City of Refuge Church finally has a new home.
The church founded in 1976 by Andrew and Colleen Bennett is on the move after purchasing a commercial lot and office building in west Bloomington. The former Afni building most recently housed PATH Crisis Center’s 988 call center.
The updated 40,000-square-foot building is a game changer for City of Refuge, often referred to as “The City.” But it wasn’t the space church officials thought they’d be moving into. A previous deal fell through, which was a contingency on the sale of their 401 E. Jefferson St. location to a developer who planned to demolish the building.
“We just felt like this is a God thing,” said Pastor William Bennett.
The board unanimously voted on the Afni building and lot at 404 Brock Drive that is an even better fit for The City. And a congregation currently meeting in a hotel has purchased the 1888 church on East Jefferson.
“We kind of feel like it’s worked out for the both of us,” Bennett said.
Both deals are still under contract and slated to close this fall. Bennett declined to disclose prices until everything is finalized, but said they got a “very, very, very, very good deal” on the 5.46-acre lot. The current owners gave The City early occupancy to prepare for the move.
The building is updated, but not exactly turn-key. Church leaders view it as a blank canvas to customize their new space. That includes knocking down several walls to build a sanctuary with capacity for 300 people.
“That’s been the fun part,” Bennett said. “How can we turn this building into a church in three weeks? Or, at least a place where the church can come and worship. The people are the church. So, wherever we go, God’s going with us.”
The team, led by expansion director Christa Platt, has the enormous building completely mapped out, envisioning a community gathering space where all are welcome, whether they're parishioners or not. In the previous space, most meetings and ministry groups had to be held in the sanctuary. Church leaders struggled to find places for meetings.
Now, everyone has their own offices.
“One of the reasons why we loved this building is because it provides us with enough space to do ministry and those private moments that we have to have,” said Bennett.
Across the main floor from the executive suite are offices and meeting space for the fellowship team, where Bennett envisions a supply of food for community members in need.
“One of our main goals is to feed the hungry,” he said. “If you were short this week on groceries, you don’t need to leave knowing you don’t have any food in your refrigerator. For those who are outside our church, non-members, still come in. These rooms are going to be stocked with groceries you can get.”
The pantry is just the tip of the iceberg. The City has space for a nurse's station, fellowship spaces exclusively for men, women, teens, seniors and kids. They've envisioned a kids’ zone for Sunday School, rentable co-working space and a media room, music studio and podcasting suite.
Eventually, there will be a gym and a hangout space, an esthetician and a dance studio for practicing praise dance. Nursing mothers will have private space near the sanctuary with television screens simulcasting services.
Partnerships are in the works. Bennett has a meeting with their neighbors, Cracker Barrel, next week (can you say pancake breakfast?). And, perhaps most importantly, there's an elevator and fully accessible bathrooms that were a huge challenge in their previous space.
“Everyone who’s come to this new place has said they loved it,” Bennett said. “That’s important for a pastor.”
Another opinion that matters: Colleen Bennett, who with her late husband Andrew founded the congregation her son now leads in 1976. The church began in a 4,800-square-foot building on Bloomington’s west side — the new place has10 times the space.
“She’s excited,” said Bennett, adding he knows his father would be proud. “This move is the first one since I’ve been pastor where I felt like I’m really leading off of the shoulders of my parents.”
City of Refuge will hold its first church services at its new location at 404 Brock Drive, Bloomington, on Sunday, Oct. 6. In addition to donations and earned revenue from rentals, the church will use money previously allocated for maintaining its century-old building to invest in their vision for a community center for all.
