What is CE?

What is Christian Endeavour?

Christian Endeavour is an international and interdenominational youth organisation working with various protestant churches. The goal of CE is to lead children and young people to a personal decision for Jesus Christ and give support and guidance for their lives. In CE groups young people are trained to lead a committed Christian life. They are challenged to be faithful members in their local churches and to get involved in missionary and social services.

The Principles of Christian Endeavour

> Confession of Christ

> Loyalty to Christ‘s Church

> Service for Christ

> Fellowship with Christ‘s people

The Christian Endeavour Pledge

Trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ for strength, I promise Him that I will strive to do whatever He would like to have me do; that I will make it the rule of my life to pray and to read the Bibles every day, and to support the work and worship of my own church in every way possible; and that just so far as I know how, throughout my whole life, I will endeavor to lead a Christian life.
As an active member I promise to be true to all my duties, to be present at and to take some part, aside from singing, in every Christian Endeavor meeting, unless hindered by some reason which I can conscientiously give to my Lord and Master, Jesus Christ. If obliged to be absent from the monthly consecration meeting of the society, I will, if possible, send at least a verse of Scripture to be read in response to my name and the roll call.

(This wording of the Christian Endeavor Pledge and of the Platform of Christian Endeavor Principles is given in the interest of understanding and unity and is not mandatory upon national unions.)

How it all began

: Francis Clark

In 1881, the first Christian Endeavor group was founded by Rev. Francis E. Clark in Portland, Maine, USA. It rapidly grew into a worldwide movement.

The first CE society in Europe was established 1887 in Crewe, England. In the following years CE was started in various countries in Europe: Ireland and France (1889), Switzerland and Germany (1894), Italy and Bulgaria (1896), Russia (1898), Hungary (1900), Portugal (1901). By 1902 CE was also present in Austria, Bohemia (now Czech Republic), Latvia, Sweden, Norway and Finland. In 1904 the European CE Union was organized in London and held its first European convention 1905 in Berlin. Other European conventions were held in Geneva (1906), Hamburg (1925), and Budapest (1927).

After World War II CE work was prohibited in the countries of the eastern (communist) block. CE unions were reestablished in Hungary, Romania and Ukraine after the political changes of 1989/90. Since 2006 new attempts have been made to strengthen the cooperation of CE unions in Europe. In 2008 an international youth meeting “Connect Europe” was conducted.

Today Christian Endeavour groups are active in Austria, Croatia, England, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Scotland, Romania and the Ukraine.