From Calvinettes to GEMS: A CRC Legacy of Discipling Girls

What Is GEMS?

If you grew up in the Christian Reformed Church before the 1990s, you probably remember “Calvinettes.” Launched in 1958, Calvinettes was created to provide intentional discipleship for girls, much like boys had with the Cadets. The idea was simple but powerful: gather girls together, open God’s Word, and surround them with caring women who could mentor and model what it means to follow Christ.

In the 1990s, Calvinettes became known as GEMS — Girls Everywhere Meeting the Savior. Today, the ministry continues to carry forward its CRC roots while serving churches of many denominations across North America and around the world.

Why GEMS Exists

Girls are growing up in a world filled with noise, pressure, and confusion about identity. GEMS provides something different: a Christ-centered place where they are reminded of who they are — beloved daughters of God, created in His image, and called to live boldly for Him. From the beginning, this has been the heartbeat of GEMS: helping girls know, love, and serve Jesus.

How GEMS Works

Most clubs still meet in local churches, but the ministry has expanded into community centers, schools, and international partnerships. In a typical club night, girls in grades 1–8 gather in small groups led by trained mentors and leaders. They study the Bible, worship together, complete hands-on activities through the badge program, and serve their communities. Leaders are equipped with training and resources, and churches often find that GEMS becomes both an outreach tool and a way to disciple the girls already in their congregation.

What GEMS Accomplishes

Through GEMS, girls:

• Build lasting friendships in Christ.
• Develop intergenerational connections with caring leaders and mentors.
• Learn to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God (Micah 6:8).
• Gain confidence to live out their faith in practical, world-changing ways.

For more than 65 years, GEMS has been a way the CRC has invested in the next generation. And while the ministry now spans denominations and borders, its foundation remains the same: rooted in God’s Word, empowered by the Spirit, and committed to helping girls everywhere meet the Savior.

Learn more at gemsgc.org.