Born of a vision for reaching out to “the least, the last, the lost, the locked out and left behind.”

The City of Refuge Church was originally a dream of its Founding Pastor, Dr. Dick Druary. Dick had previously pastored a church in Alabama, where he had begun special services complete with dinner for the homeless. He had a desire to return to his hometown, Houston, and plant a church here that would have a major focus on reaching out to those in need. At the same time, his desire was that this church would have a warm fellowship, be grounded in prayer and the Word of God, and fill the needs typically addressed by a mainstream, Christ-centered church. The church would welcome and encourage a membership of believers from all walks of life.

The intent was to be in the Montrose area, but God never opened doors there.

With the blessing of a parent church, Christ Evangelical Presbyterian in Houston, Pastor Dick and a host of others began the life of the City of Refuge with an unofficial service on Easter Sunday, 1996. This beginning was filled with excitement as several homeless people joined with the well-dressed crowd to praise the Lord and hear the redemptive message. The City of Refuge Church officially began the second Sunday in June, 1996, in the auditorium of St. Thomas University, in the heart of Montrose.

The original intent was to be located in the Montrose area, but God never opened the doors for the church to find a permanent home there. Thus, the City of Refuge began to hold services in a large assembly room provided by the Star of Hope Transitional Living Center on Yellowstone Blvd. in the Third Ward Area. Shortly thereafter, Pastor Dick was called to another ministry. The City of Refuge elders and founders realized the great opportunity for service in the Third Ward area and made it a priority as we began our search for a new pastor.

Many of us spoke of Matthew 25, “Whatever you do to the least of these my brethren, you do to Me.”

The Search Committee did not have far to look in its invitation for current Pastor Rufus Smith IV to fill the pulpit. Pastor Smith was the director of Spiritual Life, for all three of the Star of Hope Mission’s Facilities, overseeing three full time chaplains and other staff.

Pastor Smith possessed a huge heart for those who were “weak, wounded and without." Many of the elders spoke of Matthew 25, “Whatever you do to the least of these my brethren, you do to Me.” This was Pastor Smith’s heart as well. Pastor Smith has refined our vision and developed spiritual life-discipleship and faith-based life-skill courses under his mantra of “Blending Suburban & Urban Believers.” Under his leadership the church added a full-time youth pastor, Dan Walmer; a full-time Church Office Manager, Melissa Hall; and a full-time Worship Leader, Russell Thompson (who was already renowned in Houston for his city-wide ministry in the area of praise and worship). Pastor Smith and the elders have also led the church through a capital campaign, completing construction of our $1.2 million facility. 

By its location, City of Refuge Church bridges the great divide between two modern worlds.

And where is this church now located? We are strategically posistioned in the Third Ward Area and just across the street from our previous place of worship at the Star of Hope Mission. We entered our newly constructed worship/study facility and gymnasium in December 2003.   

With a dynamic staff and worship, the fellowship doubled in size and scope in two quick years. This strategic location is only blocks from the world-renowned Houston Medical Center. Sprawling new housing units and new businesses are developing in this area, which has been one of the city’s centers for disadvantaged families struggling economically, technologically and spiritually. The City of Refuge Church bridges the great divide between both worlds.

In 2006 COR blended it community development center with another to form the Forge for Families.

In January 2001, Pastor Smith and the City of Refuge started its own 501(c)3 Community Development Center (CDC), which we called The Refuge CDC. The mission of the CDC is to empower and equip under-resourced families through the gospel of Jesus Christ by means of non-conventional educational, vocational, recreational, and theatrical programs.

In January 2006, in an effort to have broader community impact, the RCDC merged with Inner City Youth, a long-standing outreach ministry led by Prince and Sheila Couisnard. The newly merged ministry became known as “The Forge for Families.”

The Forge’s multi-dimensional ministries include basketball, football, and softball for youth; adult life-skills training with vocational guidance for the chronically unemployed and/underemployed; support for ex-offenders through partnership with State Parole authorities, addictive-behavior support groups led by licensed counselors, a summer youth entrepreneurial program, and after-school enrichment programs for Yellowstone Academy and area public schools.

COR now supports vibrant ministries to youth, adults, families, community members and Texas prisoners.

The City of Refuge Church, looking forward at the nature of our ministries, has made excellent use of our multi-purpose gymnatorium and classroom space. The building is used for school during weekdays and for Worship, Sunday School, and Children’s/Youth Programs on weekends and weeknights. For three years, The City of Refuge housed Yellowstone Academy, a Christian School in the Third Ward for low-income students. Yellowstone recently found a much larger home for their future needs, so the City of Refuge teamed with the KIPP Academy, which pioneered a school for 5th and 6th graders in our facility. No doubt future needs will include expansion for all of the exciting activities going on in our facilities as God does his transforming work in this area.

The City of Refuge Church is also very active in prison ministry. From the outset elders Jim Carroll and I, along with others, have conducted a weekly Bible Study at the Jester 3 Prison Unit in Sugar Land, Texas. A large segment of the church turns out twice a year at Easter and Christmas to worship with the entire prison population. In addition, we minister at the Vance Unit (formerly Jester II). Through a program called Inner Change Freedom Initiative, sponsored by Prison Fellowship, the Carol Vance Unit was the first prison in the nation to rehabilitate prisoners through a full-time Christian curriculum. It is well on its way to record reductions in recidivism. Members from our church serve as mentors and teachers in this program. The Executive Program Director, Tommy Dorsett, as well as some program graduates who love Christ are among our membership.
    
“It doesn’t matter if you are black or white, yellow or brown, rich or poor, up or down, Republican or Democrat, Hawk or Dove, Urbanite or Suburbanite.”

On the traditional church side, we operate a full range of Sunday School classes and Refuge Groups (our version of small-group ministries) for all ages. We have a great desire for all of our members to be biblically literate as they reach out to others and “serve their community.” We welcome you to join us in this intentionally interracial and uniquely active congregation striving to reach out to every soul. In the words of Pastor Smith, “it doesn’t matter if you are black or white, yellow or brown, rich or poor, up or down, Republican or Democrat, Hawk or Dove, Urbanite or Suburbanite. Just come worship our Life Giver King.” Our goal is to make disciples for Christ as we come together from many directions with the common purpose of extending His Kingdom.