New here? Well, we’re glad you stopped by. This is your one-stop shop for all things Refuge. Anything from what do we believe to where do we meet or what should I wear or who’s in charge of this outfit? You’ll find it all here. If you have any other questions, be sure to send us an email.

Again, thanks for stopping by!

Where

We meet at the Memorial Hall at Blanchette Park (map and directions) at the corner of Randolph and Hawthorne in the heart of North St. Charles. Set on the serene hilltop right above the Memorial Gardens, Blanchette is a beautiful park with a huge playground for the kids, a path through the gardens and, in the summer, a family fun pool facility.

When

We meet at 10 AM sharp (though we’re working on the sharp part :). Dress is casual and we have a few light snacks and coffee to liven up those among us who get late starts, especially on those rainy Sundays.

What Should I Expect?

You should expect a friendly, casual environment with some smiling, but real people. We’ll sing some songs together, take some time to say "hi" to each other and hear a sermon from the Bible that deals with the messes we find ourselves in even today.

Our weekly services incorporate several things. Singing, Greeting, Teaching, Communion, Giving and Prayer.

Singing

There are multiple styles and preferences in music and we recognize that, however, all of our music has the same theme – Jesus. Some weeks we have a full, plugged in band, sometimes we have an acoustic set, sometimes we even have a mandolin and djemba. We gather around and sing new songs with old beats and old songs with new beats. We like folk, rock, funk, jazz, bluegrass, pop…and some others mixed in. We sing songs about Jesus TO Jesus. We sing songs of how great he is, how much we love him, and all that he has done for us. The good news is our voices all blend so whatever your talent level, you’re invited to sing out!

Teaching

God has made himself known to us…and that is great news! God has given us the Bible which captures this huge story of God’s creation, man’s fall, God’s redemption and promise of complete restoration. Each week we look at how small, messed up people can become part of God’s grand story. We look to the Bible to see this story and understand the Gospel, which helps us understand who God is, who we are and how to live that out.

Communion

Toward the end of each service we share a meal together called communion. Jesus instituted this meal as a new interpretation of what was called the Passover meal in the Old Testament. We invite all who are followers of Christ (Christians) to participate in this meal. On the night before Jesus died, he was gathered together with his disciples and he broke bread and poured wine into a cup and told his disciples to eat and drink. Jesus proclaimed that this was his body and blood broken and poured out for the forgiveness of sins. We encourage followers of Christ to live out the reality of the resurrection in being the hands and feet (the body) of Christ to the world around us.

This is, however, a meal for followers of Christ. If you are not a Christian, you are absolutely welcome to come and be a part of this service and we are honored and humbled to have you.

Giving

For those who call Refuge home, it is an opportunity to give of our lives to serve God and His kingdom. We do this, in part, by giving our tithes and offerings with an understanding that a) money is not something that is ours to begin with and b) God will do more than we could ask or imagine. We give, not simply out of duty, but primarily out of joy. If you are our guest, this time together is our gift to you and we ask that you do NOT give financially, but that you turn in a worship response card to let us know about you and if there is anything that we can do to help you in your spiritual journey.

For Those Who Are Searching

Our prayer for you is that you will see a people, not thumbing their nose in judgment, but humbled by their awareness of their own sin and God’s unbelievable graciousness through the Gospel. And that you will, through the visual of the Lord’s Supper, at least be struck with a sense of wonder of why a God so rich and powerful would give up his Son for the poor, the outcast and the needy. We prayerfully hope that this would help you on your spiritual journey to look differently, perhaps, at the message of Scripture.

For Those Who Are Longing

Our prayer is that you will see the picture of the Gospel in front of you through the taking of communion, and that you will understand that it is not your merit, good or bad, that causes God to love you…it is His good pleasure. Our prayer is for your heart to cry out this prayer – “God, I am more sinful than I ever thought possible, but I see, by the person and work of Jesus, that I am more loved than I ever dared hope. I put my faith and trust in His righteousness believing that he did for me what I could not do for myself. I turn from my self-serving and I commit my life to you.”