Launching
September 2026
Help us start a new church that brings good news and good works to Rock Hill.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Click the images below for more information.
join the launch group
The Launch Group is the team of people helping lay the foundation for Hill City before our public launch in September — shaping the culture, praying together, serving locally, and growing as disciples on mission.
These meetings often look like a time of worship together, in depth training in our mission, vision, values, and discipleship strategy, serving our neighbors and those in need in Rock Hill, and most importantly -- prayer!
Meet the Team
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Gray Gardner
Lead Pastor
Meet the Gardners: Gray, Jen, Charlotte, Finley, Joelle, and Millie
Gray will serve as the lead planter/pastor of Hill City Church. He has most recently served as an executive and campus pastor at Forest Hill Church in Charlotte, NC, and has over a decade of ministry serving across three different churches in student, college, and discipleship ministries. Gray is passionate about helping people experience authentic faith in Jesus.
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Darren Russo
Discipleship Pastor
Meet the Russos: Darren, Danielle, Addie, Porter, and Winston
Darren currently serves as the Discipleship Pastor at Forest Hill Church Fort Mill, but will transition to Hill City staff at the end of June 2026. He has been at Forest Hill for 10 years, and previously served in discipleship ministries with Campus Crusade for Christ for 13 years in multiple locations, including one year in Sweden.
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Tyler Reese
Worship Director
Meet the Reeses: Tyler and Mary Joy
Tyler joins us from the Charleston, SC, area with his wife, Mary Joy. Tyler is a gifted musician and worship leader with a heart to shepherd, disciple, and develop people through musical worship. Tyler will oversee worship, production, and creative ministries at Hill City.
Why Rock Hill?
We feel led to start a church that shares the good news of Jesus in word and action, bringing hope to every man, woman, and child in Rock Hill.
The Road To
LAUNCH
Dates subject to change. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date on everything happening with our plant.
NOW — BUILDING THE FOUNDATION
The Launch Group is gathering regularly — worshiping, praying, training, and serving Rock Hill together — and moves to weekly meetings in July. There's still time to join us. Complete the interest form.
See our upcoming Events above.
AUGUST '26 — PREPARING TO LAUNCH
Before we launch, we're opening the doors for a night of worship. Come see what Hill City will feel like — and bring a friend who's curious. Details TBD.
SEPTEMBER '26 — LAUNCH SUNDAY
Public worship services begin at the Charlotte Avenue YMCA, near downtown Rock Hill and Winthrop University. This is what it's all been building toward.
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How we got here: Gray entered a church planting residency at Forest Hill Church in January 2026 as part of the Greater Charlotte Church Planting Network's Launch Cohort, and the Launch Group began meeting the following month.
Get Involved
2) Attend a Launch Group gathering.
The Launch Group is the team of men and women helping lay the foundation for Hill City before our public launch in 2026 — shaping the culture, praying together, serving locally, and growing as disciples on mission.
Ready to take your next step? Complete the Launch Group Interest form.
3) Give.
We can’t do this without the generosity of kingdom-minded people like you.
Every dollar you give will help us launch and sustain Gospel ministry to reach the lost and make disciples.
For more information on our fundraising goals and 3 year budget, visit this page.
FAQs
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The best way to get involved before launch is to connect with the Launch Group.
Before we begin weekly worship services, Hill City is gathering people who want to help pray, build community, serve the city, and prepare to launch the church well. The Launch Group is not just an interest meeting. It is a committed group of people helping form the foundation of Hill City.
You can get involved by:
Attending a Vision Night or Launch Group gathering
Praying for Hill City and for people in Rock Hill to come to know Jesus
Serving with us in local outreach opportunities
Joining a team that will help prepare for Sunday worship
Giving financially to help establish the church
Inviting friends, neighbors, coworkers, and family to learn more
Whether you are ready to commit or just beginning to explore, we would be glad to help you take a next step.
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We will be located at the Charlotte Avenue YMCA near downtown Rock Hill and Winthrop University, launching public services in late September, 2026.
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Hill City Church is a gospel-centered church being planted in Rock Hill for the good of the city.
We exist to multiply disciples who bring good news and good works to Rock Hill for the glory of God. That means we want to be a church where people come to know Jesus, grow as whole-hearted disciples, live in real community, and serve the places where they live, learn, work, and play.
Our desire is to be biblically faithful, spiritually alive, relationally warm, and practically engaged in the needs of our city.
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Yes. Hill City will have ministry for kids from the beginning.
Our goal is to create a safe, joyful, gospel-centered environment where children are cared for, taught the Bible, and welcomed as an important part of our church family.
Student ministry will develop as the church grows. From the start, we want middle school, high school, and college students to be seen, discipled, and meaningfully connected to the life of the church.
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Hill City Church believes historic, biblical Christianity centered on the gospel of Jesus Christ.
For a fuller explanation of our doctrine and convictions, you can read our complete Statement of Faith.
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Hill City will be an autonomous church, meaning it will be governed by its own congregation and led by qualified elders without outside influence.
However, we recognize the strength of collaboration and will be partnering with the following groups:
Greater Charlotte Church Planting Network
Pillar Network
SC Baptists
These partnerships create layers of accountability, support, and strategic missional partnership that will help us take the Gospel further, faster.
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Hill City Church will be elder-led and congregationally-governed. This means that in the day-to-day operations and decision-making of the church, the elders (synonymous with “pastors”) will lead, but in larger decisions (membership, selection and ordination of new elders/deacons, final budget approval, etc.) the congregation will hold final authority.
From the beginning, Gray Gardner will serve as the Lead Pastor and Darren Russo will serve as the Discipleship Pastor. Together they will comprise the early elder board of Hill City Church.
A “start-up board” of 2-3 external “friends of Hill City” will join Gray and Darren in signing off on big decisions until a third local elder is established. This group will also be responsible for approving early budgets and compensation targets. -
We are not planting Hill City because Rock Hill lacks good churches. We are planting because Rock Hill is growing, spiritually needy, and worth serving. We are adding reinforcements to the coalition of churches already doing great ministry in the community.
Hill City’s distinct focus is to form everyday disciples, everywhere, for the renewal of Rock Hill. We want to help ordinary people follow Jesus in ordinary places with intentionality, courage, and love.
Our hope is to be a church marked by:
Good news — clear, joyful proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Good works — practical love and service for our neighbors and city.
Everyday discipleship — helping people follow Jesus at home, at work, at school, and in the community.
Gospel community — honest relationships where people are known, loved, challenged, and sent.
Mission in Rock Hill — not just gathering on Sundays, but living as witnesses throughout the city.
We want to be a church that loves Jesus, loves one another, and loves Rock Hill in ways people can actually see.
Give
We can’t do this without the generosity of
kingdom-minded people like you.
More details about projected costs, preliminary budgets, and mission-centric strategies will be published in the months ahead.
How to Give