Warming center has new permanent location

After offering several nights of shelter last winter in rotation with another church, one Richmond congregation will fully serve as the community’s sole emergency warming center throughout the season.

New Deliverance Temple Ministries International at 1403 S. Ninth St. in Richmond will operate the warming center and will be its fiscal agent to process donations.

Carl Rhinehart III recently announced he would step down as the warming center’s director after four years of service. Rhinehart also shared that Oak Park Church is stepping away from serving as the warming center’s fiscal agent. Oak Park initially offered space for warming center guests and continued processing donations.

Rhinehart said he’s appreciated the opportunity to serve as well as various forms of support from the community.

“The volunteers, community partners and donors are the reason the Emergency Warming Center has been able to function over the past four years,” he said.

Rhinehart calls New Deliverance a tremendous partner for stepping in to help last December when shelter support was urgently needed. New Deliverance already had been providing meals and a warm space when it began rotating coverage with LifeSpring Church at 501 S. Seventh St.

LifeSpring became the warming center’s host in December 2024.

Warming center organizers thank LifeSpring’s congregation and Pastor Scott McNett for their assistance. Rhinehart said McNett has a heart for serving people and worked tirelessly to ensure the center could meet community needs.

For more information about next winter’s warming center, volunteer opportunities and ways to give, contact Bishop G. Wesley Bennett, New Deliverance’s pastor, at 765-967-1752 or bgwbennett73@gmail.com. Donations can be sent to the church at 1403 S. Ninth St., Richmond, IN 47374.