The Refuge

A group of young people attending a presentation in a modern, well-lit room with wooden ceiling beams, large windows, and a speaker at the front. The audience is seated on chairs and couches, watching the presenter who is standing beside a large screen.

We desire to equip 6th-12th grade students to glorify God by knowing Him, enjoying Him, and making Him known! We strive to be a gospel-centered ministry through teaching the Word of God, fellowship, and discipleship on Wednesday nights. We aim to create fun and welcoming environments at events like Youth Camp, King of the Beach, Ski Trips, and BIG Weekend to provide students the opportunity to encounter the grace, mercy, and love of Christ.

Four teenagers are standing outside on a paved area, engaged in a conversation. One of them is holding a half-eaten pastry. The background features trees and a fence.

Wednesday Nights

The Refuge meets on Wednesday Nights at Santa Cruz Baptist Church from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM! During this time, we hang out and play 9-Square, eat some food (almost always Pizza!), listen to a Talk from the sermon series we are going through, and end with Small Groups or a Game! 

Group of people, including children and adults, gathering on a sandy beach near a structure with blue bars, with houses and trees in the background, under an overcast sky.

Events

We aim to create fun and welcoming environments at events like Youth Camp, King of the Beach, Ski Trips, and BIG Weekend to provide students the opportunity to encounter the grace, mercy, and love of Christ.

Group of five boys and one adult sitting at a restaurant table with breakfast foods, smiling and making gestures. The table has pancakes, syrup, water bottles, and a book. The background shows a large window looking outside.

Discipleship

Our goal is not just to have fun with students, but to lead them to being fully-formed disciples of Jesus Christ. We do this on Wednesday nights, through our larger events, but also through doing Bible studies together at various points in the year.

Safety

We strive to provide a safe environment for your students to attend by training up our Youth Leader Team with a MinistrySafe training and Background check! We have several well-qualified leaders who not only want to pour into your students from God's Word, but also want to keep them safe while they are at The Refuge! If you have any questions, please reach out

Ben Sylvester / Youth Director

Caroline Ollenburger / Girls Youth Director

Connect