YMCA attempts to accentuate ‘C’ in its name

CHICAGO — Many YMCAs across the nation are reminding people who think of it as a good place to work out or find dependable child care that the “C” in Young Men’s Christian Association still means broad Christian values inspired by Jesus’ life.

There are 2,686 YMCAs in the United States. They operate autonomously, interpreting their common charter according to the needs of their communities, said Mamie Moore, a spokeswoman for the YMCA’s national office in Chicago. No one keeps track of how many YMCAs are reclaiming their Christian heritage, she said. But an October conference in Colorado for YMCA chaplains drew about 90 people from 40 Ys. “There are a lot of hurting people in the world,” said Bob Hall, president and chief executive officer of the regional YMCA, which offers programs in five counties surrounding Portland, Ore. Economic troubles, personal trials and a longing for community and spirituality — if not religion — have convinced him that the YMCA has a significant spiritual role to play in the region.   

“We’re not in the business to replace churches, but many people who step inside a YMCA may never set foot in a church,” he said. “Our mission, our purpose, our reason why is to teach, train, equip and see people taking responsibility for their own physical, mental and spiritual well-being. We believe in the whole person.”

Hall likes to say he’s trying to “illuminate the C” in the Young Men’s Christian Association. He has reactivated the chaplaincy — there hadn’t been one for decades — hiring Pastor Bob Reichen as vice president for mission advancement. Reichen ministers to staff, volunteers and members across a five-county region. “We were founded on Christian ideals,” Hall said: love, respect, honesty, responsibility and service. Stated so simply, they describe any moral person, but he insists that they are inspired by the life of Jesus and foundational for the YMCA. “They’re in our DNA,” he said.

The YMCA was founded in Britain in 1844, at a time when the Industrial Revolution drew young men to London for work. George Williams and a group of businessmen wanted to offer a Christian alternative to the sordid street life. The first YMCA offered beds, Bible studies and wholesome activities. By 1854, there were 397 YMCAs across seven countries, claiming 30,369 members.