About Us

A movement of churches and Christians partnering together to reach Raleigh and the Triangle for cultural, social, and spiritual renewal.

OUR MISSION

Equipping, connecting, and mobilizing a movement of Christians to work for the common good of the city.

OUR VISION

Seeking the cultural, social, and spiritual
renewal of Raleigh and the Triangle.

OUR INITIATIVES
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New City Fellows

A 9-month fellowship program that disciples emerging leaders with a focus on integrating faith and work, gospel worldview, personal growth, community formation, and cultural renewal. Personally led by Director Daniel Lee, while also featuring a diverse group of national and local leading thinkers and practitioners.

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Gatherings

Events designed to rally, network, and support our New City Fellows alumni and friends. They include socials, round table discussions, workshops, book studies, and service opportunities.

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Forums

Public events featuring leading thinkers on pressing issues of concern to the whole city and our culture-at-large.

OUR VALUES

The Gospel

The good news of Jesus Christ, as passed down through the apostles’ writings and the historic global Christian church, is what brings us together, motivates our work, and informs our vision of cultural, social, and spiritual renewal.

Public Faith

The Gospel affects and redeems all of life. Faith is deeply personal, but it is never merely private. Religion remains central to public life, and a principled pluralism marked by charitable and civil dialogue on life’s big questions is more honest than the alternatives, and more pressing than ever.

Work, Culture & the Common Good

Christians have a calling to steward, discover, and cultivate God’s good creation through work and development of culture, as well as the calling to serve and seek the welfare and shalom of our cities and neighbors.

Churches & Institutions

We equip emerging leaders and professionals for humble Christ-shaped servant leadership in local churches and the many organizations, businesses, and civil society institutions of Raleigh and the Triangle.

Kingdom Diversity

We seek the flourishing of every neighbor and community in our diverse cities. The Gospel breaks down barriers and brings reconciliation. The church is the multi-ethnic family of God, and Christianity is a diverse, global religion. So we seek to learn from and fellowship across traditions in the historic Christian church.

Our Leadership

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Dr. Jack Carson, Executive Director

Jack recently joined the Center to lead in its mission and strategy, develop partnerships, and teach as a New City Fellows faculty member. Previously, Jack taught theology at Liberty University’s Divinity School and served as the Executive Director of the Center for Apologetics and Cultural Engagement. While there, he mentored college students through a university-wide fellows program. Jack completed his PhD in theological ethics at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, and he co-authored the award-winning book Surprised by Doubt with Josh Chatraw. Jack and his wife, Erin, have a two-year-old-son, Bennett.

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Daniel J. Lee, Director of New City Fellows

Daniel directs New City Fellows and teaches on its faculty. Previously, he served as Program Coordinator of the Center and as Local Outreach Coordinator at Holy Trinity Anglican Church. He has worked at the Summit Church’s Summit Institute and Small Groups ministry, developing and teaching programs on discipleship, small groups, biblical studies, and faith-and-work theology. He is from New York, where he helped plant Maranatha Grace Church and preached, taught, directed music, and oversaw operations on its staff. Prior to that, he worked in the legal field while attending Redeemer Presbyterian Church. Daniel has a master’s degree in theology from Westminster Theological Seminary and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Stony Brook University. Daniel currently serves on the Board of Refugee Hope Partners, which serves over 2,400 refugees across Raleigh. An alumnus of New City Fellows (class of ’18), he is married to Crystal Chen Lee (Gotham Fellows ‘15) and together they enjoy practicing hospitality and traveling.

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Bonnie C. Yarboro, Program Coordinator for New City Fellows

Bonnie curates the programming experience for Fellows and alumni, plans and leads operations for events, manages Center communications, and oversees administrative aspects of the Center. She is an alumna of the New City Fellows program, class of 2018. Bonnie is a natural  and gifted connector, creator, and coach. A graduate of NC State’s Poole College of Management, she also worked there for many years, most recently as Director of Undergraduate Admissions.

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Rev. Dr. John W. Yates III, Pastoral Leadership

As the lead pastor of Holy Trinity Anglican Church, the founding church of the Center, John provides pastoral leadership and ecclesial direction for the work and mission of the Center. Having grown up in N. Virginia, he attended the University of Virginia before moving to London, England, where he served as Study Assistant to the well-known Anglican theologian, John Stott, from 1996-1999. John went on to earn an MA in Theology from King’s College, London, an MDiv. from Trinity School for Ministry, Ambridge, PA, and a PhD in New Testament from Cambridge University, England. John was ordained to the priesthood in March 2004. He first served as Assistant to the Dean of the Chapel at Clare College, Cambridge, from 2004 to 2006. He then served as Clergy Associate for Adult Discipleship at Church of the Good Samaritan, Paoli, PA, from 2007 to 2010. John is married to Alysia and they have four children: Sylvia, Isabel, Jack and Alexander.

Our Story

A group of Raleigh’s community leaders and downtown pastors were drawn together by a common vision to develop Christian leaders whose lives would have a transformative impact on the wider community. Where important conversations could take place in public forums for the good of our city. Their thinking took shape, focusing on a program that would address the necessity and importance of integrating faith and work for the sake of a flourishing city.

Their vision turned into reality in 2016 when Holy Trinity Anglican Church and Vintage Church with their partners launched New City Fellows, a 9-month intensive discipleship program for emerging leaders in Raleigh, under the directorship of Katherine Alsdorf, who founded Redeemer’s Center for Faith and Work and Gotham Fellowship. Two years later Josh Chatraw and Daniel Lee assumed leadership of New City Fellows and launched the Center for Public Christianity.

New City Fellows remains the Center’s flagship initiative, and it is now joined by gatherings – events designed to rally, network, and support our alumni – and forums that engage the community at large in dialogue to address the pressing issues of our day for the common good and God’s redemptive work.

Our Partners

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Steering Committee

  • Jay and Lynn Easterling — Raleigh Rescue Mission, JusticeMatters
  • Judy and Frank Hill — High Cotton Ties, The Institute for the Public Trust
  • Sam Pierce — Monteith Construction, New City Fellows Class of ’18
  • Kelly Seaton — Duke University, New City Fellows Class of ’19
  • Melissa Thornton — Oracle NetSuite, New City Fellows Class of ’20
  • Alysia and John Yates — Holy Trinity Anglican Church

Past Steering Committee Members

  • Katherine Leary & John Alsdorf — Redeemer Presbyterian Church NYC’s Center for Faith and Work; Redeemer City to City; InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA
  • Cliff and Anna Benson — American Homesmith, National Christian Foundation
  • Rev. Geoff Bradford — Senior Pastor, Christ the King Presbyterian Church
  • Jan and Wesley Burks — UNC Health Care
  • Angel Eaglin — Director of Discipleship, Vintage Church
  • Brian Gilman — Elder, Christ the King Presbyterian Church
  • Rev. Tyler Jones — Lead Pastor, Vintage Church
  • Rev. Jordan Penley — Pastor, Vintage Church Downtown
  • Jesma and David Reynolds — Walter Magazine, Loading Dock, Second Empire
  • Maryann and Bill Roper — UNC System
  • Jasmine Smith — WellCare Health Plans, New City Fellows Class of ’21
  • Milo Jasso — Merck, New City Fellows Class of ’17
  • Willa and John Kane — Sunday Supper, Kane Realty
  • Press McPhaul — NC State University Men’s Golf Team

Alumni Council

  • Matt Benson — President
  • Lillie Lodge — Class of ’17 Representative
  • Gretchen and John Hyde — Class of ’18 Representatives
  • Elizabeth Ramsey — Class of ’19 Representative
  • Catherine and Jimmy Doster — Class of ’20 Representatives
  • Anna Christian Allen and Tripp Gordon — Class of ’21 Representatives
  • Katharine Batchelor — Class of ’22 Representative
  • Mackenzie Donegan — Class of ’23 Representative
  • Rachel Deschenes — Class of ’24 Representative