A Short History of the First Unitarian Congregation of Toronto (FirstU)
The First Unitarian Congregation of Toronto was established in 1845 by 15 British and Irish immigrants. Among the first members were Dr. Joseph Workman, (who is considered the founder of the modern profession of psychiatry in Canada), and his brother, Dr. Benjamin Workman.
Throughout the nineteenth century, the congregation grew steadily. In 1854 they built a new church at 216 Jarvis Street, and remained there until 1949 when they again relocated, this time to 175 St. Clair Avenue West. Over the years, numerous prominent Torontonians, some of national stature, attended the congregation, including the Workman brothers; Dr. Emily Stowe, Canada’s first female physician; painters Arthur Lismer (one of the Group of Seven) and Fred Steiger; Dr. Luigi von Kunits, the Toronto Symphon’s first conductor; Royal Conservatory of Music founder Edward Fisher; Bank of Canada Governor James Coyne; Toronto Mayor William Dennison; and several other politicians.
Reverend William Jenkins, who arrived in 1943, supported positioning the church as a social hub. His sermons were regularly featured on the radio and in newspapers, which raised the profile of the congregation in the city. In 1959, the Reverend John Hanly Morgan took over as minister, and during his 14 years in the pulpit, the congregation’s membership increased to almost 900 individuals, prompting the formation of sister congregations in Peel and Don Heights. Morgan took strong left-of-centre positions politically, encouraging the congregation to be socially active in causes such as civil rights in the United States, nuclear disarmament, and opposition to US military intervention in Vietnam.
After Morgan’s departure in 1973 until the late 1980s, the church experienced a decline in membership. From 1989 to 2005 it revived under the leadership of co-ministers (and spouses) Donna and Mark Morrison-Reed, who emphasized spiritual diversity and were strong supporters of both anti-racism initiatives and same-sex marriage.
Reverend Shawn Newton (now Gauthier), our minister between 2007 to 2023, expanded the work of inclusiveness and connectedness, encouraged deep listening, and the congregation grew more cohesive. Music, pastoral care, and religious education programming grew robust, and Reverend Newton took an active part in interfaith dialogue in the city.
The last several years have been a time of great transition. For over a decade, the congregation had been heavily involved in discussions about our building and our neighbourhood, and in 2018 voted to sell the property at 175 St. Clair West. This was followed by the purchase of property in a more multicultural neighbourhood, at 473 Oakwood Avenue. While our new home was being renovated, we met in two temporary locations, as well as having our services aired on zoom and YouTube. We have had several Interim Ministers, and are currently preparing for a search for a new Settled Minister. It is with great anticipation that we await our first Sunday Service in our new building in community of Oakwood-Vaughan, in the early summer of 2025.
Learn more about: