St. Paul's, Bloor Street
Encyclopedia
The Church of St Paul's, Bloor Street, is a large parish of the Anglican Church of Canada
in the Diocese of Toronto
.
Located in downtown Toronto near the denomination's national headquarters, the parish, along with Little Trinity Anglican Church
, is one of historical flagship low church
parishes of the diocese, and is one of the few remaining Anglican churches in Toronto where Morning Prayer is the principal service twice a month (three times in months with five Sundays), rather than the more typical weekly Parish Communion
.
The first St. Paul's Church opened on June 22, 1842.
The second St Paul's Church was constructed in 1860; the current main church in 1913. The two buildings, as well as the parish hall (Cody
Hall) are now joined together by an Atrium after the Nehemiah Project renovation and building project.
The mission of St. Paul's, Bloor Street is to "transform the world through the power and grace of Jesus Christ." St. Paul's has extensive outreach, youth, children's and adult programming, and offers Christianity 101 courses for those exploring Christianity. Worship services include a quiet communion service at 8:15 AM, an informal service named "The Bridge" at 9:30 AM and an 11:00 AM classical service. The church is also sponsoring a Fresh Expression
of Church called reconnect that seeks to connect the church with young urban professionals. reconnect includes urban hikes, meal preparation and a new cafe & conversation style service that launched in January 2011.
Several Wycliffe College
professors and teaching staff serve as priests at St Paul's, including the rector (who also teaches at Tyndale University College and Seminary
) and Reginald Stackhouse
(an honorary assistant). St Paul's is the largest church in the diocese, and occasionally hosts functions that would normally be held at the Cathedral Church of St James
.
St. Paul's, Bloor Street is the regimental churuch of The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada
. A memorial to the fallen soldiers of the unit stands outside the church.
Anglican Church of Canada
The Anglican Church of Canada is the Province of the Anglican Communion in Canada. The official French name is l'Église Anglicane du Canada. The ACC is the third largest church in Canada after the Roman Catholic Church and the United Church of Canada, consisting of 800,000 registered members...
in the Diocese of Toronto
Diocese of Toronto
Diocese of Toronto may refer to:*Anglican Diocese of Toronto*Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto...
.
Located in downtown Toronto near the denomination's national headquarters, the parish, along with Little Trinity Anglican Church
Little Trinity Anglican Church
Little Trinity Anglican Church, formally Trinity East, is a parish of the Anglican Church of Canada located at 425 King Street East in the Corktown neighbourhood just east of downtown Toronto, Ontario....
, is one of historical flagship low church
Low church
Low church is a term of distinction in the Church of England or other Anglican churches initially designed to be pejorative. During the series of doctrinal and ecclesiastic challenges to the established church in the 16th and 17th centuries, commentators and others began to refer to those groups...
parishes of the diocese, and is one of the few remaining Anglican churches in Toronto where Morning Prayer is the principal service twice a month (three times in months with five Sundays), rather than the more typical weekly Parish Communion
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
.
The first St. Paul's Church opened on June 22, 1842.
The second St Paul's Church was constructed in 1860; the current main church in 1913. The two buildings, as well as the parish hall (Cody
Henry John Cody
Henry John Cody was a Canadian clergyman and President of the University of Toronto from 1932 to 1945 and Chancellor from 1944 to 1947....
Hall) are now joined together by an Atrium after the Nehemiah Project renovation and building project.
The mission of St. Paul's, Bloor Street is to "transform the world through the power and grace of Jesus Christ." St. Paul's has extensive outreach, youth, children's and adult programming, and offers Christianity 101 courses for those exploring Christianity. Worship services include a quiet communion service at 8:15 AM, an informal service named "The Bridge" at 9:30 AM and an 11:00 AM classical service. The church is also sponsoring a Fresh Expression
Fresh expressions
Fresh expressions are any of a number of new church groups that have developed within the Church of England since 1990. These believe that 21st century British society is very different from the society when most British churches were formed and that traditional expressions of church have become...
of Church called reconnect that seeks to connect the church with young urban professionals. reconnect includes urban hikes, meal preparation and a new cafe & conversation style service that launched in January 2011.
Several Wycliffe College
Wycliffe College
Wycliffe College is an Anglican Church of Canada seminary federated with the University of Toronto. It is evangelical and Low church in orientation. On the other hand, the University of Toronto's other Anglican college, the University of Trinity College is Anglo-Catholic in outlook. While being an...
professors and teaching staff serve as priests at St Paul's, including the rector (who also teaches at Tyndale University College and Seminary
Tyndale University College and Seminary
Tyndale University College and Seminary is an accredited Christian institution of higher education in the Protestant Evangelical tradition located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Tyndale students come from over 40 different Christian denominations and more than 30 different ethnic groups. Tyndale...
) and Reginald Stackhouse
Reginald Stackhouse
Reginald Francis Stackhouse is a Canadian educator and former politician. He served in the Canadian House of Commons from 1972 to 1974 and from 1984 to 1988 as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party....
(an honorary assistant). St Paul's is the largest church in the diocese, and occasionally hosts functions that would normally be held at the Cathedral Church of St James
Cathedral Church of St. James (Toronto)
Cathedral Church of St. James in Toronto, Canada is the home of the oldest congregation in the city. The parish was established in 1797. The Cathedral was begun in 1850 and completed in 1853, was at the time one of the largest buildings in the city...
.
St. Paul's, Bloor Street is the regimental churuch of The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada
The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada
The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada is a militia regiment within the Canadian Forces, based in Toronto, Ontario. The regiment is part of Land Force Central Area's 32 Canadian Brigade Group. It is the only Primary Reserve regiment in Canada to have a parachute role. The regiment consists of the reserve...
. A memorial to the fallen soldiers of the unit stands outside the church.
External links
- St Paul's, Bloor Street Parish website
- reconnect reconnect website