An Ace In The Hole

In this city everything is larger than life. If someone says, “they do it big” New York definitely does it bigger. The key to surviving this place is finding those few special places you can call your own (even though anywhere will have quite a few others that call it their own as well). However, just because something is big or popular doesn’t mean it has to feel that way. This is why one of my new favorite places is the Ace Hotel.

The coffee is absolutely incredible. Even though this is New York most places do not do a great job of making coffee. If your only means of comparison is Starbuck’s then you probably don’t know what good coffee tastes like. They have a coffee shop/roaster located in the lobby called Stumptown. This is what a coffee shop should look like. Full of very fashionable baristas who have are dressed like they are straight out of the 1920’s. The price is perfect for this quality of coffee making. It’s cheaper than Starbuck’s but made with all the precision and love that coffee should be made. The coffee is hands down some of the best I’ve had in the city and you can tell when you look at the tip jar at this place. Not your loose change like in most coffee shops, but 5, 10, and even 20 dollar bills. The baristas are extremely engaging and you can tell they enjoy one another’s company. Continue Reading

A Community

First and foremost we are people united by faith and connected in community. We cannot be reduced to an institution, a location or an event.

A Catalyst

We’re an agent of change and a Christian community with the audacity to believe that by His grace we could influence a city that influences the world.

A Cause

We believe in the gospel and its power to bring generations to authentic, life-altering relationship with Jesus Christ.

I will never forget our first trip to New York City when Paul and I were in the valley of decision as to whether we were going to move our whole lives here (including our three children under the age of five) to plant a church. When we landed on the runway at JFK I was expecting to feel some semblance of “home” but if I am totally honest, I didn’t at first.

New York is one of the world’s greatest cities, yet from the moment we landed my heart was burdened for the people here. I felt overwhelmed by the scale of the need that surrounded me. I saw loneliness in so many peoples’ eyes. I saw a sea of people… many of them searching, looking, desiring to find what they were looking for. You only have to ride on the Subway for 20 seconds to see it. It’s a city of contrasts and extremes.

On one of the first few nights in the city in our hotel room, I was in one of those “valley” moments where I was questioning God…

What are we thinking? Why would we move our kids to a city that never sleeps? I might never have the so-called “dream home”, living in an apartment with no back yard! What if we fail? God speak to me, give me a sign! This makes no sense!!!

And He spoke in a rebuke (like only a Dad can…) Continue Reading

I am sitting here writing this at “Joe”, a coffee shop in the West Village located on the concrete island of Manhattan. “Oldies” songs are playing from my childhood that remind me of my dad and I just can’t stop singing.

I can’t stop pinching myself either because it feels like I am living in a dream world. But I’ve gotta be honest, all this pinching is inflicting pain… because I am not living in a dream. I am living in my amazing, over the top ridiculous, fun reality.

You see, 4 1/2 years ago while my husband Paul, our eldest child Ezekiel and I were living in Sydney Australia, I woke up from a deep sleep having just had what seemed like a crazy dream… one of those dreams that’s not just a dream but you feel that someday might just be your reality. Yes, it was one of those dreams.

So the dream went like this… Paul, myself and not one but three little kids, were on a subway in New York City on our way home from a service at a church that we had planted. Now at the time, as I mentioned, we only had one child so this seemed to be “craziness in dream land”. I could hear the sound of the clicking and clacking of the subway on the tracks. I saw and felt the wave of people swaying to the movement of the subway car … and I knew that this was in our future. It was vivid and real. I could see these three little people that were my children but not their faces, and I knew in my heart that our family was home. Continue Reading

A short video from Paul & Andi Andrew, talking about Liberty Church NYC.

Liberty Church is a Christian community in New York City with the audacity to believe that by His grace we could influence a city that influences the world. Find out more, get connected, be involved.

If you’ve got original photos of New York City we’ve love to include them in our Liberty Church Flickr feed.

All things NYC…

• Its places

• Its people

• Its culture

Please make the photos are your own work, or you have permission to use them. Just email them to info@libertychurchnyc.com, and if you include your name in the email we’ll tag the photos as yours.

Thanks for helping us celebrate New York City and share it with the world! Let’s face it… there’s lots to love.

We’d love to connect with you.

Liberty Church has communities on Twitter and Facebook. They’re a great way of getting to know people, finding out more, and getting involved.

Four ways you could get started…

1. Follow @LibertyChurchNY on Twitter

2. Join our Liberty Church NYC Facebook Group

3. Check out our Liberty Church NYC Facebook Page (and “like” it… if you do!)

4. Watch videos on our YouTube Channel

And if you, or anyone you know, is in the Greater NYC area please feel to contact us if there’s any way we can help