Page 4 - August 2026 - Truth & Tidings

teve was born in Sarnia, Ontario, empty lot in Norwich, put an old trailer
to John and Alma Kember in 1944. on it, and the assembly first met in this
SHe grew up attending the Sarnia “Good News Trailer.” Eventually, a build-
Gospel Hall and was saved at the age of ing was secured in Burgessville, where the
14 through 1 Timothy 1:15. He and Merle assembly still meets today.
were married in 1966, and Lydia, Lisa, Steve loved to encourage others to get
Zonya and Jeffrey were added to their involved. I moved into the area because of
family. In these early years he became this and eventually married his daughter
increasingly burdened to take the gospel Zonya. He took six from the assembly
to others. with him to Russia in 1993 to hand out
His first outreach efforts began in Sarnia Bibles and share the gospel. At one point
during the years 1977-87 while he and during his time in Burgessville he had
Merle owned Kember Furniture Rentals. three storefronts rented: in Tillsonburg,
His concern for the Christians’ children Brantford and Burford. A typical Sunday
and others found him preaching in his afternoon had some of us preaching in
furniture storage garage, seating people each of these, as well as back in Burgess-
on the random couches and chairs. Many ville in the evening. Steve financially sup-
were saved and later added to the assem- ported all of this and, as a result, you’d
bly. He helped in the Chatham area with often find him painting lines in parking
door-to-door visiting and preaching in the lots to help pay expenses and support his
tent, reaching souls for Christ. Numerous family. He often told me, “Nobody asked
trips were taken to St. Lucia, West Indies, me to go and preach, so I can’t be upset if
assisting with the mission work there, they don’t support me.”
staying for a year with his family in 1983- It was during the work there that he
84. During that year, he preached every and Merle lost their son, Jeffrey, at the
night for 38 weeks in a row! Again, many age of thirteen. I remember coming to the
were saved and assemblies planted that house that Saturday morning, unaware of
still continue today. what had just happened, and will never
In early 1988, he and Merle were com- forget what Steve said: “One thing I know
mended to full-time gospel work by the for sure: God has never made a mistake
Sarnia assembly and moved to the Nor- before, and He hasn’t made one today.”
wich/Woodstock area, working primarily Jeffrey died on August 11, 1992.
among the Dutch Reformed. They saw During this time, Steve also went door
many people saved there. He rented an to door east of Cambridge. The small as-

228 TRUTH kTidings August 2026