Pastor and Mrs. Carlson had the opportunity to take a tour of Israel from January 27th to February 5th of 2009.  The following pictures are a sampling of the trip, which took them from Tel Aviv to the Golan Heights, to the Dead Sea, to Jerusalem, and points in between.  Please click on the thumbnails to see the pictures full size.
Caesarea
Jezreel Valley from Mt. Carmel
Sea of Galilee
Dead Sea beach area
Dead Sea
City of Jerusalem
Garden of Gethsemane
Mt. Calvary
The Garden Tomb
The Garden Tomb
The Garden Tomb (empty!)
The Eastern Gate of Jerusalem.  Dome of the rock visible to the left of the gate.
Modern Jerusalem behind the Eastern Gate.
The Carlson Family
Robert Carlson, a Canadian by birth, trusted Christ as his personal Saviour at the age of 11.  Having enjoyed the benefits of being raised in a Christian home (faithfulness to church, daily Bible reading, instruction in responsibility and character), he surrendered to full-time ministry for God at the age of 17.  Robert served on the staff of Perry F. Rockwood (Halifax, Nova Scotia) in 1979-80 before enrolling in the White Plains Baptist Bible Institute (Mt.Airy, North Carolina) under the Pastorate of Carl T. Lackey.  After completing his Bible training there, he returned to his home church in Niagara Falls, Ontario where he served under Pastor James Cunningham.  After being married to his wife, Susan, for only 11 months, they moved to Portage la Prairie to start the Golden Plains Baptist Church in June of 1990.
Susan was likewise raised in a Christian home, and trusted Christ as her personal Saviour as just a young child.  Upon completing Christian high School at Parker Memorial Baptist Church under Pastor Don Green, she attended Hyles Anderson College where she majored in evangelistic music.

Married in 1989, Robert and Susan rejoice that God has blessed them with three children (Holly, Benjamin, Angie).

Many times has this couple said, "God has blessed us far more than we deserve.  To God be the glory, great things he has done".