Thunder Bay Gospel Hall
History
In celebration of the Gospel Hall's 90th anniversary in 2002, Mr. Robert Wilson compiled a photo album and wrote out a short history of the assembly's activites and members over the years. We are very thankful for his efforts.
The formation of an assembly and its continuance is essentially a work of God, exercising through the Holy Spirit and saved persons, both individually and collectively, to carry out His will and purposes in a certain locality or community. Ultimately this is done in order that souls may be saved, baptized and gathered to His name alone, thereby bringing honour and glory to His great and holy name. Saved persons, being brought about by their godly lives and witness in their own community and the regions beyond, work as the Lord exercises and opens up the way.
If we consider our own assembly, what we have stated we see to be the case. On Wednesday, April 10, 1912, a meeting of six people took place in the home of Mr. and Mrs. William McDowell. It was decided at that meeting to gather on the Lord's Day, April 14, 1912 to remember the Lord. The first meeting held in the Gospel Hall at 101 Pine St. was on August 1, 1926 with Mr. Chawner, an evangelist from Northern Ireland being the speaker. Quite a few in the assembly have been saved over the years under his preaching.
Elders leading the assembly over the years with approximate dates are as follows: William McDowell 1912 to 1960's; Leonard Coldridge 1914 to 1960's; Richard Weston 1917 to 1980; Joseph Pickering 1953 to 1964; Brian Weston 1963 to 2008, Gordon Wilson 1964 to 1985; and Kenneth Pickering. The current elders are Donald Hutchinson, George Stieh, and Bill Yocum.
Some of the activites of the assembly over the years are mentioned below:
For over 30 years, open air meetings were held every Saturday evening at the corner of Pearl St. and Cumberland St., with meetings occasionaly held at Maniday Park, Waverly Park, and Boulevard Lake. Gospel meetings were held at Murillo and Kakabeka Falls with some blessing seen. Some gospel meetings were also held in Nipigon. Tent meetings were held in the city and surrounding areas on several occasions. Quite a few years ago, the whole city was covered with John 3:16 packets and more recently with Romans 5:8 packets to every home. Childrens' meetings were held for a few years in Murillo on Friday evenings.
The assembly has had the privilege of commending three brothers/sisters to the Lord's work as "missionaries":
Mr. Robert Boyle was commended to the work of the Lord in Canada and the U.S.A in 1953.
Ms. Julie Frank was commended to the work of the Lord in Loloma Mission Hospital in Zambia in 2000.
Mr. Chris Brundage was commended to the work of the Lord for MIssion Flight Services in Zambia in 2014.
We rejoice and thank our gracious God that those early Christians, over a century ago, were exercised to commence this assembly and that over the years, many who have gone home to Heaven and many who are here today have come to know Christ as their personal Saviour. Let us go on humbly before our God, until we hear the shout and rise to meet our Lord in the air. Even so, come Lord Jesus.