On August 12th, 2022, we had to unexpectedly pause Masterworks programming. We acknowledge that this decision to suspend the upcoming dance season has deeply impacted our students, families, staff, and volunteers, and that grieves us. We humbly apologize for any hardships this has caused, and would like to share more explanation around this decision.
The chapter of Youth for Christ Winnipeg (YFC) is one of 37 chapters in Canada, and it has existed in Winnipeg and several rural Manitoba communities for over 65 years. Over these decades YFC has been able to provide a wide range of programming to thousands of youth. Our mission is to see every young person live fully in Christ, and through each of these programs we hope to provide meaningful, healthy activities and resources to effectively engage and equip youth to know and follow Jesus.
Our Masterworks Dance program is one of 20 programs that we currently offer, and it has grown to be one of our biggest and most impactful ministries. Over the past 15 years we have been able to provide positive Christian connections and quality dance training to hundreds of families in Winnipeg. We see immense value in Youth For Christ having a ministry to provide opportunity for youth to engage in faith through the beauty of the arts.
Earlier in August, five YFC Winnipeg staff members who gave oversight to the Masterworks program shared with YFC leadership their personal vision for the future of the dance program, and that the current organizational structures of YFC could no longer accommodate or hold this vision. This left us at a difficult crossroads. As these individuals represented a substantial part of our Masterworks staff team, we realized that we would need to suspend our dance programming until we were able to reassess how we could move forward practically, and in a way that honored these different visions.
The five YFC staff who were giving leadership to Masterworks felt a call to something beyond the scope of YFC, and they have moved on from their employment with YFC Winnipeg. YFC blesses them to pursue God’s call in their lives for the next season of their journey and as they seek to pursue their vision outside of YFC. It is important to note that the recent changes were not implemented in response to any misconduct by YFC employees, volunteers, or attendees. YFC’s Masterworks dance program will remain on pause as YFC takes time to reassess their current staffing capacity and figure out what programming it can and will provide in the future.
As we move forward together, we recognize that our Masterworks dance programming will look different. There is grief in this, but we are also trusting that God will bring new opportunities. Over the next months we will be praying and working to discern the best path forward for this ministry and have hope that God will direct us to what is next for Masterworks. We invite you along this journey with us and ask for your prayer throughout this season of discernment.
If you had registered for classes and had paid for registration you have been refunded accordingly. We intend to complete orders of photos or videos from the 2021/2022 dance season. This will take some time, and we ask for your patience. Our desire is to move forward in a spirit of love, understanding, compassion, kindness, and unity. If you would like to remain on our contact list to be alerted about new YFC – Masterworks programming when it becomes available, please contact the email below. Additionally, if you would like the contact information for the new dance initiative being
offered by the former staff, please contact the email below and we will forward you that information.
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YFC Winnipeg Leadership Team
COMMUNICATIONS@YFCWINNIPEG.CA
