2015 was a sabbath year of quietness, rest, and prayer for RYO. Our youth leaders graduated from college, tried diligently to secure sustaining funding, completed their community service as VISTA volunteers, and ended up going on to paying jobs in various communities that took them away from youth work. At around the same time, the City School District decided against allowing community groups like RYO to talk about and advertise their after-school programs within the schools, seriously limiting fall recruitment of new student participants.

The present situation

However, many youth in our community and neighborhood are still hungry for truth, meaning, and connectedness in their lives. This past year has seen a dramatic increase in the number of young people “hanging out” on Arnett Boulevard right around the corner from our center, socializing, and getting snacks at the convenience store next door where they’re being exposed to various levels of idle behavior up to and including open-air drug sales, getting into scraps and mischief, petty vandalizing, and low level gambling. Where are God’s people in times like this?

What about the future?

Recently we’ve been talking with Gary Ham and members of his community-oriented Caleb Ministries about gathering and training lay youth leaders from the surrounding churches to reach out again to our neighborhood in 2016. If you, or someone you know, would be interested in being equipped for this kind of ministry, please contact us soon!

God bless you!

There are only 3 days left in the RYO Indiegogo Campaign! Check out the video here to find out what we’re about, and then please help if you can. Any money we raise will go a long way towards our mission of empowering Rochester’s young people through music and the arts. Thank you to all those who have invested so far!

For our Rochester friends, be sure to check out our next event, No Clouds Included, this Friday, August 23rd, at 265 Warwick Ave from 4pm – 8pm. Come enjoy music from BC Likes You, The Tarrants, and Disharmony. Our youth leaders have been hard at work preparing and it should be a great community gathering!

Remember to check out out Indiegogo site before the weekend, and join us this Friday night!

Thanks!
Dr. Bill and the RYO Team

Over 50 people of all ages came, including classmates at Wilson High School, friends, visitors from out of town, parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles, teachers, volunteers and staff. A tasty grilled dinner and salad prepared by the youth was available as part of the entrance fee, along with lots of music, spoken word, and wholesome entertainment. There were even homemade cupcakes and TWISY tee shirts for sale at a modest price to raise funds for RYO. Watch the video below for to catch an impromptu drum circle.

Doug counsels young men about the risks of STDs through our Embracing Options ministry and has recently become the leader of our Rochester Youth Outreach (RYO) program. Cynthia is becoming more active in our neighborhood planning and helps Doug on Sunday afternoons when Grace Community Mission holds open services in the RYO suite on Warwick Avenue.

Doug and Cynthia will be inspiring us with music and song again at our annual “Banquet of Blessing” on May 24th, this time as Mr. and Mrs. Smith!