An apathetic youth group that frustrated its leaders in the 1990s to the point where its meetings were suspended rebounded to create a vital summer outreach ministry in their hometown in southwestern Ontario.

In the summer of 1992, Rev. Jim Breen was in his second year of ministry at Alvinston, a small two-point charge between Sarnia and London, Ont. He was excited about nurturing a youth group but his excitement, however, was short-lived. He and youth group leader, Ina McVicar, became discouraged by perceived teenage self-centredness. They would devise special activities to enliven the group but found the youth wouldn't focus on Bible study or spiritual things. This was an ongoing struggle for several years that came to a head at a summer retreat in 1996 when the youth simply refused to do Bible study. In frustration, he and Ina decided to cancel youth group. The church functioned from September to December without one.

Meanwhile, after watching a Tony Campolo video entitled "Who Switched the Price Tags?" Jim felt challenged to invite the teens to stop playing games and do something meaningful with their lives. The wonderful thing was that the youth were also re-evaluating their priorities at the same time. Jim was approached by some of the teens asking for the group to be reinstated at Christmas time. Jim and Ina agreed to try again early in 1997 on the condition that there would be 20 minutes devoted to Bible study and prayer. The youth complied, if somewhat grudgingly. Jim also explored the idea of a mission trip, where the youth would leave their comfort zone and make a real difference.

At that time the United Church in Norwich, Ont. had taken a youth group to Urban Promise, an inner city ministry to children and youth in Camden, New Jersey. Seeing an article in the United Church Observer, they contacted Urban Promise and took 10 teens and two adults there for a week in the summer of 1997. This was the first of eight annual mission trips to Urban Promise. Once out of their comfort zone and really serving God, the youth were changed by the experience. They started to take Christ and Bible Study more seriously and questioned how they could serve God in a more meaningful way once they returned home. By the summer 1998 two of these teens joined "summer teams" at Hyde Park United Church in London and St. Paul's Congregational Church in Chatham.

These summer teams began in 1975 as an outgrowth of the counsellor-in-training program at Kenesserie Camp, the United Church camp in Kent County. Jim Pepper, who had been a director at Kenesserie, had wanted to expand the leadership training aspect of the camp's program by including some offsite events. Summer teams hire youth and train them to run various camps over the summer. This was the first move toward their own Alvinston summer team which they call Hope Alvinston Ministries (HAM.).

In 1998, on the first day camp was run, 65 children signed up under the direction of youth from St Paul's Summer Team with local youth volunteers. By 2004, HAM had its own entire paid staff and ran six weeks of camps. The day camp had to be limited to 100 children for staffing reasons. Every year pamphlets are sent to the local elementary school with registration forms. These brochures could also be found in the post office and library. By 2002 a website was set up and many campers began registering on-line.

"It's important to have a critical mass of youth who you can depend on to work," Jim mentions while explaining what creates success in the summer program. He always keeps his eyes open for future prospects, preferring to bring in local teens for the work. Training is pertinent. Every summer, potential leaders are encouraged to attend camp. Learning how to run camps begins with camp attendance. There is also a four-week Leader-In-Training Program for potential leaders leaving grade 10.

Last year Alvinston charge was finally able to hire two senior staff. Amy Fisher and Marie Annett (see sidebars) were university-aged students who began working at the end of May preparing camp schedules, chapel themes and activities. The regular teen staff of four spent a week's training session hosted by St. Paul's after secondary school was out. This week was spent training the teens in leadership skills and filling in the schedule outlines created by the senior staff. By pooling training week with others, this small country church provides the staff with better training. Other churches might benefit from sharing training with local camps.

There is a great need for summer camp-like experiences for the children living in the Alvinston area. The community is tired of children just hanging around on street corners. Thus, the summer team program provides a specific two-fold ministry to Alvinston: Christian leadership development, plus activities for community children and youth. Jim found the maturity level of the staff was changing and leadership qualities helped them not only for the summer events but also in their daily life as they approached new challenges.

It wasn't enough to have just the children and youth on board and enthusiastic. Jim needed to depend on the adult membership of the church to act as a support system, to oversee the camps. At the same time, "one must be clear that the adults do not run the program," Jim emphasizes. "There is a hands-off policy." Make no mistake - the trained teens are in charge and the adults help and intervene only when absolutely necessary. Jim wants the older membership to stay out of the way as much as possible.

The obvious benefits to the church, and specifically the youth, are many: training youth on how to pass on the Christian faith and later to become better Christian parents and adults, and development of management skills for the benefit of other communities wherever they choose to set down their roots. The campers do not necessarily become future members of the church though some have begun coming to the youth group or Sunday services. Breen sees this as a by-product, not a focus of the summer outreach program.

From the initial one week camp, the ministry has expanded to encompass the whole summer. Originally the church hired two staff and the bulk of the teens were 'rented' from the summer team in Chatham. That is no longer the case. Much depends on the demographics of the local church or churches to see how many local teens can be trained. There is a host of volunteers to help the paid staff. Many are adolescents trying to acquire their 40-hour volunteer commitment in order to graduate from high school. An interesting occurrence is that one sees the same teens returning the following year even though they have already fulfilled their 40-hour obligation.

There are positions for every member of the church according to their temperaments, likes and time constraints. One couple may volunteer to oversee the lunch hour at day camp in order to give the staff a much-needed break. Another person may act as an emergency driver for any of the weekly camps. Another may host the sports camp, assisted by the staff in her or his endeavour. Some benevolent sorts have taken their vacation time to coincide with a program where they can assist.

From Vacation Bible School to Bike Camp, from Praise and Worship Camp to Day Camp, there are numerous events for the local children. If one likes canoeing or roughing it in the bush for a period of time there is a canoe trip down the local Sydenham River. If another prefers artistic endeavours, there is the Praise and Worship Camp, more commonly known as PAWS. Theatrical talents and sewing skills are explored in the Puppet Camp. The needs of the community, the strengths of the staff and volunteers all play a viable part in determining what camps will be run. For instance, one year there could be Puppet Camp while another year would find Sports Camp taking that slot.

The challenges of dealing with children who may have been neglected, or have had special learning disabilities for extended periods of time, needs a staff that is sympathetic and spiritual. Devotions are part of the daily routine and a review of each day's occurrences is held with all staff present. Anger is entwined with joy, frustration with love. Laughter is mixed with tears at the end of the day. Jim says churches wishing to start up a summer camp ministry need to look at their resources, be they physical or spiritual. There must be a small, highly motivated group of people and willingness from the church body. There must be a prayerful approach to beginning such a program. There must be a source for money but less than you one would expect. The staffs need to be paid for their intense summer of dealing with a myriad of challenges. As the number of staff and camps has grown, the cost of the program has grown from about $9,741 in 2000 to $11, 719 in 2004. However, the net cost to the church budget has never exceeded $3,000. In 2004 a youth employment grant, the local Optimist Club as well as business and personal donations provided $6,650. Camp fees brought in about $3,000 and the church budget covered the rest, about $2,000. Initial start-up may cost extra as supplies, camp and sports equipment has to be bought. But one can always depend on the charitable instincts of their community or church.

The summer outreach ministry has become a source for youth group members. The youth still serve the community through a peer tutoring program, community garbage cleanup, World Vision's 30-hour Famine and "The Friendship Club". This club was started in 1998 to serve the developmentally challenged in the area. Some of the church teens volunteer there on a weekly basis. Singing and making crafts are enhanced by the small Bible lesson. Snacks and relaxed socializing conclude the evening. Usually 30 or more developmentally challenged attend the event from the county. This is the only such club offered in the county on a weekly basis.

From the inauspicious beginning of an apathetic youth group to a vibrant outreach program, God has indeed moved in mysterious ways. He expects more of the youth than we do and in so doing created an environment that is joyful and painful simultaneously. The challenges have encompassed the whole church body and spiritual learning has become a weekly event. One is reminded of the words of the preacher in Ecclesiastes, Chapter 3: For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven... God has made everything beautiful in its time; also he has put eternity into man's mind.