Holy Cross Gym is Closed

A cross in a hoop.

Jesus was our focus

We hope your day is filled with extravagant opportunities to smile! Sometimes it's hard to smile when sad news is on the horizon. The last basketball has fallen into the rim at Holy Cross. After many years of young people playing basketball in the Holy Cross Gym, the backboards and rims have been taken down. The gym will no longer be used as an athletic facility.

The parish needs the space for other church activities. It would be great if there were more buildings we could use for youth programs. Space and funding are always a problem. For almost 10 years, Youth With A Purpose has operated a community center that included the use of the gym. It has been a fantastic era. We estimate that over 100,000 young people have come through those doors.

The gym has been a

We taught about the game of life.

relationship building entry point. Young men have been
told to pull up their saggin' pants and watch their language. We come down hard on any guy who disrespects a lady. We've broken up fights and restored peace. There has been only one serious injury that we can recall. That was a young man who broke his arm when he fell awkwardly. Already the absence of the gym is being felt. Our Block Club Basketball team will have to practice outside. They are in the Playoffs with 2 possible games left. Playing outside is good if the weather is good, so it is not a big deal. Winter weather fills the gym. We existed with a small staff of mostly volunteers. A little effort went a long way.

We will continue mentoring large numbers of young people. We feed many kids from our kitchen in the Youth Center after school. We tutor as needed and run a host of other programs. This summer has been one of our busiest. Check out all of the photo albums on our Facebook page at:
 https://www.facebook.com/pages/Youth-With-A-Purpose-Inc/111808805513470
You will see we have been unbelievably busy!

We will open the school year with a Freshmen Orientation at Global Concepts Charter School. Call us if you are looking for mentors in your school. 716-830-8240 According to one retired Buffalo Principal: "Since YWAP has been in our school, grades are up, suspensions are down and behavioral problems have leveled off." Every year we are asked to facilitate classroom mentoring sessions and assembly programs. We have speakers on all topics relevant to students middle school, high school and college. Our Wilderness Adventure Program continues to attract adventurers looking for some team building combined with a whole lot of fun and exercise.

The Alpha Omega International Music Ministry is exploding. We have a very talented group of musicians and songwriters from different countries including Russia, Korea, Burma, India, and America. We present programs in churches, youth camps, parks, city missions, schools and street corners. The team does something we call: "WWW" or "Word Within Worship." Music is combined with a fast moving message. We would love to rap to your group!

It is sad to think that the last basket has been made at Holy Cross. However,

 "All things work together for good!" Romans 8:28

EVERYTHING.....
Has happened so that the glory of God can be revealed.
Instead of blaming people for bad things,
just believe that all bad things work together for good.
Don't let yourself be blind to the limitless
and unfathomable glory of God.
He can soften hardened hearts in the blink of an eye.
If you are in the cleft of a hardened heart,
let God's glory pass by.

Exodus 33:22 Amplified Bible
And while My glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by.

John 9:1-5 The Message
True Blindness

9 1-2 Walking down the street, Jesus saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked, “Rabbi, who sinned: this man or his parents, causing him to be born blind?”

3-5 Jesus said, “You’re asking the wrong question. You’re looking for someone to blame. There is no such cause-effect here. Look instead for what God can do. We need to be energetically at work for the One who sent me here, working while the sun shines. When night falls, the workday is over. For as long as I am in the world, there is plenty of light. I am the world’s Light.”

We are grateful for all of the years that we had the opportunity to form relationships with young people in the Holy Cross Gym. We look forward to the new things that God will lead us to. His mercies are new each day.

Thanks for your time. Go do something nice for somebody.
Jesus loves you and so do we.

The focus of YWAP basketball is:

 Love God & Love your neighbor.

"Find new ways, 

  in as many ways, 

    in more excellent ways, 

      on all of your days, 

        to show love." 

Bob Kuebler
YWAP Director

Youth With A Purpose

In School & After School
In The Mountains & In The Hood "All Children Are Gifted"

157 Locust Street

Buffalo, New York 14204

716-830-8240http://www.youthwithapurpose.org/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Youth-With-A-Purpose-Inc/111808805513470

http://thebrightspotreport.blogspot.com/
A Scholarship for a young person to attend a 3 day Wilderness Adventure in the Adirondack Mountains is valued at $185. We are a 501c3 and your donations are tax deductible. You may give online at:
http://www.gofundme.com/73te4
If you are looking for a speaker for parents or youth or both, please call us.