Summer is a busy and fruitful time for CEF. Each summer CEF workers in Ontario minister to several thousand children. Many are hearing the Gospel for the first time.

Preparation is year-round, but the actual summer ministry begins with a two-week training camp for teens and young adults on the last Sunday of June. These "Christian Youth In Action (CYIA)", young people called by God to children's ministry for the summer, receive intensive training in the principles of children's ministry and in the particulars of that summer's 5-Day Club program.

A 5-Day Club is… a 2-hour program each day (for 5 days) of games, songs, skits, memory verses, and Bible lessons. The Gospel is clearly presented. If a church wishes to embed a 5-Day Club in a VBS of a longer duration it will need to extend the time by adding other activities (craft time, for example) that are not part of the standard 5-Day Club program.

Young people who want… to learn more about getting involved in the CYIA program can click here.

When the training is complete, CYIA set out in teams of two for six weeks of ministry. Monday to Friday each week they conduct two 5-Day Clubs (or VBS's), one in the morning and one in the afternoon or evening. At the end of each week they will move to a new location and begin again.

Teams of summer missionaries work across the province in a wide variety of locations, venues, and circumstances. Sometimes they are outdoors in parks or backyards, sometimes indoors in a school, church, or community centre. Sometimes they are in suburban communities, sometimes in the inner city, sometimes on native reserves. They minister to wealthy kids, poor kids, Muslim kids, Buddhist kids, white kids, black kids, Asian kids, and native kids.

Most clubs are arranged by a local church. Even though the club may not take place at the church itself, church participation is important because of the follow-up opportunities it offers. The cost for the team of two workers, fully trained and equipped to present the 5-Day Club program, is $275 for a week of half days, $525 for a week of full days. (If you are a small congregation that may find even this modest cost prohibitive, please talk with our staff. We'll do our best to make arrangements that work for you.)

Sometimes an individual has a vision and desire to reach the children of their neighbourhood but are not sponsored by a local church. In those cases we are pleased to assist by providing a CEF summer team. Private club hosts are invited to make a donation to help with costs if they can, but our normal fees are waived and there is no financial obligation.

Churches or individuals hosting a CEF summer team are required to provide a home with room and board for the two team members for one week (Saturday to Saturday). They are also required to provide transportation for the team to their next destination.

A new 5-Day Club program is developed each year. Details to come.