Avenue Road Church
Encyclopedia
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
.
A number of well known preachers served in its pulpit after it passed out of the hands of the Presbyterian
and United
Churches, including Charles Templeton
of the later Church of the Nazarene
and the famous author Aiden Wilson Tozer
.
Templeton originally founded the church in 1941 as an independent congregation, but it eventually became associated with the Christian and Missionary Alliance
denomination.
Designed by Gordon & Helliwell
, the building was originally the Presbyterian
Church of the Covenant; aptly named in contrast to the Anglican Church of the Messiah
across the street (which was also designed and built by Gordon & Helliwell
) a few years earlier. The Presbyterian congregation (renamed Avenue Road Presbyterian Church in 1902), joined the United Church of Canada
in 1925.
They eventually left the building, joining with the former St. Paul's Methodist congregation, a few blocks south, (St. Paul's-Avenue Road United Church
, now Trinity-St. Paul's United Church
on Bloor Street
, west of Spadina Avenue
), and it remained empty for 14 years. Templeton and his wife decided to rent the empty building for $100 a month, even without a congregation. Due to his dynamic preaching, the new independent congregation grew until Templeton went into debt to pay for the construction of a balcony to hold hundreds more. It was soon after the balcony was completed that the structure was severely damaged by fire. The building was repaired thanks to donations from supporters across Canada and the United States.
In the mid-1970s, the growing congregation left the downtown area to found Bayview Glen Church north of the city in Thornhill
, Ontario
. During the congregation’s move, there was controversy surrounding the sale of the church building to a buyer who secretly represented a Hare Krishna
group. Despite the church’s desire that the building not be sold to the group, it has since become one of the most popular Hare Krishna places of worship in Ontario.
Presbyterian Church in Canada
The Presbyterian Church in Canada is the name of a Protestant Christian church, of presbyterian and reformed theology and polity, serving in Canada under this name since 1875, although the United Church of Canada claimed the right to the name from 1925 to 1939...
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
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....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
A number of well known preachers served in its pulpit after it passed out of the hands of the Presbyterian
Presbyterian Church in Canada
The Presbyterian Church in Canada is the name of a Protestant Christian church, of presbyterian and reformed theology and polity, serving in Canada under this name since 1875, although the United Church of Canada claimed the right to the name from 1925 to 1939...
and United
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...
Churches, including Charles Templeton
Charles Templeton
Charles Bradley Templeton was a Canadian cartoonist, evangelist, agnostic, politician, newspaper editor, inventor, broadcaster and author. He was born and died in the same city, Toronto, Canada...
of the later Church of the Nazarene
Church of the Nazarene
The Church of the Nazarene is an evangelical Christian denomination that emerged from the 19th century Holiness movement in North America with its members colloquially referred to as Nazarenes. It is the largest Wesleyan-holiness denomination in the world. At the end of 2010, the Church of the...
and the famous author Aiden Wilson Tozer
Aiden Wilson Tozer
Aiden Wilson Tozer was an American Christian pastor, preacher, author, magazine editor, Bible conference speaker, and spiritual mentor. For his work, he received two honorary doctorate degrees.- Biography :...
.
Templeton originally founded the church in 1941 as an independent congregation, but it eventually became associated with the Christian and Missionary Alliance
Christian and Missionary Alliance
The Christian and Missionary Alliance is an evangelical Protestant denomination within Christianity.Founded by Rev. Albert Benjamin Simpson in 1887, the Christian & Missionary Alliance did not start off as a denomination, but rather began as two distinct parachurch organizations: The Christian...
denomination.
Designed by Gordon & Helliwell
Gordon & Helliwell
Gordon & Helliwell was a turn-of-the-century architectural firm based in Toronto, Ontario. Principals were Henry Bauld Gordon, RCA, and Grant Helliwell .-Selected works:* Queen's Theological Hall, Kingston, Ontario, 1879...
, the building was originally the Presbyterian
Presbyterian Church in Canada
The Presbyterian Church in Canada is the name of a Protestant Christian church, of presbyterian and reformed theology and polity, serving in Canada under this name since 1875, although the United Church of Canada claimed the right to the name from 1925 to 1939...
Church of the Covenant; aptly named in contrast to the Anglican Church of the Messiah
Church of the Messiah (Toronto)
The Church of The Messiah is an Anglican church in Toronto, Canada. The church is located at the corner of Avenue Road and Dupont Avenue. It was founded by members of the Church of the Redeemer further down Avenue Road on March 24, 1891...
across the street (which was also designed and built by Gordon & Helliwell
Gordon & Helliwell
Gordon & Helliwell was a turn-of-the-century architectural firm based in Toronto, Ontario. Principals were Henry Bauld Gordon, RCA, and Grant Helliwell .-Selected works:* Queen's Theological Hall, Kingston, Ontario, 1879...
) a few years earlier. The Presbyterian congregation (renamed Avenue Road Presbyterian Church in 1902), joined 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 1925.
They eventually left the building, joining with the former St. Paul's Methodist congregation, a few blocks south, (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...
, now Trinity-St. Paul's United Church
Trinity-St. Paul's United Church
Trinity-St. Paul's United Church is a church belonging to the United Church of Canada in Toronto, Ontario. It is located at 427 Bloor Street West, just west of Spadina Avenue. The church is formed of a mix of three different former congregations and houses a fourth.Today, Trinity-St. Paul's has a...
on 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 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....
), and it remained empty for 14 years. Templeton and his wife decided to rent the empty building for $100 a month, even without a congregation. Due to his dynamic preaching, the new independent congregation grew until Templeton went into debt to pay for the construction of a balcony to hold hundreds more. It was soon after the balcony was completed that the structure was severely damaged by fire. The building was repaired thanks to donations from supporters across Canada and the United States.
In the mid-1970s, the growing congregation left the downtown area to found Bayview Glen Church north of the city in Thornhill
Thornhill, Ontario
Thornhill is a community in the Greater Toronto Area of Southern Ontario, Canada, located on the northern border of the city of Toronto. Once a municipal village, Thornhill is now a community and postal designation geographically split into two municipalities along Yonge Street, the city of...
, 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....
. During the congregation’s move, there was controversy surrounding the sale of the church building to a buyer who secretly represented a Hare Krishna
International Society for Krishna Consciousness
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness , known colloquially as the Hare Krishna movement, is a Gaudiya Vaishnava religious organization. It was founded in 1966 in New York City by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada...
group. Despite the church’s desire that the building not be sold to the group, it has since become one of the most popular Hare Krishna places of worship in Ontario.