Blazers chaplain commends YMCA's local emphasis

on its Christian roots

  
By JOHN FORTMEYER
CNNW publisher
    PORTLAND — Portland Trail Blazers chaplain Al Egg says recent efforts by YMCAs in the metro area to emphasize the agency’s Christian roots are a great thing that he likely would have welcomed when he was a youth involved in “Y” programs.
   “I’m so thankful for the effort now to bring the ‘C’ back to the Y,” said Egg, referring to the historic name of the Young Men’s Christian Association.
Egg made his comments as featured speaker at the fifth annual Christian Principles Division’s Celebration and Fundraising Event sponsored by the YMCA of Columbia-Willamette chaplain’s office Nov. 1 at the Multnomah Athletic Club.
     The chaplain’s office strengthens, encourages and comforts YMCA staff, members and volunteers as they put Christian principles into practice in the five-county Portland-Vancouver area. The office promotes the YMCA’s mission to build the spirit, mind and body of those served.
    Egg became a Christian through the outreach of Fellowship of Christian Athletes. In 1980 he told God that he would be available to minister to coaches, teams and athletes, which was the birthing of Beyond Victory Ministry. Almost immediately, one of the NBA Portland Trail Blazers asked him to lead a Bible study for the team, and soon after that one of the athletes at Portland State University asked him to do the same there. Today, Egg is chaplain for the PSU teams as well as the Trail Blazers.
    While Egg came to faith in Christ as an adult, he says it could well have happened earlier if the YMCA had been doing then what it is now locally. He said he was heavily involved in the Y as a boy — going to camps, serving as president of a Hi-Y youth leadership group in Olympia, Wash., as a teenager, and taking part in youth legislatures sponsored by the YMCA.
   “But the ‘C’ was not there,” he said. “I don’t remember ever hearing about God.”
    That is ironic, he said, because each year “every YMCA branch signs a pledge of commitment to Jesus.”
    As for the world of basketball with which he is so familiar, Egg said its very roots are in both the YMCA and Christian outreach. He said the inventor of basketball, James Naismith, was a strongly committed Christian who introduced the game at a YMCA in Massachusetts.
   “Basketball was invented as an evangelistic tool, and believe me, I share that with our Blazers every year,” Egg said.
    Bob Reichen, who heads the chaplaincy for the local YMCAs, acknowledged at the start of the event that YMCAs nationally have over the years not stressed the “C.”
   “The Christian emphasis to some measure, has decreased,” he said.
But he sees good signs that is changing.
   “The ‘C’ is being restored to the center focus of our association,” Reichen said.
    Bob Hall, president and chief executive officer of the YMCA of Columbia-Willamette, also noted the spiritual heritage of the YMCA. He said Dwight Moody, Oswald Chambers and George Washington Carver were among famed believers in Christ who were associated with the Y in years past.
     Hall said there are now more than 45 chaplains in Ys across the nation.
    “It’s a drop in the bucket, but at least we’re headed in the right direction,” he said.
    Orlando Williams, a member of the local Y’s board of trustees and president of Motus Recruting and Staffing, closed the evening with an opportunity for those attending to show their support financially. He said such support is sure to bring lasting spiritual results.
    “It’s an opportunity that will last throughout eternity,” he said