Brian Hopfe’s last day of work at the Weyburn Youth Center was on Sept. 16, as he prepared to move on to a new position at the Weyburn Free Methodist Church on Thursday, Oct. 1.
He was named as the “generations pastor” for the church. Hopfe noted the unusual title for his new position is due to the range of his duties, which will be about 70 per cent with the youth, and the balance with seniors along with young adults.
“I’m excited about this. I feel I relate very well to seniors as well as to youth. Part of my goal will be to see if we can get seniors and youth working together,” he said. “This will be a different chapter in my life.”
He added that he’s nervous also about making the move, but is looking forward to the new challenge.
Hopfe has been in ministry for 34 years now, and while he’s been in charge of the youth centre for the past two decades, prior to that he was an ordained minister for the Church of the Nazarene, an ordination that he still holds.
Looking back on his time at the Youth Centre, he noted the skateboard park was not here when he came on, and the main building housing TAGS was not in good shape.
They completely did over the building and over the years built up the drop-in centre in the basement, along with bringing in the skateboard park around 2005.
Going back to a church ministry will familiar to him, but he noted there will be a big difference, as he won’t be the lead pastor at the church, but will be working with the lead pastor team of Ian Isaak and Jody Pfeifer.
One of the advantages to this position is that he knows many of the youth and seniors already, unlike when a church brings someone in to a ministry position from outside the community. In addition, he will be working alongside those in the church who are volunteering with youth ministry and with the seniors.
