Photos: Saving grace

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Photos: Saving grace

When Bruce Deel took over The Mission Church, he had orders to shut it down. Today, its City of Refuge is changing the lives of Atlanta’s homeless.

Bruce Deel holds hands with his wife Rhonda during a worship prayer on "Anniversary Sunday" markinig the 17th year of the City of Refuge on Sunday, July 13, 2014, in Atlanta. CURTIS COMPTON / CCOMPTON@AJC.COM

Needy families line up with empty carts to receive food items during the "Feed the Children" event at the City of Refuge on Thursday, June 19, 2014, in Atlanta. CURTIS COMPTON / CCOMPTON@AJC.COM

Volunteers help hand out hundreds of boxes filled with food items to local needy families during the "Feed the Children" event at the City of Refuge on Thursday, June 19, 2014, in Atlanta. CURTIS COMPTON / CCOMPTON@AJC.COM

061914 ATLANTA: Chinon Durham and her five children leave the "Feed the Children" event with a grocery cart full of food items during the massive feeding event at the City of Refuge on Thursday, June 19, 2014, in Atlanta. CURTIS COMPTON / CCOMPTON@AJC.COM

Jaden Eads (left), 3, and his brother Elijah Eads (right), 5, wait in line while food items are loaded in their mother Chinon Durham's grocery cart during the massive feeding event "Feed the Children" at the City of Refuge on Thursday, June 19, 2014, in Atlanta. CURTIS COMPTON / CCOMPTON@AJC.COM

Elijah Eads (left), 5, holds hands with his brother Jaden Eads (right), 3, while they wait in line with their mother Chinon Durhan as needy families receive food items during the large feeding event "Feed the Children" at the City of Refuge on Thursday, June 19, 2014, in Atlanta. CURTIS COMPTON / CCOMPTON@AJC.COM

A homeless man named Ron, who said he was a U.S. Army veteran, wheels his buggy of food items from the "Feed the Children" event at the City of Refuge to a burned out apartment building across the street where he lives on what remains of the porch that shelters him from the rain on Thursday, June 19, 2014, in Atlanta. The area of Atlanta that surrounds the City of Refuge has the lowest household income rates in the city and the highest rates of homelessness, poverty, high school dropouts, single-parent households, and crime. CURTIS COMPTON / CCOMPTON@AJC.COM

Rev. Bruce Deel and his wife Rhonda with their five daughters (from left) Karli, 12, Kaylin, 18, Kensi, 20, Kelsi, 22, and Kassi, 24, outside their old 14th Street church. CURTIS COMPTON / CCOMPTON@AJC.COM

Rev. Bruce Deel, his wife Rhonda and their five daughters Karli, 12, Kaylin, 18, Kensi, 20, Kelsi, 22, and Kassi, 24, stop by their old 14th Street that is boarded up and about to be torn down. CURTIS COMPTON / CCOMPTON@AJC.COM

Ryan Marchman has been the security guard at the City of Refuge for more than 8 years after coming through some of the programs seen opening the main gate for Sunday church services and feeding programss on, June 22, 2014, in Atlanta. CURTIS COMPTON / CCOMPTON@AJC.COM

Church member Richard Curran worships during the opening songs of the Sunday service by Rev. Bruce Deel at the City of Refuge on Sunday, June 22, 2014, in Atlanta. CURTIS COMPTON / CCOMPTON@AJC.COM

Rev. Bruce Deel delivers the Sunday sermon during church service at the City of Refuge on Sunday, June 22, 2014, in Atlanta. CURTIS COMPTON / CCOMPTON@AJC.COM

Rev. Bruce Deel prays with church members, the homeless, and other needy, including women escaping the sex trafficiing industry during the alter call in Sunday church services at the City of Refuge on Sunday, June 22, 2014, in Atlanta. CURTIS COMPTON / CCOMPTON@AJC.COM

Rev. Bruce Deel passes by a large cross in the foyer of the City of Refuge walking back to his office from the church sanctuary after delivering the Sunday sermon on, June 22, 2014, in Atlanta. CURTIS COMPTON / CCOMPTON@AJC.COM

Church member Michael Bussey gives Rev. Bruce Deel a thumbs up when Deel checks on how Bussey is doing health wise as the congregation gets up out of their seats to meet and greet one another during the church service at the City of Refuge on Sunday, June 22, 2014, in Atlanta. CURTIS COMPTON / CCOMPTON@AJC.COM

Pyper Whitehead (right), 3, and her sister Poppi Whitehead run down the hall after church concludes at the City of Refuge on Sunday, June 22, 2014, in Atlanta. CURTIS COMPTON / CCOMPTON@AJC.COM

Rhonda Deel gives long time securtiy guard Ryan Marchman a hug as they both leave the Sunday church service led by her husband Rev. Bruce Deel at the City of Refuge on Sunday, June 22, 2014, in Atlanta. CURTIS COMPTON / CCOMPTON@AJC.COM

062214 ATLANTA: Kensi Deel gives Pyper (left) and Poppi Whitehead a lift in the hall playing with the girls after the Sunday church service at the City of Refuge on June 22, 2014, in Atlanta. CURTIS COMPTON / CCOMPTON@AJC.COM

Bruce Deel holds a bashful Zariah Clemons, 3, in the church lobby following worship service on "Anniversary Sunday" the 17th year of the City of Refuge on Sunday, July 13, 2014, in Atlanta. CURTIS COMPTON / CCOMPTON@AJC.COM

Long time members Jim and Mary Hammons participate in worship service on "Anniversary Sunday" the 17th year of the City of Refuge on Sunday, July 13, 2014, in Atlanta. CURTIS COMPTON / CCOMPTON@AJC.COM

14-year attendee Debbie Fox (right) and new visitor Patricia Teal raise their arms during worship music on "Anniversary Sunday" the 17th year of the City of Refuge on Sunday, July 13, 2014, in Atlanta. CURTIS COMPTON / CCOMPTON@AJC.COM

Rhonda Deel (left) greets member Julia A. King who says she has been coming "since it started" on "Anniversary Sunday" the 17th year of the City of Refuge on Sunday, July 13, 2014, in Atlanta. CURTIS COMPTON / CCOMPTON@AJC.COM

Bruce Deel delivers a closing message to the congregation on "Anniversary Sunday" the 17th year of the City of Refuge on Sunday, July 13, 2014, in Atlanta. CURTIS COMPTON / CCOMPTON@AJC.COM

The needy line up for food items during the "Feed the Children" event at the City of Refuge on Thursday, June 19, 2014, in Atlanta. CURTIS COMPTON / CCOMPTON@AJC.COM

An apparently homeless man and woman sleep on the front porch outside the main sanctuary doors to the boarded up old 14th Street church where the City of Refuge began. The builidng is scheduled to be torn down and the area of Atlanta that surrounds the City of Refuge has the lowest household income rates in the city and the highest rates of homelessness, poverty, high school dropouts, single-parent households, and crime. CURTIS COMPTON / CCOMPTON@AJC.COM

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Bruce Deel holds hands with his wife Rhonda during a worship prayer on "Anniversary Sunday" markinig the 17th year of the City of Refuge on Sunday, July 13, 2014, in Atlanta. CURTIS COMPTON / CCOMPTON@AJC.COM

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