Friday, January 23, 2009

youth center?

When I look at what we believe God is calling us to here in Ambridge...mentoring, lacrosse team, leadership initiative and a youth center. One really stands out, doesn't it...youth center. A youth center in Ambridge run by Ambridge Youth Ignite, wow just saying it makes me feel like I am crazy. For some reason recently God has begun to stir that in me. Honestly, it scares me and that's one reason why I think we need to start pursuing it.

I just finished this book, In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson, it really helped me see my fear as a good thing, something that was there for me to overcome, something for me to push into. With that I feel the desire to start praying over a building here in Ambridge that would be a great place for a youth center, that place is the old Foodland.

A couple of experiences have gotten me to this place of search for and praying over a possible youth center. First, in Batterson's book he talks about the building that they prayed over and received to start their own coffee house near Union Station in DC. Um buildings definitely come a lot easier in Ambridge then in DC near Union Station. Secondly, I met the people who operate The Open Door in Crafton Heights near downtown Pittsburgh. Their story is very similar to Batterson's and actually Ambridge Youth Ignite's, they opened a youth center and its still in operation 20 years later. Check out their video below



So, I caught myself saying well if they can do it why not us?

1 comment:

AllieK said...

Eric~ you should talk to John Stanley about converting old buildings for use.

Another idea. Could we use the basement at COTS when it is free? It will be available soon and I think your ideas dovetail with those of others.

We have an air hockey table to donate for the purpose once we have a home for it. Let me know what you think