YP Halls

a Jesus thought...
Whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. (Mark 11:24)

a Godly thought...
The Spirit enables us to do what Jesus did when he went out into the wilderness "full of the Spirit" and resisted the temptations of the Devil's false offers of power - rather than authority, the spectacular - rather than God's will, and relevance - rather than faithfulness. (p28 Barker)

a leading thought...
Power is the opposite of love for one can't love and seek to control others at the same time. (Campolo)

a Dave thought...
Yesterday I did a drive by. That is I drove around Collingwood and checked out their YP hall. I am intrigued by The Salvation Army YP Hall. Here is an extract which sums up how and why they were erected...

1928 January 13 - Corps opened at Avondale.First Corps Officers Lieutenants Stella Vance and Gladys Hoare.Band formed and commenced under Bandmaster Henry Ashton.

February 27 - Hall opened.

1952 June - Plans were made for an additional room at back of Hall to be built for Y.P. work, extra room being urgently needed. Sanction being granted & permit obtained, the work commenced late in month. Comrades supplying the labour. A youth club for the elder Y.P. started also about end of month. A number of young folk who frequent the street corners being attracted to that and also to the Sunday night’s open airs.

So 24 years after a corps begins they build a new facility at the back of the main building to cater for the growing demands of ministry. This was a typical growth pattern in most Salvation Army Halls in the early to mid 1900's.This would have been a significant layout of finances and a great sign of how committed a corps was to reaching the local youth. Fast forward to today and if we want to show commitment we employ a full time Youth Pastor and invest into people more than facilities. Our youth work is less effective now we reach less local youth and put less finances into youth work in general. Times have changed but somehow I think it would be great to bring back the YP hall as our sign of commitment to the youth of this generation.

Ironically the corps at Collingwood is now closed, the main hall has been demolished but the YP Hall remains strong and local youth still use it.

Just a thought.