Parkersburg resident Orlyn Marks and his wife Wendy, will be celebrating 40 years in youth ministry and their involvement with Iowa Teens For Christ with an open house Saturday, September 21st at the First Congregational Church in Parkersburg.
Teens For Christ is a non-profit organization that aims to help teens become committed followers of Jesus Christ. Orlyn Marks was first introduced to the organization in the early 1980’s and after attending classes at the Christ Unlimited Bible Institute in Kansas City, he and his family moved back to Iowa and began working as missionaries to America’s youth.
“Back in 1981, I was involved with our church as youth group leaders, and we were looking for a place to go. We looked at Rocky Mountain High type of thing. And I ran into a guy that was wearing a t-shirt that said, ‘L-Bar-C Ranch.’ It’s part of Kansas City Youth for Christ. And at that time, his brother had just came back and started the ministry called Teens for Christ. So in September of 1981, is when the ministry of Teens for Christ got started, I got involved in ’82 by taking our youth group down to camp at L-Bar-C and Circle C ranches down in Kansas City. Two years later, the Lord called us into full-time ministry, from circumstances that we both wanted to go into the ministry, and my wife and I, we decided to join the staff of Teens for Christ.”
Marks first worked as a counselor with the organization and was named as the director of Teens For Christ in 1996. Today, the organization is based in Parkersburg at the Marks’ home.
The open house to honor Orlyn and Wendy Marks for their 40 years in youth ministry will be Saturday from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the First Congregational Church in Parkersburg.
Pictured: Wendy and Orlyn Marks
Photo courtesy of Orlyn Marks.
