First Baptist Church | |
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43°39′17″N79°23′47″W / 43.6546°N 79.3963°W | |
Location | Toronto, Ontario |
Denomination | Baptist |
Associations | Canadian Baptist Ministries |
Website | https://www.fbctoronto.ca/ |
History | |
Founded | 1826 |
Administration | |
Division | Canadian Baptists of Ontario and Quebec |
First Baptist Church is a Baptist congregation in Toronto, Ontario, affiliated with Canadian Baptists of Ontario and Quebec. It is both the first Baptist congregation in Toronto and the oldest black institution in the city. [1] [2] [3] Formed by fugitive enslaved persons, the church played a large role in the abolitionist movement, including hosting lectures against slavery and offering aid to fugitives. [1]
In its long history, the church's location has changed multiple times. Today it holds service at 101 Huron Street. [2]
The church was formed by 12 fugitive enslaved persons in 1826, under the leadership of Elder Washington Christian. [2] Reverend Christian was a former enslaved individual who established multiple Baptist churches in Canada. [1]
It had not been possible to attend existing white churches because the fugitives were required to have a letter from their old church and to pay their old slave masters for the money lost due to their escape. [2]
At first, services were held outside or in the homes of members of the church. [4] Reverend Christian rented a masonic temple in 1827. Although some white congregants attended the black church's services, a church for white members was established in 1829. [5]
There were reportedly 66 members of the First Baptist Church in 1837. [6] In the same year, a visitor noted that half the congregation was white, half was black. [7]
In 1841, the congregation moved to its first permanent location after being gifted land by the family of Squires McCutcheon to build a church at Queen Street and Victoria Street. [8] Soon after, white members left for a different Baptist church. [7] In 1843, Elder Washington Christian went to Jamaica for two years, returning with enough raised funds to pay off the new church's mortgage. [8] The location was known as "First Coloured Calvinistic Baptist Church" or "Queen Street Coloured Baptist Church." [7]
In 1905, it relocated to University Avenue and Edward Street, at which point it was known as "University Avenue Baptist Church". [7]
The name "First Baptist Church" began being used in the 1940s. [7]
The church relocated to its current address at Huron Street and D'Arcy Street in 1955. The previous property was sold to Shell Oil Company and the building was demolished. [7]
In 2000, baptized membership was approximately 140 and about the same number attended Sunday church services. [7]
Year | Location |
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1826 | No building (service was outside or in congregants' homes). [4] |
1827 | Rented St. George's Masonic Lodge. [5] |
1834 | Rented building on March Street (now Lombard Street). [7] |
1841 | Church building at Queen Street and Victoria Street. [4] |
1905 | Church building at University Avenue and Edward Street. [4] |
1955 | Church building at Huron Street and D'Arcy Street (its current location). [4] |
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