Skip to main content

Welcome to Manitou Lake Bible Camp

What began on a local farmyard in the 1940 as a few families and bible school students setting up “camp” on the farmyard, sleeping in grain bins and cooking out of a machine shop has since grown into a vibrant bible camp ministry today, nestled in the lake valley between Marsden and Neilburg.  Every summer since 1940 we have welcomed hundreds of children and teens, taught about the gospel and helped create friendships and memories that last a lifetime. Manitou Lake Bible Camp has rich history of strong volunteer support from our surrounding communities. The camp is owned and operated by One Hope Canada, supported by several local churches and stewarded by a local volunteer board of directors.

A Brief Timeline

  • 1940
    • The first summer of camp on the farm!
  • 1950
    • Merry-go-round is built
    • A committee tours the shores of Manitou Lake in search of a new campsite
  • 1951
    • The first camp held at the new campsite at the lake
  • 1962
    • Installation of power lines
  • 1970
    • Manitou becomes a CSSM-directed camp (now known as One Hope Canada)
  • 1978
    • A horsemanship program is developed
  • 1979
    • Road to camp is gravelled
  • 1980
    • MLBC hosts 4 weeks of summer camp
  • 1987
    • MLBC hosts 5 weeks of summer camp
  • 1990
    • A new gym is built
  • 1991
    • A new chapel is built
  • 1996
    • A climbing wall/rappelling tower is built
  • 2000
    • Paintball is added as a skill
  • 2004
    • Skateboarding and BMXing are added as skills
  • 2005
    • MLBC hosts 7 weeks of kids camps, a +50 camp, family camp weekend, young adults weekend, and a horsemanship camp
  • 2006
    • First summer using the new Dining Hall on the hill!
  • 2010
    • A new generation of cabins are built (2010 to present)
  • 2016
    • New climbing wall is completed!
  • 2020
    • A summer of day camp ministry
  • 2021
    • A mix of overnight camps, day camps, in-tents camps, and extreme days
  • 2024
    • A new shop is built