Camp 30

Aerial view of the"Pine Ridge Reformatory" in
Bowmanville, built in 1926. Also used as a German prisoner camp during WWII. It is the only remaining POW camp in N-America. Purchased by Members in Christ Assemblies in 1988.
I worked here for 7 years maintaining the outfit. It sleeps 600, and is completely self contained.









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How many safety rules are violated here?













25 German officers return to visit their war time prison.
1991

House Churches

My first "Church service" in Canada is a house meeting in Parry Sound. This is the first time I met my wife to be. What are the chances of actually having a picture?
1980













House meetings or small rented halls are common in Belgium where there are only 2000 known evangelical families.
1995













1995

1980 My first Church in Canada

Members in Christ Assemblies, Scarborough
1980














This reminds me of something - oh yes! My wedding photos.


















Every builder starts small. A play set in front of the church. My first attempt at construction 1980.

Evangelism 1949 - 1968

Traveling through Belgium with a book rack on top of a 1955 Beetle. This beat riding around in a leather suit on a motorbike as in the picture below.

Bibles were not available in libraries or bookshops. They became available in the mid 70's after 25years of persistent labor by a group of 12 people.

I spent quite a few hours sleeping in the box behind the backseat.







I found this picture on the net of a Puch 250TF that dad used to get around.

Churches in Europe

This is a more current version of the original "Leden in Christus". Now known as 'De Blinkende Morgenster' As it is noted on their website: "...they gathered in two different rented spaces before acquiring this permanent building..."

I still draw strength from the love shown to me buy this group!









'Glieder in Christus Gemeinde' , an associated church, moved from Reutlingen to Eningen, Germany.













This missionary couple labored in Belgium from 1970 onward. My first 'church' meeting with them was in 1970 in a rented hall called the 'Vooruit' in Gent, Belgium. It took five years of hard labor to get established.

All of these churches owe an enormous debt of gratitude.

This picture was taken in the original location of the German church in Reutlingen.

1975 to 1980

Izegem, Belgium.
This is the building we moved to from Deinze. It was an old shoe factory converted into a swimming pool and now renovated as a church.







We did a lot of 'open air' evangelism. By now there was an established church in Vlissingen, the Netherlands. This picture is taken in Izegem.

1975

This is the maintenance garage attached to the Pericles stroller factory in Deinze, Belgium. Through the help of a mayor (village: Eke?) the garage was transformed into a church, using the grease pit as a baptismal tank. I first stepped through these doors on February 9, 1975. It's a long story, but it sure was a turning point in my life.

Since the minister there was a foreign evangelist, my father and two others legally founded the official church movement known as "Kerk Leden In Christus"

A Special Church

I understand this to be the Protestant church commonly referred to as "The Temple" located in Ichtegem, Belgium. This would be the place where my grandmother became a 'heretic' in the late twenties. This picture dates from 1988.

Mid 1960's to Mid 1970's

I spent my teenage years attending this church. It is located in the inner city of Gent. I have most fond memories of the Pastor, the Sunday School teachers and the turmoil of making it through an oil crisis. For a period in the early seventies we were not allowed to drive cars on Sunday. My parents bought bicycles to go to church.

Hopefully I can dig up some photo.

Just a few steps away from the church is this Castle. Some parts were built as far back as ~900 AD. It was inhabited by Charles V, last Emperor of Europe.

1959 to mid 1960's

Gent, Belgium

Originally of Dutch Reformed origin, now part of the State recognized Flemish Churches. I spent my childhood years here. For some years, dad was evangelist for this church and contributor to their monthly magazine.










The interior with the raised pulpit and a communion table up front.

1958

Kortrijk, Belgium
This picture was taken ca. 1955.
My parents attended this church when I was born. I was baptized as a baby in this church and shortly thereafter we moved to another city.

The building was originally a "pottery". It was purchased in 1931 by a church group and a building permit was issued to change the factory into a church. This movement was started by Norton, an American missionary who ministered to soldiers in the first world war. It is ironic that a church should be situated at "The Potter's Corner"







A recent picture.

http://www.depottenbakker.be/