By Rick Miller

YFC City Life director

South Central Minnesota Youth for Christ is happy to announce a purchase agreement has been signed with the current owners of the building at 400 Third Ave. NW, Austin. This is across the street from the high school.

Both of the owners live outside of the Austin area, but they have a strong desire to see the youth and community of Austin benefit from the ministry and mission of Youth For Christ. Their first thought when they saw the location of the building was to contact us.

We are excited for the opportunity of Austin to have a City Life ministry, like The Rock in Albert Lea, which focuses on the lost youth in the community and empowers adults and older youth to change lives of thousands. You can view a six-minute video online at scmyfc.org; just click on the About SCMYFC tab.

There is one challenge: Austin, we need you to support this ministry for your kids. Youth For Christ has struggled for 20 years to get enough support from the people and businesses in the community to have a Youth For Christ facility. This is the first time we have had an opportunity for a building, and there will never be a better location than this. The ministry needs committed Christian adults to serve on the Support and Advisory Committee as they partner directly with the ministry director. We need financial support from individuals, businesses, churches and organizations. But, we also need to be saturated in prayer. God’s church is not intended to be contained inside the walls of buildings, but rather a community church of Austin as a part of the body of Christ. Jesus prayed in John 17:11, “I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.”

YFC is a nondenominational, nonprofit youth ministry that partners with the local church, other like-minded organizations and individuals. The City Life ministries focus on six prime areas of youth development: healthy relationships, spiritual and moral decisions, basic health and safety, education, economic literacy and civic responsibility.

The building campaign goal is $225,000. This will not only purchase the building but cover renovations, to include handicapped accessibility and startup operational expenses. Donations can be made on the website scmyfc.org, by calling 507-373-1015 or mailed to the admin office; South Central MN Youth For Christ, 116 West Clark St. Albert Lea, MN 56007. Please note Austin on the memo line. All donations are tax deductble.

If you desire to get involved please contact me, Rick Miller, SCMYFC City Life director at 507-373-1015. I would love to come share the vision at your church, Sunday school, small group, business, civic or other group meetings.