Guest Guide

Welcome! Tap the sections below for information that will help you make the most of your stay at Barnabas Landing.

In an emergency,
dial (778) 200-3700

Please Do Not Dial 911

When to call

If you see fire or smell smoke

Urgent medical attention is required

If you are concerned by any other imminent threat

Where to go

If you hear a bell ringing continuously, go immediately to our muster point in the tenting orchard west of The Station

FIRST AID

We have trained First Aid members on staff and a dedicated First Aid room on site, located in the Barnabas Office area. If you have a medical need, please ask your group host to connect you with our first aid team who will take care of you.

If you have a medical emergency, please call the Barnabas Emergency Line:

Call 778-200-3700

If you need a small bandaid or tweezers, there are self-serve first aid kids located around The Station (Concierge Desk, Pavilion & Marine Room).

Room Needs

We ask that you ensure all exterior doors (including deck doors) remain closed at all times - this helps keep the critters out!

Brown Blankets: In every guest building hallway, you will find brown fleece blankets that can be used in your rooms. We ask that you keep these in your room. If you would like to use blankets outside, there are smaller rolled up blankets in the common spaces of our guest buildings that can be used instead.

Beach Towels: Please use beach towels when swimming, instead of provided bath towels.

Sheets: Please tell an Adult Host if you need extra sheets, if you have any accidents or soiled linens, or if you need to clean up a spill. They will work with the housekeeping team to resolve the issue right away.

Extra twin sheets — as well as plastic mattress covers — can be found in every guest building in a green bin.

Bathroom Needs: Under the sink you will find a hair dryer as well as more toilet paper. Should you need more paper products, bathroom amenities or a plunger, your Host will be your go-to person to ensure those are restocked and procured for you.

Recycling: We recycle cans and glass bottles; please keep those separate and out of trash cans. Recycling containers can be found on the Pavilion.

Upon departure, please close any exterior doors and ensure all lights are turned off.

Meals

The large majority of meals during your Summer Family Week will be served buffet style, with the exception of a handful of special meals. While the recipes being served will vary with every meal (variety is the spice of life!), we design our meals to be customizable as you proceed through the buffet line.

Breakfast is served ‘rolling’; this means you can arrive anytime within the one hour breakfast period as suits your family. A variety of breakfast options will be available, including a hot breakfast buffet, and continental options such as granola, fruit, cereal and toast.

Lunch and Dinner are served with a set start time; for a general sense of timing, please see A Typical Day at Barnabas Landing. Once the bell is rung, our staff will welcome you to the meal, give thanks by saying Grace, and announce the menu for the meal. In order to determine the table order of going through the buffet, it is Barnabas tradition to ask a trivia question. Those who are sensitive to sound levels may wish to be aware that this involves a lot of (typically boisterous) cheering!

Coffee and Tea

Freshly made drip coffee and a wide selection of teas are available first thing in the morning from around 6:30am, at meals and during scheduled breaks in the Marine Room. We roast our own coffee beans on site, offering dark, medium and decaffeinated coffee.

A Typical Day at Barnabas Landing

7:30-8:30am — Rolling Breakfast

9:00am — Family Circle
Each morning, we gather together as a group to worship, watch skits & participate in a family devotional. Our team often facilitates breakout discussions that allow your family to have conversation & ask questions that can get forgotten in day-to-day life.

10:15-11:45am — Group Time + Adult Session
Kids are split into age groups (under 2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12-year olds and teens) and join their group leader in a variety of fun activities. Adults get a chance to mingle with a coffee & snack before heading into a morning session with the week’s featured speaker.

12:00pm — Lunch

1:30-4:30pm — Family Free Time
Unstructured time for you to rest and have fun as a family. The Craft Barn, General Store and Waterfront are open.

5:30pm — Dinner

7:00pm — Campfire
Although there is no actual campfire due to summer fire bans, we gather together outside to worship and watch skits, similar to Family Circle.

7:45pm — Group Time
Just like in the morning, kids join their group leaders for supervised activities until their age-appropriate bedtime.

8:00pm — Bedtime Patrol + Adult Session
A little bit of Barnabas magic - we put your kids to bed for you! Our group leaders will meet with you on your arrival night to discuss if and how putting your child(ren) to bed works for your family. Whether it be the full bedtime routine or keeping an eye on a baby monitor for you, your children can be supervised by a nearby staff member until Bedtime Patrol ends at 10pm.

Meanwhile, enjoy the evening session with the speaker, followed by unstructured time for you to spend as you please. We typically have espresso drinks available to sip in restful solitude, with your spouse, or with fellow guests.

10:00pm — Bedtime Patrol Ends
It’s time to head back to your room to check on your kids, as our staff head to bed.

Facilities & Activities

There are many ways to enjoy your time at Barnabas! In addition to taking a nap or soaking up sun in an Adirondack chair, our property features a variety of facilities & activities.

Waterfront

A summer highlight! Each afternoon our waterfront is open for your enjoyment. Take a tube ride, learn how to water ski (ages 13+) or take a paddle in one of our kayaks. Our waterfront offers a supervised swimming area and a variety of water toys and activities, including a water trampoline, children’s fishing equipment, and the famous Barnabob.

Craft Barn

Located in one of the original barns built on the property long before the founding of Barnabas Landing, the Craft Barn is a great place to spend an afternoon. We provide a featured craft with staff support, as well as a wide variety of art supplies to make your creative dreams come to fruition!

General Store

Heralded as one of the oldest buildings on
Keats Island, our General Store is nestled on the west side of the Barnabas property and is open to both guests and the local island community in the afternoon. Come by for an ice cream or espresso drink, or to peruse a variety of Barnabas Farmworks products and merchandise made onsite.

The Farm

The delicious food here at Barnabas begins in the soil. Our farm includes a greenhouse with over 50 varieties of tomatoes, a ½ acre vegetable garden, a flock of laying hens, a herd of pigs, several silly ducks, and a few dozen heritage fruit trees. During group time, your children will have the opportunity to receive guided educational tours of the farm. Our farmers always appreciate a visit, so don’t hesitate to stop by during a free moment to take in the beauty of the Barnabas Farm.

The Games Room

There are a variety of indoor activities in our new Games Room, including pool, snooker, shuffleboard, table tennis and darts. The Games Room also features a bouldering climbing wall, with routes for climbers of any skill level. Please note: children must be accompanied by an adult when using the Games Room.

Outdoor Sports

The all-weather sports court is a great place to play basketball, tennis, street hockey or pickleball. We have a range of sports equipment available, as well as a 9-hole Disc Golf course!

Playground

Our custom designed playground was completed in Summer 2023. It has tunnels, ladders, slides, cargo nets and even a hollow tree trunk to explore.

Walks and Hikes

There are many hiking trails to explore on Keats Island. Some of our favourite destinations include Highest Peak (with superb views across to Gibsons and Vancouver Island), Bridgeman’s Bluff, Plumper Cove and Pebble Beach. Maps of the hiking trails are available upon arrival.

Maps

Barnabas Property

Keats Island

Safeguarding

Barnabas Family Ministries acknowledges that it has a duty of care to safeguard, protect and promote the welfare of all children, young people and vulnerable adults who spend time on our property.

We recognize that it is our responsibility to take all reasonable steps to create a safe environment and to put in place measures which protect children, young people, and vulnerable adults from harm.

We encourage and actively promote a culture of transparency and accountability where everyone takes responsibility for keeping children, young people, and vulnerable adults safe.

You can read our full Safeguarding policy here.

If you have a safeguarding question or if you want to report a safeguarding concern at Barnabas, please call or email Jack.