St. Luke's United Church is located at 353 Sherbourne Street (on the southeast corner of Carlton and Sherbourne Streets) in Toronto

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...

. Originally built across the street from the old site of Toronto General Hospital

Toronto General Hospital

The Toronto General Hospital , is a part of the University Health Network, and a major teaching hospital in downtown Toronto, Ontario. It is located in the Discovery District, directly north of the Hospital for Sick Children, across Gerrard Street West, and east of Princess Margaret Hospital and...

, it is now across from Allan Gardens

Allan Gardens

Allan Gardens is one of the oldest parks in Toronto, Canada. It has a conservatory , a playground and two fenced off-leash areas for dogs. It is operated by Toronto Parks who also run Centennial Park Conservatory...

. The building was originally home to Sherbourne Street Methodist Church, later Sherbourne United. It merged with Carlton Street United in 1959 to create St. Luke's. Sherbourne was founded in 1872, while Carlton originated in 1832.

The building is used by a number of other congregations including:

• Berea Seventh-day Adventist Church
  Seventh-day Adventist Church
  The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Protestant Christian denomination distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the original seventh day of the Judeo-Christian week, as the Sabbath, and by its emphasis on the imminent second coming of Jesus Christ...
  
  
  - website: Berea Adventist Church
• Sheep Flock Korean Presbyterian Church
• Abasaruzi Missionary Church Offices
  - website: Abasaruzi Missionary Church

Toronto Historical Board Plaque erected outside the church in 1987

This church was known as Sherbourne Street Methodist when it opened for worship 5 June 1887. Designed by architects Langley and Burke, it replaced a smaller house of worship built here in 1871. The handsome stonework and fine stained glass are of special note. Memorial windows bear the names of Sir Joseph Flavelle, Sir Albert Kemp, H.H. Fudger and Richard Brown, who along with many other prominent Toronto businessmen were active members of the congregation. Their philanthropy and participation in social programs began a community minded tradition that has continued through the years. In 1959, Sherbourne and Carlton United joined to form Saint Luke's United Church.

Community Context

The church building houses many different types of rooms to accommodate various activities, including: the main sanctuary, a chapel, a gymnasium, two kitchens, a few administrative offices, some meeting rooms, and a formal parlor. As a result of this diversity of space, the church has become a community center that hosts functions for the general public. The main sanctuary and chapel currently are host to seven different worship groups, six of which are culturally different Christian denominations, and the other being a Buddhist meditation circle. St. Luke's has actually hosted up to nine different congregations simultaneously in the past. Concerts are held in the church from time to time, and several musical groups use the building as a space for practice. Dance groups and theater troupes are also tenants of the building. Some non-profit organizations including: Alcoholics Anonymous, abuse prevention programs, continuing education programs and food banks use the church's meeting and kitchen spaces to benefit the community. Several sports groups including a fencing club, and martial arts group meet use the gymnasium on a regular basis. The church also displays pride flags and is open to all; it even hosts a dance group geared toward the gay community.

External links

• St. Luke's United Church website