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Dr. Richard R. Wynn, the seventh President of Youth for Christ/USA, passed away Friday morning at his home in Florida. He was 71. He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Janet; two children, Ronda (Dan) Chapin of Grand Rapids, MI, and Jeff (Bonnie) Wynn of Chicago, and 4 grandchildren.
Memorial services will be held 11:00am Tuesday, March 29th at Kentwood Community Church in Grand Rapids, MI. A legacy fund in honor of Dr. Wynn has been established at Youth for Christ. Donations can be made online by clicking here.
Dr. Wynn faithfully served in the YFC ministry for 34 years, beginning in Pontiac, Michigan in 1962. As YFC/USA President from 1986-1991, he helped launch many new ministry initiatives, including a focus on middle school ministry, the DCLA national evangelism training conferences, and relocating the national headquarters to Colorado. Through his work with Youth for Christ International, Emerging Young Leaders, EQUIP, and Crown International, he modeled a passion for the world, traveling to 75 countries for ministry purposes in his lifetime.
Dick loved the local church. As an ordained minister in the Wesleyan denomination, Dick founded Kentwood Community Church in Grand Rapids, MI, which now has attendance of over 3,000 each weekend. He recently served on the staff at Northland Church in the Orlando area, and helped oversee major expansions of facilities, staff and programs. He took great joy in hosting our YFC family at our last MidWinter conference in 2010, and was just last week working with the Grand Rapids/Muskegon YFC staff and board in facilitating a strategic planning process.
He was the recipient of many awards and three honorary doctorate degrees.
Dan Wolgemuth, President of YFC/USA, said, "Dick was passionate about our evangelism focus and left his footprint on the YFC movement. We stand on his shoulders today."
Welcome home, Dick. We look forward to joining you one day soon. |
