God calls us from various parts of the world to worship in this place, to be a community of faith, and to be a witness for Jesus Christ.
– HILLCREST CHRISTIAN CHURCH (DISCIPLES OF CHRIST) MISSION STATEMENT
OUR VISION
We envision a church:
- With a diverse membership
- Uniting in worship beyond social barriers
- Providing facilities to serve the needs of our congregation
- Inviting people from the Wychwood area and outlying communities to share our fellowship
We envision a community of faith:
- With genuine closeness among clergy
- Committees, elders, and congregation developing through open and constructive communication
- With personal and spiritual growth of each member
- Encouraged through education, prayer, searching the Scriptures, stewardship, sharing ideas, and the celebration of being a family of God.
- Sharing their faith, skills, and compassion with others
We seek:
- To provide pastoral and spiritual support
- To deepen our understanding of social justice issues
- To work against injustices in our local compassion and the world
To fulfill our mission, we commit ourselves to:
- The principle of fulfilling teamwork in ministry between clergy and laity
- Meaningful cooperation with other churches and community groups in areas relevant to our mission and vision
- To active participation in the work of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) as a whole
- In all our endeavours we will practice good stewardship of human and material resources; maintain attitudes of appreciation towards each other, as well as celebrate our history, the challenges of today, and the promises of tomorrow.
OUR HISTORY
It all started with twelve people and their God-inspired vision to propagate the Word of God in the area surrounding Queen and Bathurst Streets in Toronto. On February 16, 1882 they formally organized themselves as a congregation of the Church of Christ.
In 1887, the young congregation gave birth to an outreach mission on the corner of Vaughn Road and Helena Avenue and called it the Wychwood Church of Christ (Disciples). The mission grew mainly through additions of immigrants from Scotland, Ireland, and England.
By 1891, this small band of disciples had grown to one hundred and sixty. On march 15 of that year, they dedicated a fine church building on Cecil St. in the College-Spadina corridor. This structure, named the Cecil St. Church of Christ, still stands and has been designated an historic landmark by the City of Toronto.
On January 11, 1921, the Cecil St. and Wychwood Churches united to form what we now know as Hillcrest Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). The building in which we now worship was dedicated to the glory of God on Sunday, January 21, 1923.
Since those God-inspired moments in her history, Hillcrest has provided ministry to the community that surrounds her, ordained and sent forth ministries across Canada and to the far corners of the earth. Hillcrest’s life continues to be enriched with the addition of members from the Caribbean, the Philippines, and South America, among others. Hillcrest’s name is known and renowned in ecumenical circles. Her leadership in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Canada and the United States has been recognized and acknowledged from the beginning.
We are very proud of Hillcrest’s achievements in the past and look with confidence to her future as we are blessed with members and adherents – each a true gift of God to one another – who generously share their gifts of faith, hope and love.
THE DISCIPLES OF CHRIST
Click here to learn more about the teachings of The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
Click here to download the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) – Discover the Disciples brochure.
BYLAWS
Click here to view a pdf version of the Hillcrest Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) bylaws.
Hillcrest Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 