inSPIREd Sunday

Sally and Beth host inSPIREd Sunday!  


March 2019 - Toronto ON

On our first rambling or discovery walk in Toronto in 2019 we happened upon some churches we had never seen before.

St. Luke's United Church is located at 353 Sherbourne Street (on the southeast corner of Carlton and Sherbourne Streets). Originally built across the street from the old site of Toronto General Hospital, it is now across from Allan Gardens. 

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
• -Sheep Flock Korean Presbyterian Church
• Abasaruzi Missionary Church Offices 

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.

inSPIREd Sunday

inSPIREd Sunday

July 2018 - Elora ON

St. John's Church is significant for the contributions it has made to the social atmosphere of the Elora community. The Parish of St. John the Evangelist was formed in 1830 and the original Elora church was built in 1842, at the south end of the Village. The current church was built as a replacement, in 1875, and has served as a place of worship for over 125 years.

Church members also had a role in founding a private school, St. John's Kilmarnock, in 1972. 

In 1979 St. John's Church was the birthplace of the Elora Festival, which is a four week celebration of music held in July.

Now this is interesting!

St. John's Church is home to the famous communion set, reportedly donated by Florence Nightingale, to her cousin and reputed lover, John Smithurst, Rector of the church, from 1852-1857. In 1945 the church began an annual service for nurses who strive to follow Nightingale's example.

The three Toronto churches mentioned in the next paragraph have been featured here in Inspired Sunday.

St. John's Church represents an excellent example of the Gothic Revival style, which was commonly used for church designs. It was designed by Henry Langley, who was responsible for several other Gothic Revival churches, such as the Metropolitan Methodist, Jarvis Street Baptist, and St. Andrew's Presbyterian (now United) churches, in Toronto. The exterior features that characterize this style include buttresses, vaulted arches, steeply pitched gable roofs, and elaborate cast iron ornaments, exemplified by the rooftop cresting.