In the mid-fifties, a group of believers who were in fellowship in Arnstein, Huntsville, and South River met in homes in North Bay for Bible readings and, eventually, Sunday school.
In 1958, there was a very fruitful series of Gospel meetings in Arnstein with Mr. A. W. Grainger and Mr. A. Ramsay. Many were saved, including some from North Bay, Ontario. This resulted in larger Bible readings in the home. A brother and sister purchased and donated a lot with a view to building a hall. Mr. Ken Moore, who was still driving his truck at that time, helped haul fill for the lot. A small hall, twenty feet by twenty-eight feet was built in 1962. G. Farnsworth led the project, with local brethren and elders from Arnstein helping.
Sixteen children attended the first Sunday School in the little hall. Within about a month, about one hundred were there, and there were only fifty chairs! The first gospel series was held in 1963 with Mr. Murray McLeod and Mr. Albert Grainger. This resulted in a number coming from the district and from Christian homes, including Mr. Reg. Burton. From that date, a gospel meeting and a Sunday school were held each Lords Day and a Bible reading each week.
In January 1965, Mr. Stanley Simms and Mr. Fred Kraus came for gospel meetings, at which time Mr. Reg. Burton (who had told his wife she would never get him into “that little joint”) and Dianne Boyes (nee Culin) as well as others were saved. There were approximately ninety in attendance at the first baptism in Lake Nipissing.
A number of the Lords servants and elders from Huntsville, Arnstein, Chapman Valley, and South River met with the North Bay brethren during Amstein Conference in 1967 and there was unanimous agreement that the time had come to gather in assembly capacity.
On Oct. 1, 1967, thirteen local Christians sat down with a number of the Lords servants and many visiting Christians to remember the Lord for the first time in the Breaking of Bread at Nipissing Junction. In November 1967, Mr. Ed. Doherty and Mr. James Clark held gospel meetings with blessing in salvation. Mr. Stan Simms and Mr. Ken Moore had several series of very fruitful gospel meetings, in particular in 1970, when a number were saved.
It was necessary to expand the little hall in 1968, and the present large hall was built in 1981. There are around seventy in fellowship now. To God be all the glory!
