The Branch is a discipleship program that combines ministry and theology training with community life. Students will learn what it means to be a disciple of Jesus in all areas of life. They will spend time learning in class and serving with the Cedarwood staff in many areas of camp ministry. Please consider joining us this year as we walk alongside each other with the common goal of serving and becoming more like Jesus.

Our next session begins in the fall of 2023 and finishes at the end of August 2024. We'd love for you to join us!
Please email thebranch@campcedarwood.com to apply.

Hear from some of our past students...

"God did so much during my time at The Branch! I learned more about God and how He alone fulfills my life. I also learned how great it is to be in community with others. Now all I want is to follow Him day by day."
-Matthias 2020-21 Student

At The Branch I learned a lot about God, about me, and about what it means to follow Jesus with my whole life. Whatever happens, God always is and always will be good. He is in control and we can trust Him with our lives.
-Anabel, 2020-21 Student

​Who Is The Branch For?

Christian young adults

The Branch open to high school grads, aged 18-23 who have given their lives to Jesus. You don't have to have it all together but you should be intentionally seeking Jesus and wanting to live your life in service to Him. We will spend a lot of time digging into what it means to serve and follow Jesus. Whether you're new to your faith or have grown up in the church we will discuss the Bible and theology as we develop a solid foundation in the gospel. ​

The Servant Hearted

Ministry is what Cedarwood and Youth For Christ are all about. As a summer camp and rental facility Cedarwood has many areas of service. You will have opportunities to serve others in a variety of ways. This may include cleaning the lodge, helping in food services, hosting our rental groups or helping to maintain our lodge and grounds. In summer you will serve as part of our summer staff team. You may have the opportunity to learn how to: run a climbing wall and high ropes course, lead an archery skill, build a bonfire, etc. We want our Branch students to gain practical skills that will help them to serve in ministry in the future. During the year there may be opportunities to care for the camp kids while their parents have a meeting or enjoy a date night.

tEACHABLE sTUDENTS

We are looking for teachable young adults ready to develop roots and a find strong foundation in the Gospel and the Bible. Whether you have grown up in the church or have newly come to faith we want you to be able to prepare for class, participate in discussions, and listen to instruction. From Monday-Friday we spend a few hours a day digging into doctrine and theology. We have times of both upfront teaching and discussion. We explore and discuss foundational Christian truths like the attributes of God, the local Church, Prayer, Biblical Personhood, and developing a Biblical worldview. We spend time digging into the Bible and discussing what it means and what implications it has for our lives. Some of our time will also be spent watching videos, listening to music and discussing topics and questions that you suggest. You should come prepared to grow in your knowledge and wisdom of the Bible and to experience the life change that knowing and following Jesus brings. 

We use The Journey discipleship curriculum for our classtimes. For information about that curriculum please go Here.

cOMMUNITY mINDED pEOPLE

Community is a huge part of Cedarwood. For us, living in community is more than just sharing a home or work space. We are friends and family. We share what we have, hang out together and learn from each other. The Branch offers you a unique opportunity to live in a community of Christians for almost a full year. Life in community presents you with challenges and opportunities to grow that you wouldn't find on your own. At Cedarwood you can work out your faith in the everyday things of life and build friendships that will support you in your faith journey and last a lifetime. Our lunch tables are places of discussion on theology or the latest world events or sharing a funny video we saw. Some evenings we gather to play games or watch a movie. We meet weekly for prayer. At Cedarwood we value community and would love for you to join us!​

adaptable Adventurers

The nature of ministry is that not everything goes as planned or looks the same from week to week. We are looking for students who can “go with the flow” and are up for whatever life in this community brings them. Having a willingness to participate will help you in all areas of our program and work. We may have opportunities to serve at YFC Winnipeg in the drop-in, climbing wall and other ministries. At Cedarwood we run an amazing summer ministry where we give practical hands-on training in the areas of leading and sharing the gospel. Cedarwood finds its home on the beautiful Canadian Shield in Manitoba. We are surrounded by God’s creation including a lake, a variety of wildlife, and many rocks and trees to explore. In the fall you can take a prayer walk through our trails or play a game of soccer on the field. In the winter months enjoy a game of ice hockey on the lake or go cross country skiing. There is a suspension bridge nearby plus many hiking trails to visit in the area. So you can plan to do some adventuring too! 
​

Hear from some of our past students...

Even though I grew up knowing Jesus and the Bible, the things I learned in The Branch were totally mind blowing. I am really thankful that I could experience the community at camp & now have brothers and sisters in Christ around the world!
​-Vivien 2019-20 Student

"My time here was very defining for me. Basically, I learned that Christ isn’t just a part of my life but that he is my life and what it means to be a real Christian.”
​-Michael, 2019-20 Student

“I only joined this class for two months but I could see how God was changing me during that time and how He changed my view of my life as a Christian. It was good to talk about different things and also hear the opinions from the others.”
​-Eva, 2019-20 Student

"The Branch was a great opportunity to grow in my relationship with god, a good opportunity to be pushed out of my character, and a great experience of independence.” 
​-Katie, 2019-20 Student

FAQ

wHAT IS THE HOUSING LIKE?

At Cedarwood we have our main lodge where many of your meals, classes and work times will happen. As for your personal housing, depending on the year and amount of staff/students we have different styles of accommodations to offer. In our main lodge, we have a bedrooms with attached bathrooms that fit 1-2 people, as well as hallways of bedrooms which share a bathroom. On-site we have some staff cabins that can house up to 4 people. If you'd like to see more of what Cedarwood looks like Click Here. 
For a lounge and classroom space we convert our summer staff lounge into a classroom during the year. It is equipped with desks, couches, a pool table, a large whiteboard and a TV. We also have a Keurig machine for those who want to bring their own coffee pods. ​

What is the cost? 

The program fee for our 2023-24 year is under review.
In addition to the program fee you may have times where you will eat out, go shopping or do an activity that you will spend your own money on. In order to keep the costs low there may be some optional activities which will be paid out of your own money.​​

wHAT IS THE FOOD LIKE?

​Cedarwood prides itself in providing delicious food and good sized portions for everyone. We have typically eaten as a family around tables passing dishes of food to each other. If you have any health issues or allergies regarding food our kitchen makes alternatives can be made available. We usually have a salad and a variety of fruit available at most meals.

WHAT KIND OF THINGS CAN I DO ON MY FREE TIME?

We have walking trails in our woods and a variety of equipment for use on our lake. In the staff lounge, you can watch a movie on the tv or play a game of billiards on the pool table. If you have a car or can catch a ride into the town close by there is an ice cream place, grocery stores, post office and other essentials. Winnipeg is a 1.5 hour drive away but has a variety of places to go for those wanting more entertainment or shopping options. (Cedarwood does not provide access to a car for the Branch students)

what does the schedule look like?

Typically on Monday-Friday we have our class times in the morning and our work times in the afternoons (or possibly the opposite). Our class and work times are scheduled alongside the needs of our rental groups and ministry. Work time will also be scheduled on some evening and weekends depending on the needs of camp and our rental or ministry work.

Cedarwood is available for rent during the months of September-June. From June until the end of August we run our summer programming.  In Apir/May our class times end and we transition into a time work to prepare for our summer ministry. This work includes doing summer prep, working on maintenance, in hospitality roles and in the kitchen.

wHAT WILL WE LEARN?

Topics at The Branch cover a variety of Bible and Christian Living themes. Our units cover the gospel, the role of the local church, God's attributes, healthy marriage and having a Biblical worldview. We will read through and study the books of Matthew, Ruth and James. We also may spend time in prayer and singing together.

We use The Journey discipleship curriculum for our classtimes. For information about that curriculum please go Here.

wHO lEADS thE bRANCH?

The Branch is led by our onsite staff team. We have a dedicated program leader, Sarah Wolfe, but many of the other staff will give leadership in their areas of our camp ministry. To see our staff CLICK HERE.

Where is the branch located?

The Branch is located at Camp Cedarwood in the heart of Canada's beautiful lake country in the friendly province of Manitoba. We are 20 minutes from Lac Du Bonnet and 1.5 hours north east of the city of Winnipeg. 

When is the branch?

The Branch is a 12 month program that runs from mid-September until the end of August.
Classes run from September until April/May with a short break over Christmas.
From May until the end of August our time is spent preparing for and serving in our summer camp ministry.

How can you contact us?

Email us at thebranch@campcedarwood.com

WHAT'S NEXT?

Contact Us

To apply for The Branch or to contact us for more information please send us an email:
​thebranch@campcedarwood.com