St. Andrew's Evangelical Lutheran Church (Toronto)
Encyclopedia
St. Andrew's Evangelical Lutheran Church is an Evangelical Lutheran church in downtown Toronto
serving the Latvia
n and Estonia
n population of Toronto. It is home to two congregations: St. Andrew's Evangelical Lutheran Estonian and St. Andrew's Evangelical Lutheran Latvian.
The church was originally built as Old St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church. St. Andrew's Church
, (Church of Scotland
) had dated back to 1830 when Toronto was still the Town of York. This congregation had split in 1874 over whether it should move west from the corner of Adelaide and Church Streets. The majority erected a new church in 1876 at King and Simcoe that became known as "New St. Andrew's
", and it remains there to this day. The church was renovated by Henry Langley (architect)
in 1877-78. Those who wished to stay in the area stayed in "Old St. Andrew's". There was however, a need for a new building, and in 1878, they moved northeastward into this building at the corner of Jarvis and Carlton Streets.
The Soviet invasion of the Baltic regions had produced and influx of refugees into Toronto. At the same time, the United Church of Canada
, which Old St. Andrew's had joined in 1925, was in relative decline within the downtown core of Toronto.
In 1950, Old St. Andrew's had joined with Westminster-Central to become St. Andrew's United Church
near the corner of Bloor East
and Yonge Street
s, and by 1951, the Old St. Andrew's building was sold, and it became the main church of Toronto's Latvian and Estonian worshippers. Saint Andrew
as a renowned saint
of the Christian Church
, was retained by the congregations.
Today it remains home to two congregations of both the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran
and Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Churches. Both congregations are also part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada
.
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
serving the Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
n and Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
n population of Toronto. It is home to two congregations: St. Andrew's Evangelical Lutheran Estonian and St. Andrew's Evangelical Lutheran Latvian.
The church was originally built as Old St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church. St. Andrew's Church
St. Andrew's Church (Toronto)
St. Andrew's Church, 73 Simcoe Street, Toronto is a large and historic Romanesque Revival Presbyterian church in downtown Toronto, Canada.-History:...
, (Church of Scotland
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
) had dated back to 1830 when Toronto was still the Town of York. This congregation had split in 1874 over whether it should move west from the corner of Adelaide and Church Streets. The majority erected a new church in 1876 at King and Simcoe that became known as "New St. Andrew's
St. Andrew's Church (Toronto)
St. Andrew's Church, 73 Simcoe Street, Toronto is a large and historic Romanesque Revival Presbyterian church in downtown Toronto, Canada.-History:...
", and it remains there to this day. The church was renovated by Henry Langley (architect)
Henry Langley (architect)
Henry Langley was a Canadian architect based in Toronto. He was active from 1854 to 1907. Among the first architects born and trained in Canada, he was a founding members of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts in 1880 and was instrumental in establishing the Ontario Association of Architects in 1889...
in 1877-78. Those who wished to stay in the area stayed in "Old St. Andrew's". There was however, a need for a new building, and in 1878, they moved northeastward into this building at the corner of Jarvis and Carlton Streets.
The Soviet invasion of the Baltic regions had produced and influx of refugees into Toronto. At the same time, the United Church of Canada
United Church of Canada
The United Church of Canada is a Protestant Christian denomination in Canada. It is the largest Protestant church and, after the Roman Catholic Church, the second-largest Christian church in Canada...
, which Old St. Andrew's had joined in 1925, was in relative decline within the downtown core of Toronto.
In 1950, Old St. Andrew's had joined with Westminster-Central to become St. Andrew's United Church
St. Andrew's United Church
St. Andrew's United Church is an historic congregation of the United Church of Canada in Toronto, Canada. Located downtown near the intersection of Yonge and Bloor it is a combination of five other downtown Toronto congregations. The church originated from St. Andrew's Church, founded in 1830 as...
near the corner of Bloor East
Bloor Street
Bloor Street is a major east–west residential and commercial thoroughfare in Toronto, in the Canadian province of Ontario. Bloor Street runs from the Prince Edward Viaduct westward into Mississauga, where it ends at Central Parkway. East of the viaduct, Danforth Avenue continues along the same...
and Yonge Street
Yonge Street
Yonge Street is a major arterial route connecting the shores of Lake Ontario in Toronto to Lake Simcoe, a gateway to the Upper Great Lakes. It was formerly listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest street in the world at , and the construction of Yonge Street is designated an "Event of...
s, and by 1951, the Old St. Andrew's building was sold, and it became the main church of Toronto's Latvian and Estonian worshippers. Saint Andrew
Saint Andrew
Saint Andrew , called in the Orthodox tradition Prōtoklētos, or the First-called, is a Christian Apostle and the brother of Saint Peter. The name "Andrew" , like other Greek names, appears to have been common among the Jews from the 3rd or 2nd century BC. No Hebrew or Aramaic name is recorded for him...
as a renowned saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
of the Christian Church
Christian Church
The Christian Church is the assembly or association of followers of Jesus Christ. The Greek term ἐκκλησία that in its appearances in the New Testament is usually translated as "church" basically means "assembly"...
, was retained by the congregations.
Today it remains home to two congregations of both the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran
Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church
The Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church is a Lutheran church in Estonia. EELC is member of the Lutheran World Federation...
and Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Churches. Both congregations are also part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada is Canada's largest Lutheran denomination, with 152,788 baptized members in 624 congregations, with the second largest, the Lutheran Church–Canada, having 72,116 baptized members...
.