In 1992, Erin Mills United Church (EMUC) took possession of a brand-new church facility on 2.8 acres in a new area of suburban Mississauga, Ontario. A parking lot and concrete sidewalks equipped the site for walkers, bikers, and drivers. 

Young people in the area also realized that the facility was an asset that had potential! Their skateboards could speed along on the sloped parking lot and along the curbs, ramp, and steps into the building.  A great opportunity quickly seized!

The reaction was predictable. “What are those kids doing on our property? They’re waxing up the curbs for sliding and it looks horrible! They are defacing the property. They could hurt themselves and we’d be vulnerable? I don’t think our insurance would cover the liability! We should stop them.” “Hey, you, you’re trespassing, so get out of here!” was one driver’s personal response to the skateboarders in his way.

The Council debated questions: “We need to block their skateboarding here, but how?” “What if the kids react and vandalize our facility?” “Our insurance requires us to carry out due diligence…..” “Yes, but does our mission statement have anything to say about this?”

The mission statement - “to offer opportunities for all persons to experience the love of God through Jesus Christ” – was carefully parsed. All persons? Does that include skateboarding teens in our parking lot? Is that really practical? Is it responsible? Is this an opportunity? What would Jesus do? Well, okay, but what might it look like to respond to these young people in line with our mission statement? And where might that take us?  

These questions led to careful dialogue involving congregational leadership and the youths – usually in the sanctuary. They told us about their situation, their need for recreational space in the still immature neighbourhood. We let them know we were driven by more than only property concerns; that we had a mission statement and convictions that led us in surprising, often counter-cultural directions – including concern for their well being as people loved by God.  But that included concern for their physical safety and that we had responsibility to be good stewards of the facility.  

Together, we gradually worked out plans we could all live with – with occasional faux pas on both sides. Skateboarding was permitted with some conditions. We grew in mutual respect for each other’s concerns and needs and started to imagine together how the suburban neighbourhood could become more youth friendly.

Planning started on a volunteer-run summer drop in program – Oasis – where young people could shoot hoops, play table games, skateboard, and just hang out safely. That first summer was a roaring success drawing lots of teens – younger and some too old!- but also a risky venture with inadequate supervision and direction. No disasters by the grace of God, but clear need for due diligence!

More investment of time and money was required to build on the fragile initiative. With help from various church, municipal, and community sources, including the local Rotary club and the United Way, a youth worker was hired. She addressed volunteer leadership concerns and safety issues, while cultivating the link between the congregation and community, between youth in the congregation and youth in the community. 

Beyond recreational activities, the congregation mounted a morning breakfast program in nearby social housing apartments and a homework help program increased the scope of the congregation’s informed concern for children and youth.  

With strong lay leadership, the initiative grew into the Erin Mills Youth Outreach Program – a sign that the initiative was maturing as an organization. A request to Ontario’s Trillium Foundation generated a four-year grant to fund the development of the Program.  

 

The ministry evolved further and required distinct organizational structuring and accountability. So, in 2008, the Erin Mills Youth Centre (EMYC), whose offices are still located in EMUC, was chartered as a legal entity and as an incorporated ministry of The United Church of Canada.   

EMYC continues the legacy prodded into life by the Spirit - in the guise of young people dressed in jeans, sports jerseys, and reversed baseball caps, doing amazing tricks on skateboards - calling a congregation to take its mission statement seriously.  

Mission statements are more than a collection of cleverly chosen words. Too often they are mounted on walls like a trophy or published in the order of service as a motto. But there are moments when the Spirit uses those all too easy words to challenge:  “Are these words real? Or are they just pious hopes untested?” 

Happily, the Erin Mills congregation was tested and responded hospitably in faith, with courage, imagination, generosity, energy, and in a spirit of partnership to make real the words chosen as the congregational mission back when the presbytery constituted the congregation in 1989.

God’s unfathomable and indefatigable love calls us always to do amazing things that often go against the grain, but which are a core part of God’s shalom reign. This dramatic congregational initiative has given opportunity for countless young people to experience – if not articulate - the love of God in Christ.

      

Learn more about EMUC at http://emuc.ca/About-Us/Vision-and-Mission and visit the EMYC Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pg/erinmillsyouth/about/?ref=page_internal