Church of St. Jude

Tucked away in Scarborough, the Church of St. Jude whispers tales of time and transformation. The Church of St. Jude isn’t just one building. It’s a conversation between past and present. The original structure, erected in the quaint village of Wexford in 1848, still stands. It serves as the cemetery chapel, a poignant reminder of the church’s humble beginnings. This makes it one of Scarborough’s oldest surviving churches. Picture Patrick and Ann Parkin, generously donating a corner of their farm. This land, already their family cemetery, became the cradle of St. Jude’s. The church perched atop a small hill, a beacon overlooking the surrounding landscape. The cemetery, still active today, cradles graves dating back to 1832, silent witnesses to generations past. Local farmers, their hands calloused from labor, built the church with lumber milled from nearby trees. The design, a miniature replica of a Scottish church, was the brainchild of Reverend William Darling. The Gothic revival style speaks to a longing for tradition in a new land. The low sacristy entrance, a mere five feet high, is a quirky detail. It’s a consequence of shrinking the original design while maintaining its proportions. The original Church of St. Jude held a cozy congregation of 60. For over a century, it served the scattered farmers of the area. Fast forward to 1950, the church roster numbered 79 souls. The 1950s brought a wave of suburban expansion. Wexford blossomed from a rural outpost into a bustling bedroom community of Toronto. By the mid-1950s, 1,000 families called the area home. The tiny church, bursting at the seams, held multiple services each Sunday. A new, larger Church of St. Jude was completed in 1958, accommodating 600 people – ten times the capacity of the original. The original church has since hosted a variety of congregations. The Macedonian Orthodox Church, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, the Polish National Catholic Church, the Russian Orthodox Church, and the Georgian Orthodox Church have all found temporary sanctuary within its walls. It continues to serve the community, hosting weddings and other events for the St. Jude’s congregation. Today, the Church of St. Jude embraces the modern age. Its primary Sunday service, held at 10:30 AM, is streamed online via Facebook, utilizing the Book of Alternative Services. For those seeking a more traditional experience, an 8:00 AM service follows the rites of the Book of Common Prayer. The church basement is a hub of community activity, rented out on Sundays to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and throughout the week to groups like Alcoholics Anonymous. The Deacon’s Pantry, operating on Wednesdays, extends a helping hand to those in need. The Church of St. Jude, from its humble beginnings to its vibrant present, continues to be a testament to faith, community, and adaptation.