Trinity-St. Paul's United Church is a church belonging to 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...

 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...

, Ontario

Ontario

Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....

. It is located at 427 Bloor Street

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...

 West, just west of Spadina Avenue

Spadina Avenue

Spadina Avenue is one of the most prominent streets in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Running through the western section of downtown, the road has a very different character in different neighbourhoods....

. The church is formed of a mix of three different former congregations and houses a fourth.

Today, Trinity-St. Paul's has a reputation for being an activist church on a number of social justice issues. The church has strongly advocated for same-sex marriage

Same-sex marriage

Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....

, fair trade

Fair trade

Fair trade is an organized social movement and market-based approach that aims to help producers in developing countries make better trading conditions and promote sustainability. The movement advocates the payment of a higher price to producers as well as higher social and environmental standards...

 and improved conditions for the homeless. Former United Church moderator and noted activist Bill Phipps

Bill Phipps

William "Bill" Phipps is a Canadian church leader and social justice activist. He was Moderator of the United Church of Canada from 1997 to 2000.-Early life and ministry:...

 was minister from 1974 to 1983.

History

The church began as Trinity Methodist Church and the current structure was completed in 1889. With church union it became Trinity United Church in 1925. In 1980 it merged with St. Paul's-Avenue Road United Church

St. Paul's-Avenue Road United Church

St. Paul's-Avenue Road United Church was a church in downtown Toronto. It was founded in the 1870s.St. Paul's Methodist Church and its home on Avenue Road just north of Bloor Street in the Yorkville community, was built in 1877. With church union in 1925, it became St. Paul's United and in 1930...

, which was itself a merger of St. Paul's Methodist and Avenue Road Presbyterian

Avenue Road Church

The Presbyterian Church of the Covenant, subsequently Avenue Road Presbyterian Church, subsequently Avenue Road United Church and later Church of the Nazarene, was a church located on Avenue Road in Toronto, Ontario, Canada....

.

Other occupants

• Bathurst Street United Church - Minister: Rev. Ralph Wushke.
  In 1985 nearby Bathurst Street United decided to relocate to the Trinity-St. Paul's United building, but remains a separate congregation.
• Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra & Chamber Choir also uses the building for their facility.

External links

• Official Trinity-St. Paul's website
• Bathurst Street United website
• Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra & Chamber Choir
• Mystery Worshipper Report at the Ship of Fools website
  Ship of Fools (website)
  Ship of Fools is a UK-based Christian website. It was first launched as a magazine in 1977. The magazine folded in 1983 and was resurrected as a website on April Fool's Day, 1998. Subtitled "the magazine of Christian unrest", Ship of Fools pokes fun and asks critical questions about the Christian...