Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - Jan/76

Contributor - Wytze Vanderley and Christina Grieneveld

Title - Our Cadet and Calvinette Program

Topic - Children

What are we to do for our Junior Youth ... ?

This was the problem that the Consistory of the Emmanuel Church of Whitby was wrestling with. It was a major concern because it was clearly seen that there were no real "church activities" for our Junior Youth between the time they left the Sunday School program and until they were able to enter the Senior Youth program (at age 15 or 16). Because of that glaring need, the Consistory appointed a committee from the congregation to investigate the possibilities of incorporating some kind of a structured program for our Junior Youth that would keep them involved within the framework of our congregation and church.

After some careful and diligent investigation the committee came back with two possible answers to the heavy question, "What are we able to do for our Junior Youth?" Possibility One was to incorporate within our congregational structure a program called Pioneer Girls and Boys Brigade. This was a program that had its background in the Baptist Church. Possibility Two was to begin a Calvinist Cadet Corp which has its background in the Reformed tradition but was a product of the Christian Reformed Church. The Consistory at Emmanuel had to make a big decision!

The committee recommended, after much research and study, that Emmanuel Church should, on a trial basis, start a Calvinist Cadet Corps for the boys from age 8 to 15. If that proved successful within a couple of years, then we would branch out and include the girls in a similar program called the Calvinettes. The Consistory willingly accepted the recommendation of the committee and approved the beginning of a Cadet Club for Emmanuel Church.

THE CADET CLUB

The Cadet Club was started in Whitby Emmanuel Church in December 1970. We started with 15 boys and 2 counselors and today have 32 Cadets, 7 counselors, and 2 junior counselors. (We need to have extra counselors because of shift work for the men.) The ideal set-up is to have one counselor for each 5-8 boys. Each group of boys with their counselor is called a Cadre. "Living for Jesus" is the motto for all Cadets, and the basic idea of Cadeting is to bring each boy into a closer relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and through training and development helping each boy to become a well-adjusted Christian. The Cadets meet each Friday night from 7:009:00 P.M. Each meeting consist of an opening exercise (always led by one of the Cadets), a Bible study time, a craft time, plus games and badge work. Our Cadets do very little singing because they find it so hard to keep in tune. Their activities also include hiking and camping.

The structure of Cadets is that three or more area clubs will make up a Council. We are a part of the Pine Ridge Council which Includes six other churches or Cadet Clubs. Our Council each summer has a Council "Camp Out" for all the Cadets of the Council which is the highlight of the year. The Council also heads up other activities such as a ,Snow Derby" and "Talent Night,, throughout the Cadet year which affords good Christian fellowship and competitive activity for all the Cadets and their clubs.

Cadeting has become a worldwide activity and its headquarters is in Grand Rapids, Michigan. All the study material comes from the offices in Michigan and has been good Bible study material. One other thing that is of great value to our Cadet program is that we are now able to begin to train our own Junior counselors. These are boys who have come through the Cadet program, and when they reach the age of 15 or 16, they can, if they wish, became a Junior counselor which is the training to be a counselor in later years.

THE CALVINETTES

After we had seen the proof of the program as the Cadets began to move forward in their activity, the girls wanted a Calvinette program started, and it was started in the following way: We became interested in the Calvinette program because some girls from our church attended Calvinettes in the Christian Reformed Church and also one of our our members was a Counselor in the Christian Reformed Church. Through this the mothers became familiar with the work of the girls and the material involved. They in turn requested of the Consistory permission to begin Calvinettes for the girls, immediately, and the request was granted. The Head Counselor from the Christian Reformed Church met one evening with the women of our church who were interested in teaching and explained the whole program. We then started Calvinettes in -September 1972 with a total of 23 girls and 8 counselors. The girls ranged from the age of 8 to 15 years. The Calvinette program is divided into four groups: Busy Bees, Juniors, Seniors and Advanced, with each group being a two year course.

We are now in our fourth year with a total of 60 girls (both non-church and church girls), 13 counselors and 3 junior counselors. We meet every Friday for two hours and our meetings consist of singing, Bible reading, badge work, crafts and refreshments. We also have. special events like tobogganning, swimming, bowling, Grandparents' Banquet, Mother and Daughter Tea and Calvinette Sunday throughout our season.

"What does the Lord require of us. ". . . to do justice, and to love kindness and to walk humbly with our God." Micah 6 :8. This is the aim of all Calvinettes. The purpose of -Calvinettes is the opportunity to develop and to train the "whole" girl into . being a well-balanced and truly adjusted Christian girl. It is -also to stimulate the girls to an awareness of their responsibility to their Lord and Saviour and to be the kind of per son who worships and serves the Lord in sincerity.

Calvinettes begin in January 1958 when the Young Calvinist Federation called a meeting of girls' club leaders in the Christian Reformed Church. A decision was made to prepare a new program and organize a division for girls as a part of the Young Calvinist Federation. Calvinettes remained in their organizational relationship until 1966 when United Calvinist Youth was formed. At that time Calvinettes and the Cadets Corps were invited to join the YCF on an equal basis. The three organizations now operate their headquarters out of one building. However, each one is a separate entity and is responsible for its own programming, promotion, and budget.

WHAT DOES CALVINETTES AND CADETS DO FOR OUR OWN LOCAL CHURCH?

1. Calvinettes and 'Cadets are links between Sunday School and Young People which keeps the boys and girls actively involved in church work.

2. It gives the counselors a challenge to work with both church and non-church boys and girls together.

3. It brings our church name in the community.

4. It gives us Church helpers, e.g. Junior counselors and counselors.

5. Through badge work the boys and girls become familiar with our church history and missions.

6. It also gives the boys and girls an opportunity to participate in worship services.

7. It affords a lot more opportunity of Christian service for a great many adults who have become counselors for our Cadets and Calvinettes.

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