Leonard H. Laine founded an assembly in his home in Williams Lake, BC in 1960 that met thru 1983, and served as some of the inspiration behind the commencement of Horse Lake Christian Fellowship in nearby 100 Mile House, which exists today.

As of 2020, Leonard H. Laine resides in a small care home managed by a sister from a local Pentecostal church, with several other folks, and John Nicholson, pastor of the Williams Lake Evangelical Free church put Doug Engle in contact with Leonard on April 21, 2020.

Early Years

Leonard H. Laine was raised near Yorkshire, England, and made a decision for Christ while at special meetings at a Methodist church near Huddersfield in 1950. Then in 1953, he had compulsory service for the military, and while stationed at a barracks in Worcestershire 1953-1954, he heard music coming from a hall and it is where he visited his first Brethren assembly. Then they stationed him in Gibraltar where he found fellowship for eighteen months within the Gibraltar Gospel Hall there.

Gibraltar

This assembly work was initiated in 1870 by some British assembly Christians stationed there, then followed up by George & Ellen Holmes, U.K., who from 1881-1936 carried on a notable ministry to soldiers and sailors, according to "Turning The World Upside Down: Western European Evangel" that at the turn of the century, George was carrying on ministry for over 5,000 soldiers, and over 20,000 civilians. Other notable Brethren that ministered there in the early days included John Harris, John Langtry and Hugh McBain. This assembly continues thru 2020+, and the website is connected with the preceding link.

Family

Leonard married Ana Moriche-Marchena (1925-1999), who was born in Spain, and died in Williams Lake. They had one son, David Leonard Laine (1957-1993) who was born in Cochrane, ON, and died in Abbotsford, BC and left a widow and one child.

Post-Military

In 1955, Leonard pursued farm work opportunities near Ottawa, Ontario, and fellowshipped for a winter with an assembly at Osgoode Station, known as Osgoode Bible Chapel. It was notable to him that in 1956 the five young men died in Ecuador, which seemed to have an impact on him. This was also the year that he relocated for the next four years in fellowship with Cochrane Bible Chapel, in Northeastern Ontario.

Williams Lake Christian Fellowship

In 1960, Leonard hitchhiked to British Columbia in search of work, and found himself in Williams Lake, BC where he remains to this day. He started a Breaking of Bread soon afterwards in his home, and a few families met there. Around 1975, the assembly moved to the home of James Edward Milroy (1925-2016) on 1210 Pigeon Ave., then back to Leonard's in 1977 on 814 Shaw Rd., then in 1980 to 820 Shaw Rd.

Williams Lake Evangelical Free

In the early 1970's this church was started, and often after the Lord's Supper was finished at Leonard's fellowship, Leonard and others would go over to Williams Lake Evangelical Free Church to attend their services.

In 1981, Dr. Donald G. Street started an assembly in his home in 100 Mile House, with the encouragement of Leonard, and Leonard started attending more frequently at the Evangelical Free, becoming a more regular member in the 1990's, and has been ever since. The current pastor, John Nicholson, and his parents, visited an assembly in Bancroft, Ontario when vacationing with family friends, and from the mid-1970's thru the mid-1980's, John was in fellowship with Bethany Bible Chapel in Calgary, under the leadership and mentoring of Gary Inrig, who had assembly background himself.

Also at some juncture, Leonard started broadcasting assembly preachers via Hopespring Radio, which now streams online.

Leonard H. Laine

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