Blaine Lake: Gateway Youth

Hi! My name is Brendan Schultz, and I am working with Saskatoon Youth for Christ (YFC) to start a youth ministry program in Blaine Lake, which has no active church. Living nearby in Waldheim, I have been aware of the need to reach the youth in Blaine Lake and have been working towards it for several years, slowly making progress but facing many challenges. In my first summer, I have already experienced God working in amazing ways!

Along with serving at camps, my focus since May has been on doing what is needed to establish a youth ministry program in Blaine Lake. This includes raising financial support, finding a location to run events, and building a team of volunteers. None of these things were in place in May, but God has answered prayer and provided. Through people’s generosity, we have raised enough financial support to begin running youth events in Blaine Lake this fall. Blaine Lake’s school has enthusiastically welcomed this ministry, going above and beyond to provide a space for us to use, and an overwhelming number of people have committed to serving in a variety of ways.

I have had the opportunity to go to the school at lunch several times already, and we plan to begin running weekly drop-in events on October 9th. These events will include an open gym, board games, arts and crafts, food, prayer, and biblical teaching. We aim to build relationships with these students and present the love and truth of Jesus Christ in our words and actions. We are calling this ministry Gateway Youth because Blaine Lake is the “gateway to the lakes” and because of Jesus’ proclamation in John 10:9, where he says, “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.”

Thank you to everyone who has supported this ministry with their prayers, finances, and commitment to serve! Some specific things you can be praying for in the coming months are that we can begin to build meaningful relationships with the youth in Blaine Lake and that God would provide me with the wisdom needed to run this ministry in a way that glorifies him.

If you are interested in supporting this ministry or would like to know more, please reach out to me at brendan.schultz@yfc.ca.