The YMCA changes its name.

I'm sure when you hear YMCA you immediately think of the popular song with the hand movements, but do you really know what the YMCA stands for? I, myself, only recently learned that it means "Young Men's Christian Association."

In a statement released on July 12, 2010 the YMCA has decided to change it's name and it's company logo. Here is an excerpt from that statement for you to read.

"A Brand New Day: The YMCA Unveils New Brand Strategy to Further Community Impact"
For the first time in 43 years, the YMCA has unveiled a new brand strategy to increase understanding of the impact the nonprofit makes in communities ... the result of more than two years of analysis and research ...The YMCA unveiled a new, more forward-looking logo that reflects the vibrancy and diversity of the organization, and a framework that focuses resources on three core areas: youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.

In another major change, the nonprofit will be called “the Y” to align with how people most commonly refer to the organization. The national resource office, YMCA of the USA, has already begun the transition to the new brand. Ys across the country will transition fully within five years."

Read the statement in full here.

This new change could be looked at in both positive and negative lights. Even with changing the name to "The Y", which is the already common street slang for the YMCA it will still provoke the questions: What does it stand for? "The Young"? Or is still short for YMCA?

The Young Men's Christian Association is a charity known far and wide by its initials. While the American Family Association expressed disappointment, local Y members said they see the change as a logical move because people frequently call it "the Y" already.

I feel the even more important question to ask now is what does the YMCA stand for? The organization was founded on a Christian backbone known primarily for its Bible studies. To me it seems they had already walked far away from their strong Christian roots since most people went there and were unaware of the message behind the organization.

The YMCA was founded in England 166 yrs ago on Christian principals which included loving your neighbor with kindness, goodness, and gentleness. It has meant providing both assistance and a place of refuge for the lost and lonely. Ultimately it means becoming an extension of Christ himself on earth so that other people can know and understand the love and mercy of God.

"The YMCA was founded because the founder, George Williams, realized boys need Christ to become grown men. By removing Christ or Christianity from their title, they're just taking another step away from their original mission," Fischer said.

Not only is the name changing but the logo is changing as well. The first logo developed for the YMCA was in 1881, in the shape of a discus with the names of the continents "Africa", "America", "Asia", "Europa", and "Oceania" encircling the perimeter. Within the logo is an open book upon which is written "John XVII 21" - which would imply the Bible scripture John 17:21 which is a prayer of Jesus which starts in the previous verse.

Check out all the logo the YMCA used here.

My prayer for their organization is that even though the name and logo may change, they don't forget the biblical base they were founded on.