Where faith meets history is Grace Toronto Church. This church isn’t just a building. It’s a story etched in brick and stone.
Grace Toronto Church stands at 383 Jarvis Street. It occupies the historic Old St. Andrew’s Church building. The location is at the corner of Carlton Street.
Let’s step back to the 1830s. Toronto was then the Town of York. The original St. Andrew’s Church congregation was established. This congregation belonged to the Church of Scotland.
In 1874, a split occurred. The congregation disagreed about moving west from Adelaide and Church streets. The majority moved in 1876. They relocated to King and Simcoe streets. This became “New St. Andrew’s”.
Those who wanted to stay formed “Old St. Andrew’s”. They needed a new building. In 1878, they moved northeast. They arrived at the newly built church at 383 Jarvis Street.
Langley & Burke designed Old St. Andrew’s Church. It was built for Rev. M.G. Milligan. The design is Gothic with an east-west orientation. Towers dominate the west side. That’s where the main entrances are.
The facade is simple but elegant. It features stained-glass windows. These windows face north, east, and south. This maximizes light during morning services. Brick, wood, stone, and stained glass make up the building. The exterior showcases brick and stone. The interior reveals warm wood textures. Light filters through the stained glass.
During the 1940s, refugees came to Toronto. They were fleeing the Soviet occupation of the Baltic states. Old St. Andrew’s had joined the United Church of Canada in 1925. The United Church was declining in downtown Toronto.
In 1950, Old St. Andrew’s joined Westminster-Central. They became St. Andrew’s United Church. It was near Bloor Street East and Yonge Street. By 1951, the Jarvis Street building was sold. It became the main church for Latvian and Estonian worshippers. They retained Saint Andrew in the name.
Until September 30, 2015, two congregations used the building. They were the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran and Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Churches. On October 1, 2015, Grace Toronto Church moved in. The historic building once again housed a Presbyterian congregation.
Grace Toronto Church has its own history. It was founded in 1992 by Stephen Beck. The church flourished under his leadership. In 2002, the Becks became missionaries in Germany. Attendance dwindled after they left.
In 2004, Reverend Dan Macdonald became pastor. The church had only a handful of people. Dan and Sue MacDonald replanted the church. In 2006, there were 25 regular attendees. Since then, the congregation has grown significantly.
In 2006, a realtor challenged Dan’s faith. They found a building for $2.2 million. The owner donated $775,000. A family friend lent them over $650,000 interest-free.
In 1980, the City of Toronto designated the church building as a heritage site.
Today, Grace Toronto Church thrives. It’s a place where history echoes. It’s a place where faith is renewed.