The International Plowing Match & Rural Expo (IPM) is held annually in different counties
throughout Ontario. It is North America’s largest outdoor agricultural and rural expo attracting
more than 80,000 visitors. The IPM is organized and run by the Ontario Plowmen’s Association
(OPA) and takes years of planning and months of labour to prepare. This year the IPM was
held at the Lindsay Exhibition Grounds in Kawartha Lakes from October 1 – 5. This marks our
39th IPM that the Reformed Evangelistic Outreach has attended.
The Reformed Evangelistic Outreach committee (REO) rents a 20’x40’ tent where tables are set
up with the tracts, Bibles, books, etc. We are grateful for the seven to ten volunteers that help in
the booth each day handing out Christian calendars, tracts and bookmarks to those who pass
by. We encourage them to browse in our booth where we have Bibles and hundreds of
Christian books available for sale at a very low cost (approximately 140 books were sold).
Frequently there are conversations about the Bible, doctrines, or “what is reformed?”
Bus loads of school children from the area visit the IPM daily and love to stop at our “free” table.
First, they grab a candy or two, and are encouraged to take children tracts, a Bible and a
laminated bookmark with a tassel and a text. Over a thousand free Bibles were handed out,
mostly to children but also to some adults. There were children that didn’t know what a Bible
was. On one occasion a group of ten children (eight to ten years old), picked out a Bible and
other Christian material and were suddenly stopped by their chaperone and told to put
everything back! The children looked at their chaperone with dismay. The chaperone said, “Only
if your parents go to church, you can have a Bible”. There was silence until one little girl said,
“My Nana goes to church,” which one of our helpers said, “Okay, then you qualify!” Soon after
another child pipes up, “My Nana does too!” Soon all ten children had a Nana that went to
church, and they all left our booth happy with a bag full of Bibles, tracts, bookmarks, and
calendars! Overall, the five days went very well, with excellent weather each day.
Approximately 16,000 tracts, 4,000 calendars, 1,000 Bibles, and many books were handed out.
First, the REO gives thanks to the Lord for the privilege of having this booth at the IPM, working
with so many like minded people and for the good fellowship. Our prayer is that the Lord will
add His blessings on the seeds sown. May He give the increase to His honour and glory, to the
saving of souls. Secondly, the REO gives thanks to all the individuals and churches for their
prayerful and financial support each year to make this endeavour possible at the IPM.
The Lord willing, the 2025 International Plowing Match and Rural Expo will be held in Grassie,
Ontario, Township of West Lincoln, Region of Niagara from September 16-20.