Summer OFF

Summer OFF is an open, day-camp style program in collaboration with the summer meals program in Providence and surrounding cities.

The “OFF” stands for “Outreach, Friends, and Faith.” “Outreach” because we have an important message about Jesus Christ to bring to anyone who may not have heard it. “Friends” because we care about you as a person and want to be your friend. “Faith” because understanding who God is and what He has done for you is the most important thing about you.

Goal #1: Making New Friends and Building Relationships

Our first priority with Summer OFF is always people. Given our culture’s mistrust towards the church as a whole, we choose going out into public parks to get to know people first. The beauty of the park is its transparency. Everything we do is visible and honest. We have nothing to hide and everything to share through the Gospel. We don’t want Summer OFF to be a “single-use” experience but rather the starting line of marathon of life together in a gospel-centered church.

Goal #2: Teaching Bible Truths

Learning about Christianity can be confusing, so we start with the basics.  By providing basic, simple Bible teaching — through skits, visual demonstrations, stories, songs, games, and basic rehearsal of the gospel and of Bible verses each day during Summer OFF — we are doing the exciting work of introducing knowledge of the Bible to people who may not know because they have not heard.

We start with 4 Big Ideas to get started in a relationship with Jesus Christ:

• God wants us to know Him!
• We all have sin and need God to help us!
• We all need Jesus to take our sin so we can be with God!
• We live like Jesus to know Him more!

Goal #3: Sharing the Gospel Through Fun Experiences, Teaching, and Purposeful Conversations

The gospel is in everything we do. Each activity is purposefully designed to provide an opportunity to hear the good news of Jesus, to teach a truth about God, or to engage someone in an honest, spiritual conversation. We want to share the message of the love of Christ with each person who participates in the program. 

Goal #4: Connecting Children and Their Families With a Gospel-Centered Church in Their Area

Summer OFF is only a four-day program, but it’s only a starting point for getting children and their families connected long-term at a local, Gospel-centered church. We purposefully place Summer OFF at parks that are within a manageable distance of where our partnering churches meet, to encourage families to be connected within their own neighborhood and community.