“On behalf of the YFC Winnipeg Board of Directors, I am pleased to announce that Cliff Heide has been called to the position of Executive Director of YFC Winnipeg,” says YFC Winnipeg Board Chair, Russ Friesen. “Cliff has been ministering in YFC Winnipeg for over 18 years, most recently as Senior Ministry Director. The Board is confident that under Cliff’s leadership YFC Winnipeg will continue grow in its ability to reach youth in Manitoba.”

Heide began his journey with YFC while attending Providence College.
He began volunteering at The Edge (a YFC skateboard program) and there got excited about youth ministry. “At the time my studies focused on business and organizational leadership,” says Heide. “But my time at The Edge really shifted my outlook on what youth ministry was, and I felt God pulling me in that direction.” Heide joined the staff at The Edge in 2001, and a few years later he assumed the Program Director role at The Edge. In 2015 Heide answered God’s call once again to become a Senior Ministry Director, supervising several YFC program directors.

“I am honoured to be given this opportunity to serve as Executive Director,” says Heide.

The Board and YFC Winnipeg staff would also like to extend its gratitude and recognition of John Courtney as he steps down as Executive Director effective December 31, 2019, after 47 years of service. Under John’s leadership and ministry YFC Winnipeg has reached tens of thousands with the gospel and built an organization that ministers to youth on a much larger scale than we could have imagined. John leaves behind a legacy at YFC that will continue to impact the lives of Youth for years to come.

Founded in 1954, YFC Winnipeg is one of the largest YFC chapters in North America with over 70 missionary staff and 400+ volunteers working with over 11,000 youth last year. The mission to “see the hope and potential in every young person” has helped form a diverse array of youth programming (Ball Hockey, Soccer, Rig Fitness Centre, Turning Point Counselling Centre, New Hope for Teen Parents, the Edge Skatepark, Work Force, King St. Drop-in, the Rock Climbing Gym, Masterworks Dance Studio, Camp Cedarwood, and satellite locations in Arborg, Carman, Gimli, Niverville, Selkirk, Stonewall, and St. Pierre-Jolys.)