YFC STAFF PROFILE #3: Mark von Riesen

Mister Mark Wesley von Riesen, the senior staff member of the "YFC Three." So..."is his last name really von Riesen???" The answer is YES...and AMEN! Mark officially changed his last name in the past year, to the original version of Friesen. This kind of elusiveness has been a definite characteristic of Mark for quite some time now, with most of his acquaintances not being sure of where he lives, how he lives, what he's up to, or how to get a hold of him (rumor has it he now owns a cell phone for the first time ever...no one's quite sure if it's true).

BUT...the one thing people can count on is that he won't be too far from the Drop-In Centre, for Mark has had a dedicated heart towards the place, the people, and the ministry for a long time. Nine years ago he wandered into the Drop-In, started volunteering where he could, and now has been on staff for well over five years. With the more recent additions of Gordon and Eric, Mark has moved to an Associate Director position.

With a listening ear and an original perspective, Mr. von Riesen naturally takes a pastoral role within the YFC community in Niverville, be it amongst fellow staff, volunteers, youth, or others in connection with YFC.

Personally, Mark loves travel and new experiences, loves the diversity and uniqueness of his family (and now including his girlfriend, Kristen, and her family), and he loves music as well...playing as much as he can while bringing it to life at the Drop-In Centre, too. Mark's experience plays a major role to the YFC team, a role that YFC is very thankful to have.

YFC STAFF PROFILE #2: Eric McMahon

And here's Eric Shaun McMahon...the newest addition to the YFC staff trilogy. With an enthusiastic heart to make an impact in the lives of Niverville's youth, he stepped up to the Drop-In plate over a year ago, and dedicated himself to the full-time position of Program Director. It's been quite a massive step as he did so in tandem with MARRIAGE, beginning his ministry upon return from his honeymoon. No wall is too high for Eric McMahon. This is the attitude he's taken as he has jumped right into the intensity of youth ministry with some of the tougher crowds. One can hear Eric every now and then say "people are just putting up walls, and I'm just tearing them down." It's his love for the kids that gets through, whether he's hanging out at the Drop-In, the skatepark, at the school, out for coffee, or in special events and programs with the kids.

Eric is just about 24 years old, and up until YFC he's done a number of random jobs, road trips, worked and lived in Thailand, lived in apartments with strange friends, and then married the love of his life, Melodie. He LOVES film, and music...and shares both these passions and talents in the ministry, and on top of being a man of God, he aspires to be a superhero called "Hawkman."

YFC STAFF PROFILE #1: Gordon Kroeker

Voila!.....Monsieur Gordon Timothy James Kroeker, Niverville YFC's Executive Director. At the young age of 22, Gord finished up a college business degree and stepped right into the ministry about two years ago now. Thankfully he had spent the previous three summers working at YFC giving him an adequate initiation into the storm of youth ministry, though adequate may be an overstatement as there is very little experience that would be adequate preparation for being YFC Canada's youngest Executive Director.

His versatility has been fundamental to his work, for on top of connecting with youth and heading up the Drop-In Centre, Gord gets thrown into spheres such as planning banquets, delivering sermons, Seniors bible studies, random sports events, teaching elementary school kids, bookkeeping, cooking breakfasts, painting, and much more. In all of this, Gordon brings a keen understanding of people, business, and faith like no other; a combination so helpful to this ministry.

Gord has a passion for his family and his heritage, and a fascination with machines that move at ridiculous speeds (like a super-charged combine?). He also enjoys long walks along the Red River, Mennonite poetry, free-style hip-hop poetry, 16th century literature, and a mean farmer sausage.

new place, new space, new face

Greetings, everyone!
We're just getting a "blog" going here for our Drop-In Centre...so we hope to keep you all in touch with potentially VERY interesting stuff. Spiritually inspirational stuff. Or at least funny stuff. The blog world is now becoming a new place, new space, and a new face for the Niverville YFC crew. Hope you like...

-mark