Who We Are

           Hillside is located on the northwest side of Cedar Rapids, IA. We are an outward-focused church, with a vision to create Christ-centered communities that increase the Kingdom of God in size, maturity & influence. We believe that everyone has a chance to build a relationship with God, with others, and with a community of believers. We lead with grace and an overarching understanding that no one is perfect but has a right and Holy privilege to love and be loved like the Lord loves us. Through this grace, consistent compassion, eternal hope, and unwavering truth, we stand on the cornerstone that is Jesus Christ who defined holiness as "loving God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and loving your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 22:34-40). Hillside strives to be a place where people love each other unconditionally, and we reach out to the world in love rather than judgment. (John 3:17)

            We believe the Bible is the Word of God and our guide for life and salvation. We believe people are called to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, who died and rose again so that we can gain freedom from our past--sin, guilt, shame, addiction. Christ accepts us where we are but doesn't expect us to stay there. He desires for us to become like Him in our character. When we give our lives to Him, He works in us to make us into the people He created us to be.

            The idea of our motto "no perfect people allowed" didn't originate with us, but it fits us very well. So, come as you are. Come with your sin, your guilt, your hypocrisy, your fear, and your anxiety. Bring those things to the feet of Jesus and find rest and healing.  In Matthew 11, Jesus said, "Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest." When you come, we hope you find that you're accepted and loved for who you are.  We'll walk with you as you grow and leave behind the old things and find fulfillment in a relationship with Jesus Christ, who also accepts us where we are, but doesn't expect us to stay there. He desires for us to become like Him in our character. When we give our lives to Him, He works in us to make us into the people He created us to be.

            Hillside belongs to the Wesleyan denomination. The Wesleyan Church is a small, Protestant denomination in the Methodist tradition. Our denomination finds its beginnings in the anti-slavery movement in the 1800s. This movement became known as The Wesleyan Methodist Connection and later the Wesleyan Methodist Church. We became the Wesleyan Church when the WMC merged with the Pilgrim Holiness Church in 1965. For more on the Wesleyan Church, visit the website at www.wesleyan.org .