KNOXVILLE (WVLT) -- As many as 800 people attended the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church’s rededication service on Sunday Morning.

In the week following the deadly shooting during the church’s Sunday service, Knoxville’s faith community embraced the congregation, offering it more outside support than they had ever received.

"Behind the suffering of today, there is the sunrise of tomorrow," said Pastor Chris Buice of TVUUC, who was aware of the dawning of a new day for his church and its members.

Seven days before he took the stage for the rededication, police say Jim D. Adkission, 58 entered the sanctuary and opened fire on the congregation.

"He took away two precious people, wounded six others and traumatized the rest of us," said the pastor.

On the first Sunday in August, the police tape had been removed, and the congregation returned to the home that was brutally taken away from them.

"In the safety of community and love, we have come to reclaim this space,” said Brian Griffin, TVUUC’s director of religious studies.

People across East Tennessee and the nation came to see the Sequoyah Hills church as a crime scene, but many of its members saw the tragic scene as a place of refuge and healing.

"I've been coming back here almost every day,” said Beauvais Lyons, one of TVUUC’s members. “There is a sense of strength in being together with people who went through the same experience."

About 800 people attended the rededication ceremony on Sunday morning and the outpouring of East Tennesseans was so large that the sanctuary overflowed by several hundred. Other attendees had to be moved to rooms where they could watch the services on a closed circuit television feed.

"I think it's a testimony to the fact that this church has come to occupy a particular place is this community," said Robert Weeks who has been a TVUUC member for 50 years.

Officers from the Knoxville Police Department were also on hand to provide security and calm the worries of some.

"I have to say that there was a small amount of fear when I sat down in the sanctuary,” said Pam Owens who was among the visitors. “It wasn’t a fear that it would happen again, but just a fear that it could happen in any church."

TVUUC has had to endure a number of hardships since it was established, including violence when the congregation started welcoming African Americans, gays and lesbians.

“Thirty years ago, we didn’t' get any support at all,” said John Buehrens, who served as pastor from 1973 to 1981, “even when the church’s windows were shot out, but now things have changed.

Police believe Adkisson targeted the church because of his anger toward liberalism.

"I think his hatred was misplaced,” said Carla Lewis, a TVUUC member. “Instead of being made mad at us, we were the people who would have helped him."

Sunday’s rededication service was all about reinforcing the compassion and love that TVUUC’s congregation is always eager to share.

“I hope it was a unique event,” said Weeks, “and I hope it never happens again."