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History

CHild evangelism Fellowship of E.PA INC 1938

Our Story

Facts

  • Founded by Mr. J. Irvin Overholtzer

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  • Officially organized in Eastern Pennsylvania in 1938

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  • Attorney Ronald Butler was retained in 1978 to represent CEF OF E PA, INC. with the Internal Revenue Service in order to obtain our own 501(c)(3) IRS status.

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  • In 1988 the State Board of CEF OF E PA, INC. voted unanimously to disaffiliate with CEF Inc. and become an independent CEF ministry.

CHILD EVANGELISM FELLOWSHIP OF EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA, INC. is an interdenominational group of God’s people bonded together in desire, determination, and divine commission to pray for and to reach children with the good news of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

In 1936, J. Irvin Overholtzer responded to God’s call to win boys and girls to Christ, thus establishing the ministry of Child Evangelism Fellowship.  Mr. Overholtzer made the first contacts in Eastern Pennsylvania in 1937, and CEF was officially organized in Eastern Pennsylvania in 1938. The State Headquarters was later moved to Lancaster in 1951 and in 1976 was relocated to Harrisburg. In 1978, a new headquarters facility was constructed at 4305 Winthrop Drive in the Colonial Hills area of Harrisburg, PA.

 

We thank the Lord for the 75-plus years of ministry CEF OF E PA, INC. has had to generations of boys and girls in our area of Pennsylvania through Good News Clubs, 5-Day Clubs, Good News Camps, Released-Time Classes,Open-Air Work,Rallies, Fair Ministries, and Summer Missionary Training School.

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