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The River City Staff
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Daniel Hill (Senior Pastor) 
Daniel Hill is the Founding and Senior Pastor of River City Community Church, located in the Humboldt Park neighborhood of Chicago. The vision of River City is centered around the core values of worship, reconciliation, and neighborhood development. Formed in 2003, River City longs to see increased social and economic justice in the Humboldt Park neighborhood as well as the entire city, demonstrating compassion and alleviating poverty as tangible expressions of the Kingdom of God. Prior to starting River City, Daniel launched a dot.com in the 90’s before serving 5 years on the staff of Willow Creek Community Church in the suburbs of Chicago. Daniel has his B.S. in Business from Purdue University, his M.A. in Theology from Moody Bible Institute, and his certificate in Church-based Community and Economic Development from Harvard Divinity School. Daniel is married to his wife Elizabeth, who is a professor of Psychology at Chicago State University, and father to Alexander. |
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Antoine Taylor (Director of Sunday Morning Ministries)
Antoine Lorenzo Taylor, known as “Taylor” was born in Seattle. Taylor’s family moved there once they were married in 1962. At that time, Taylor’s father, had performed and recorded with various rock, rhythm & blues bands. His mother played piano but only at home. A couple of years went by and Taylor’s father was called to the Ministry. When his is father became a Minister, he then began recording with various gospel quartet groups. Taylor, then at the age of 4, had begun his gospel musical journey. By 1971, the family had been residing in Aurora, Illinois. Taylor’s father decided after being ordained and educated in theology, that he was going to found and a pastor a church. In June of 1971, Temple of God Church was born. Being a drummer at that time, this was the instrument that Taylor provided for the church every Sunday. By the age 10, his uncle had taught him bass guitar and keyboard. Having various opportunities in his young life, Taylor was once, one of the youngest musicians in the gospel arena traveling and performing with his father’s quartet group and recording in studios. Each and every week, Taylor’s passion for ministry, music and people grew more abundantly. And to this day he remembers the churches creed which began, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you. If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy,” - I Corinthians 3:16 |
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Carlos Ruiz (Director of Community Groups)
Carlos moved to Chicago 10 years ago from Oaxaca, Mexico. As an active leader in a church plant, he led the worship team, organized the theological society on his college campus and was actively involved in evangelism and discipleship. In 1998 he moved from Mexico to Chicago to obtain a B.A. in Sacred Music from Moody Bible Institute in Vocal Performance, during which he toured with the Men’s Collegiate Choir internationally. Carlos is completing his final year at North Park Theological Seminary, obtaining a Masters in Divinity. Throughout his life, Carlos has invested himself in meaningful relationships with people from cross-cultural contexts and has gained credibility as a liaison between the church in the United States and the Latino American immigrant populations. Currently, he serves as the coordinator of Community Groups at River City and as a coach of small group leaders at North Park University Ministries. His passion is to foster an environment where people can heal, can seek God and can discover what it means to be disciples of Jesus as relational beings. Carlos has been used greatly as a spiritual mentor in the lives of many people and feels called to offer pastoral care to community group leaders as well as to the immigrant population which involves doing justice, loving mercy and walking humbly before God. He has been married to his wife, Janeil for 9 years. Janeil is finishing her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and currently offers psychotherapy to Latin American Immigrants. They enjoy long walks on the shores of Lake Michigan, music, literature, art and dining out with friends. |
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Dr. Arloa Sutter (Pastoral staff)
Dr. Arloa Sutter is the visionary leader and founder of Breakthrough Urban Ministries. Years ago, God put on Arloa’s heart His compassion to help those in need. Arloa began Breakthrough when she simply responded to a need and opened up an unused church meeting room and served hot coffee and lunch to the homeless. Soon she began to build relationships with those she was helping and focused her ministry on shelter, hot meals, counseling, and supportive services to homeless men. As the needs of the community grew, so did Arloa’s vision for Breakthrough. In 2000, Breakthrough renovated a building in East Garfield Park to expand their capacity to serve homeless women, and shortly after, their youth and family program was added. Today, Breakthrough stands as a center of hope for community residents and families of Chicago’s west side. Arloa holds a Doctorate of Ministry degree from the Bakke Graduate University and an MA in Urban Mission from Lincoln Christian Seminary. She serves on the boards of the Chicago Low-Income Housing Trust Fund and the Partnership to End Homelessness as well as the Evangelical Free Church National Urban Task Force. |
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