Witnessing to God’s goodness in the heart of Toronto.
Timothy Eaton Memorial Church will sneak up on you. Whether you approach it by foot, car, or streetcar, whether you are arriving today for the first time or with your family for generations, there are surprises in store for you here. The difference between a living God and a dead idol is that a living God can still surprise you.
What is this fortress some ancient time, anchoring the landscape of midtown? The community of welcome here traces its history even farther back than our neo-gothic fabric suggests, all the way to the calling to Abraham and Sarah. The people gathered here by the resurrected Jesus are a sign that God is healing the whole world.
We face challenges common to Christian churches today: aging membership and facilities, anxiety about finances and leadership, fear over loss of prestige in the wider culture. We need not be afraid. Jesus Christ promised his newborn church that he will be with us (Mt. 28:20). He has already given us everything we need to worship God, to serve our neighbours, and to be God’s friends.
We are called to serve God in the following ways:
- Inviting Worship
- Mending the World
- Celebrating Beauty
- Raising Disciples
- Awakening Community
A Future Bigger than our Past
Churches like Timothy Eaton Memorial have seen steep decline in attendance, revenue, and social standing in the last two generations in North Atlantic countries. Canada was once among the most church-going countries in the world in the 1950s, so our decline has been especially precipitous. There are outliers—this or that giant church growing fast. But often they are vacuuming up refugee members from other, dying congregations.
Jesus Christ promised there would always be a church. Wherevertwo or three gather in his name, he is there. All we need are one another, his beloved poor, and neighbours and strangers to whom to bear witness.
Since the fall of 2023, a group of lay leaders representing every imaginable cross section of life at TEMC has been gathering to articulate who we are as a church, what we do, and the hopeful future God is dreaming up for us. We have come up with a vision statement that is both accurate and aspirational. We have five pillars that we see holding up our mission. And we have been conducting conversations since the spring of 2024 with every possible stakeholder in our church to gather input on what our future might look like.
Will you dream out loud with us about the future God has for us?