Local church moves from YMCA to Taco Jed

(ABC 6 NEWS) – NewDay Covenant Church met at the Rochester YMCA for almost 13 years. Once the YMCA announced the closure of its athletic facility, they worked to find a new space. And it’s one you may not expect.

The congregation meets every Sunday for music, fellowship, and tacos at Taco Jed.

"We knew we only had a few weeks to kind of regroup," said Lead Pastor John Duball of the Y’s closing in January.

Then, Taco Jed’s owner stepped in.

"There was a sense of relief to know that we had a place to meet right away," said Steph Whipple, a member of NewDay Covenant.

Employees at Taco Jed say they are happy for the new regulars, and Duball believes holding service at Taco Jed actually brings them closer to their mission. The church wants to integrate into the community rather than own their own space. Their goal is to make services accessible to all different types of people living in Rochester.

"We wanted to be in a place where people feel like, you know, I can actually talk and be open. Be real. Having that accessibility is really important for us," Duball said.

"We never would have imagined having tacos at our church service," Whipple added.