicago area, Brandon was born in Evanston, raised in Glenview, studied English Literature at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and completed his Master of Divinity at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School with an emphasis in discipleship-evangelism. He and his wife Amy served on the mission field in Bogotá, Colombia, for seven years, and their five children - Charis, Adiel, Ceely, Brielle, and Callum - were born there. Brandon is the author of "A Word to the Wise: Lessons from Proverbs for Young Adults."
Kyle Bjerga serves as the Pastor of Discipleship and Family Ministries. A lifelong resident of the Chicago area, Kyle grew up attending a church in Elmhurst, graduated from Elmhurst College, taught in public and private schools, and completed his Master in Theological Studies at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He and his high-school sweetheart Jackie have been married since 2008 and have three sons: Carson, Parker, and Bryant.
Jake Thomas serves as the Director of Student Ministries. Raised in Iowa, Jake attended Moody Bible Institute, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Pastoral Studies, joined the Cityview staff in 2024, and serves with his wife Hannah.
Emma Everhart serves as the Director of Children's Ministry and Administrative Ministry Assistant. Emma grew up in Lombard, graduated from Moody Bible Institute in 2023 with a degree in Children and Family Ministry, spent time at Focus on the Family in Colorado Springs, and returned to the area to oversee Kids' City.
Two staff members run the CAP Debt Center: Katy Hurst has served as Co-Debt Center Manager since 2023, and Carolyn Ubriaco has served as the CAP Community Links Coordinator since 2024. Carolyn and her husband Michael have lived in Elmhurst for thirty-six years.
The church is also served by four elders. Greg Dickson has been part of Cityview for thirty-one years and serves in the youth ministry, worship team, and deacon board. Don Gauthier, an IT Director who has attended since 2002. Steve Knopp, who has been part of the church for forty-five years. Mark Myers co-leads seniors housing investment sales and teaches in the Explore Hour.
A team of deacons serves in practical ministry roles: Marielis Figueroa in care and visitation, Catt Pavlik with the Clothes Closet, Reeve Sam in prayer and as a pastoral intern, Julie Gauthier on the worship team, Shane Dickinson on the connection team, Dave Kim with the Gaius team for global outreach, Bryce Becker on the tech team, Carl Bjerga with facilities, and Diane Knopp and Mark Price on the finance team.
What Cityview Believes
Cityview's doctrinal convictions are summarized in a statement of beliefs. The church confesses one God, eternally existing in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - equal in every perfection, executing distinct but harmonious offices in creation, providence, and redemption. The sixty-six canonical books of the Old and New Testaments are the divinely inspired, infallible Word of God, without error in the original manuscripts, sufficient and trustworthy for life and faith, and the supreme and final authority in all matters to which they speak. The true meaning of Scripture is recoverable through careful, literal, grammatical, historical, and contextual interpretation, in the community of Christ, and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus Christ is the incarnation of God's eternal Son, true God and true man, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, who lived a sinless life, died as a substitutionary atonement, was bodily raised, ascended into heaven, now intercedes as priest for his people, and will return personally and visibly. The Holy Spirit is personal, and his work includes regeneration, sanctification, and preservation of the believer, and the distribution of spiritual gifts for the common good. Salvation is by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, based on the sovereign grace of God, purchased by Christ on the cross, eternally secured by the Holy Spirit, and received by faith apart from any human merit, works, or ritual. The ordinances of the local church are believer's baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper.
The church teaches that marriage is a lifelong monogamous covenant between one man and one woman, the only permissible context for intimate sexual expression, and that gender is determined by biological sex. The church also believes that every human being is directly responsible to God in matters of faith and life, and that each local church is self-governing and free from interference by any ecclesiastical or political authority.
Planning a Visit
First-time guests at Cityview are greeted at the door by hosts who are explicitly looking for them. Coffee is on the house. The dress code is whatever the visitor would wear on a Saturday around town. The worship service runs about seventy-five minutes and includes singing, prayer, Scripture reading, and preaching. Children are welcome in the service; the Kids' City team will help families register and find the right classroom for children from birth through third grade.
Office hours run Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The phone number is 630-832-9100, and the general email is info@cityviewcc.net. The church building is located at 343 S. York Street, Elmhurst, IL 60126.