The Refuge Church has been a mission on the move since the early days of the pandemic but is now back in its original home in time for the holidays.

The middle school was where the Rev. Jeremiah Holcomb started the church in 2015. But when the school suddenly had to close to the public in spring 2020, the church found itself in need of a new home. 

During the early weeks of the pandemic, Refuge held ministries online for members of the church to join until they reopened on Father’s Day 2020 in a temporary home at Cornerstone Family Worship. 

Several weeks ago, Refuge officially made its return to Eudora Middle School for Sunday services.

“Our best attendance this calendar year has already happened in the last six weeks of being back in the middle school,” Holcomb said.

There are several reasons why, including the audience that Refuge has built.

“The time that they are able to do it helps for families, 10 o’clock as opposed to 9 a.m. is great,” said Keri Mack, a member at Refuge.

Mack also touched on how being at the middle school can be great exposure for the church.

“Because so many people drive past the middle school, it is great to have the Refuge sign out and potentially bring people in,” she said.

Something else that was a common theme was how the youth program is a beneficiary of the move as well.

“[The middle school] is much better because it provides a better situation for the kids’ ministry than where they were before,” said Elmer Fuller, a member of the management team at Refuge.

Refuge will host its sixth anniversary at 9:30 a.m. Dec. 12 with a ribbon cutting to celebrate the reopening of the church at the middle school. There will be doughnuts and coffee and service will follow at 10 a.m.

After service, there will be a celebration potluck at 11:15 a.m. where the church will cater from Barbwire Barbecue. 

Reach reporter Bradley Yendro at [email protected].

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