In July of 1997, Pastor Bruce Deel was asked to travel to Atlanta to assist with the closing of a church. A few weeks into the process, he realized something miraculous was happening. Instead of the congregation dwindling, it was growing—with people desperately in need of spiritual nurturing as well as basic life necessities.
Recognizing that most of the people The Mission Church served traveled from the city’s Westside, City of Refuge sought to be closer to them. In 2003, after months of searching for a facility, City of Refuge was miraculously donated a sprawling warehouse complex in the heart of 30314, and opened its doors to the community.
From this new hub, the community began to seek more than food and shelter. They asked City of Refuge for help getting into recovery centers, to serve as advocates in court, and for job training and vocational skills. When they asked City of Refuge for something it could not provide, City of Refuge collaborated with other organizations that could.
As a result, City of Refuge grew.
