Westman Youth for Christ will be welcoming Manitoba Christian music band, The Color, to the stage at McDiarmid Drive Alliance Church in early October.
The Color is known for their energetic live shows sharing songs that emanate hope. They have received two Juno Awards for Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year: in 2017 for the album titled, First Day of My Life, and in 2022 for the album, No Greater Love.
"We're excited to be able to host again The Color coming in on October 3rd at McDiarmid Alliance Church in Brandon. We have reached out all over Westman as far up as Russell to be able to have the youth come on in for this concert," shares Westman YFC Executive Director, Rena Booth-Navid. "This is geared towards the youth to celebrate and have a night of worship together."
"But everybody who is not youth, who would like to be, is invited to come as well," she's quick to add. "The tickets are $25 each, so it's affordable for youth groups to come!"
Local community worship band, Exalt will be opening for The Color, so the evening promises to be an incredible night, shares Navid.
The Color has been touring across North America for over a decade and they'll be travelling back up into Canada for the October 3rd concert.
"They have been touring down in Nashville, so they're actually driving up from Nashville to come to Brandon for us," shares Navid. "So, it's going to be a long drive, I'm sure, but they'll be ready to perform and engage with us and lead us in worship that night."
Coming up in early November is Westman YFC's Gala of Hope.
The evening banquet will take place on Wednesday, November 5th, featuring comedian Matt Falk at the Grand Salon at the Victoria Inn, Brandon.
"This year we just wanted to come and have some celebration with laughter," shares Navid. "The work we do is very, very serious and we deal with a lot who are struggling. And so, our heart is to be able to celebrate again with some laughter this year. And so Matt Falk has agreed to come. He's been booked and he is really, really funny. It's going to be a great night of entertainment."
"It is a fundraiser, so there will be an 'ask' again at the end," she adds, "and I have a couple of stories to share of things that have been happening at Westman Youth for Christ. And I'm really excited and looking forward to being able to sit in community and laugh for sure!"
The concert fundraiser will go towards supporting the YFC Westman's recovery housing programs at Common Spaces, U-turn and Housing First. Funds raised at the Gala of Hope will go towards staff support and programming throughout.
"So, those funds can come to admin, it can come to housing, it can come to the youth worker. The gala is a bigger event to be able to support the youth work that's going on in Westman," notes Navid.
With the slower pace of summer, the Westman YFC team has focused heavily on community building—organizing events and activities like bonfires, Bible studies, and drop-in nights. These initiatives have remained consistent, with a strong emphasis on engaging youth and fostering a sense of belonging.
"It's been a lot of fun! They've done baseball, fishing up at the lake. It's just been a lot of fun, and the youth are really, really enjoying their summer, but sad that summer's over though."
Looking ahead to regular programming, Booth-Navid says they are focusing on what the future holds for them and steady the course with what's already happening.
"And so, I think this concert coming up with the youth of Westman, for the youth of Westman, is really on the hearts of the people that are serving at Youth for Christ to engage all youth," she says. "I know our mission is to engage with youth that are fully living in Christ. And so that's really a goal of ours and stretching out our resources to be able to help youth do that. And so that's where we're kind of looking at where the gaps are, what we need to do, and we want to be led by God right, to be able to fill."
