Amanda DeWeerd of Stratford (Ont.) Christian Reformed Church organized a regional training for GEMS—Girls Everywhere Meeting the Savior, the ministry for girls offered in many CRCs—on Oct. 19. Leaders from 13 GEMS groups attended the event, along with GEMS executive director Wendy Hammond.
DeWeerd, who has served as head counselor at the Stratford club for six years, wanted to revive the regional training day, which hadn't been offered in a number of years since the COVID-19 pandemic. “We have many new counselors, and I believe it’s important to help provide them with the tools they need to thrive, especially as they mentor girls and young women in our GEMS clubs,” DeWeerd explained. She also said that while GEMS hosts a Sisterhood Summit for training in the summer, it takes place over several days, which makes attending more difficult for some women. “We still want to receive training and encouragement from other GEMS counselors, which is why reviving the regional training days is so important,” DeWeerd said. Participants came from mostly southwestern Ontario, but with some from clubs in the greater Toronto area and eastern and central Ontario too. “Club coordinators, counselors, music counselors, counselors-in-training—all sorts of GEMS Counselors were there to learn, to encourage, to be encouraged,” DeWeerd said.
When Hammond heard that DeWeerd was planning a regional training, she asked how she could support the Stratford effort. DeWeerd asked Hammond, who works in Wyoming, Mich., where GEMS is headquartered, if she would like to come to the event, and Hammond said, “Yeah, I do!”
Hammond, who grew up in the CRC (she was a Calvinette, the precursor to what became GEMS) and worked for Faith Alive publishing and World Renew, became GEMS’ executive director on May 20, 2024. She shared some insights she’s gained since stepping into the role and offered encouragement to the counselors. It was “an opportunity to listen and learn from the leaders themselves—hearing firsthand about the challenges they face and the successes they’re experiencing,” Hammond said.
DeWeerd said 55 people attended, including 44 adult counselors and 11 younger CITs or Counselors-in-Training. Workshops ranged from learning how to encourage and support girls dealing with different learning abilities to soap-making and working with chalk to create art. CITs took part in an introduction to leadership “You’re a CIT, now what?”—which included an indoor rock-climbing outing.
Hammond said she saw the event as a potential pilot for what regional training events might look like generally. “What stood out to me is the strong commitment to reaching girls who don’t come from a church background. That passion for welcoming and guiding all girls in their faith journey is what makes GEMS so special.” There are GEMS girls’ clubs in nine countries with 339 clubs in the U.S. and 142 in Canada.
“As women, we have a calling to mentor and come alongside these girls and young women, and speak Christ into them,” DeWeerd said. “I hope and pray that each woman that came was as blessed as I was for having this day of training and encouragement.”