City of Refuge Ministries Reflects on 50 years of Service to Community

Reposted from The Pantagraph

Story by Olivia Jacobs, Photos by Clay Jackson

BLOOMINGTON — City of Refuge Ministries has grown a lot in 50 years, but its pastor said the church’s mission remains the same: creating a community and meeting their spiritual and physical needs.

“The vision behind that name is that our church would be a refuge for people who needed it within the city,” William Bennett, the church’s head pastor, said. “So, we’re a city within the city to be a refuge. And that’s kind of just the foundation that our church has always been. We’re trying to help people who need help.”

The Bloomington church was started in 1976 by Andrew Bennett Sr. and Colleen Bennett when they felt the “call of God” to start a church and had a few members join that same year. What started in a 2,400-square-foot space on Taylor Street has grown and moved into what is now a 50,000-square-foot ministry on Brock Drive.

After Andrew Bennett Sr. died in 2003, his son, William, eventually took on the leadership role along with his brother, Andrew Bennett, Jr., as assistant minister. William Bennett has been serving as lead pastor for nearly 20 years alongside his wife, Charlatta Bennett, who serves as first lady and women’s ministry leader.

They say City of Refuge is a family church, and while the members aren’t family biologically, they consider it a spiritual family.

Pastoring has its challenges, he said, but it’s been awesome for him to be a part of the church and community and to continue providing refuge.

“It’s been an awesome experience, kind of really, to even step in, you know, for something that my father and mother laid a legacy and foundation for, to be able to … feel that call of God myself, and to do it with the people that I grew up with, because I grew up in the church, so a lot of these people who I now pastor, I was in their Sunday School class,” Bennett said.

Colleen and Andrew Bennett Sr. moved to Bloomington two years before they opened the church and didn’t know anyone. Their goal was for the church to be representative of the community with people of all races, economic status and all walks of life to come together and worship the Lord.

And while the church is predominantly Black, Colleen Bennett said they have all kinds of members from different ages and backgrounds, which she believes is a testament to how her son has expanded their vision.

Colleen Bennett said it’s hard to put into words watching her son continue the legacy she and her husband started all those years ago. Sometimes when kids grow up with parents as ministry leaders, they feel they have to follow in their footsteps, she noted.

“He stands on his own shoes while continuing the legacy, something I’m very proud and I’m very thankful to watch him carry that vision forward … (it is) beyond what me and my husband imagined it to be. I know if he was alive today, he would be so proud of what his son is doing,” she said.

She is also grateful to reach the 50-year milestone having seen the church starting in an abandoned church building, and she feels the expansion of the church is a testament to God’s goodness and a legacy she believes will continue for years to come.

Today, City of Refuge has around 300 members and some of their members have been with the church for all 50 years. The anniversary celebration started on Wednesday night with the church honoring 25-plus-year members who have been committed and considered “pillars” to the ministry.

The Haywood family was among the first to join the church in 1976. Minister Haywood served until he died in 1983, but his wife, Freda Haywood and their children are still active in the church today.

City of Refuge eventually moved from its original location to a 30,000-square-foot space on Jefferson Street, but it has been in its current location at 404 Brock Drive for the last year and a half. It has enough space for Kingdom Kidz, which is their ministry for children, their teen ministry, and spaces for all the adult ministries and even for hosting a Black Business Shop event where they featured nearly 40 Black-owned businesses last year.

There are many things the ministry is able to do in the space and community, but the mere size still has them figuring out how to best utilize the space and expand it, Bennett added.

He said he’s seen many lives change over the years as the church has grown, but at its core it stayed the same. And while he’s unfortunately seen churches close their doors ever year, he believes City of Refuge has persevered through God’s faithfulness and people’s commitment to moving their vision forward.

“The message and the mission of the church has been the same for all 50 years. And I think that’s something amazing. And even when I began pastoring the mission doesn’t change, the mission is still the mission to save souls, to disciple people … and so yeah, we’re growing every Sunday, new members are joining,” he said. “Our main mission is to love like Jesus, lead to Jesus, reach community and to live by purpose.”

At City of Refuge, they want to see souls saved and lives transformed and are committed to helping the hopeless find hope and light, but they also want people to know they’re present in the community.

It’s not just about Bible verses, Bennett said. Sometimes it’s helping meet the natural and physical needs of people. They recently expanded their food pantry, so they encourage members every Sunday to make sure they get food if they need it.

Additionally, Bennett has heard from members that the church has a family atmosphere they love and consider it multigenerational with members ranging from teens to college students and middle-aged people to seniors.

“The love, the atmosphere, fun … we have fun here. That’s what we do at the City … the biggest thing is, I think we make everyone feel part of the family. So even during our service, if you’re a first-time visitor, we always announce, make them stand up, celebrate them and tell them they’ll never be a visitor again at the City,” he explained. “So, we try to make people feel really comfortable, try to let them know that we’re here for them. And I think people take to that.”

Festivities will continue with a worship night on Friday, May 1, at City of Refuge with special guests Pastor Vernon Mobley Jr., and Clifton & Anointed Friends. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the service starts at 7 p.m.

The main celebration will take place at 11 a.m. Sunday, May 3, with a legacy banquet at The Chateau Hotel and Conference Center at 1621 Jumer Drive in Bloomington. The ticketed event is open to members and public.

While Bennett said he likely won’t be lead pastor for the next 50 years, he is excited to think about what the next 50 will look like. He said he hopes he sets a foundation for whoever comes next.

He said he also hopes their mission will remain the same and will continue to thrive and serve people in the community.

Illinois Prairie Community Foundation awarded a General Grant to City of Refuge Ministries to help fund their summer day camp City Kids Christian Camp. If you would like to support youth programs like this, donate online.