The First Unitarian Congregation of Toronto is a Unitarian Universalist congregation in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is affiliated with the Canadian Unitarian Council

Canadian Unitarian Council

The Canadian Unitarian Council is the national body for Unitarian Universalists in Canada.The CUC is a member of the International Council of Unitarians and Universalists.- Principles and sources :...

. It is the largest of six UU congregations and fellowships in the Greater Toronto Area

Greater Toronto Area

The Greater Toronto Area is the largest metropolitan area in Canada, with a 2006 census population of 5.5 million. The Greater Toronto Area is usually defined as the central city of Toronto, along with four regional municipalities surrounding it: Durham, Halton, Peel, and York...

.

History

The congregation was founded in 1845, the second in Canada after the Montreal

Montreal

Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...

 congregation. The congregation operated in a building on St. George Street, but moved to 216 Jarvis Street

Jarvis Street

Jarvis Street is a north-south thoroughfare in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, passing through some of the oldest developed areas in the city. Its alignment extends from Bloor Street in the north to Queens Quay East in the south. South of Front Street, it continues as Lower Jarvis Street...

 in the 1940s. In 1952, eight parishioners founded the Elizabeth Fry Society after hearing a speech by Agnes Macphail

Agnes Macphail

Agnes Campbell Macphail was the first woman to be elected to the Canadian House of Commons, and one of the first two women elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario...

. In the 1950s, the congregation moved to its present building at 175 St. Clair Avenue

St. Clair Avenue

St. Clair Avenue is a major east-west street in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was laid out in the late 18th century by the British as a concession road , north of Bloor Street and north of Queen Street....

 West.

Building

In 1993, the building underwent extensive renovations. The main space, named Sunderland Hall, was changed from an east-west to a north-south orientation. Workman Hall, which used to back on to Sunderland Hall as a disused stage was remodelled as a separate space and meeting area. Office and classroom spaces were updated and expanded. An airy narthex

Narthex

The narthex of a church is the entrance or lobby area, located at the end of the nave, at the far end from the church's main altar. Traditionally the narthex was a part of the church building, but was not considered part of the church proper...

 was added on the side of the building facing St. Clair including a tower with a stained glass window commissioned for the renovated building. The work is entitled Radiance, Reflection, Revelation by artist Sarah Hall

Sarah Hall

Sarah Hall is a Canadian stained glass artist, notable for her extensive career, and current experimentation in the integration of photovoltaic technology into art glass...

. It was later nominated for the Ontario Arts Council

Ontario Arts Council

The Ontario Arts Council is a publicly-funded Canadian organization in the province of Ontario whose purpose is to promote and assist the development of the arts for the enjoyment and benefit of all Ontarians...

's Jean Chalmers Award as the single largest commission for a stained glass work in the Toronto area.

In September 2007, the city's heritage preservation committee proposed that the building be designated as a heritage property along with eight other church properties in the neighbourhood. At the request of the church's board of trustees, this designation was deferred until the church members could confer on the matter.

Governance

The congregation is led by a nine-member Board of Trustees including a President and Vice-President. There is also a treasurer but this position is not considered as a board member. Trustees are elected by the congregation to three-year terms with the possibility of one renewal. Minister(s) of the church are considered as employees and are not members of the board (although they frequently attend board meetings). The board is responsible for making policy decisions for the congregation. A number of convenors report to the board who are responsible for overseeing operational aspects of the congregation such as finance, membership recruitment, neighbourhood outreach, etc. All of the trustee and convenor positions are volunteers.

The congregation holds an annual general meeting

Annual general meeting

An annual general meeting is a meeting that official bodies, and associations involving the public , are often required by law to hold...

 to elect new board members and approve the annual budget. Other issues affecting the entire congregation are also voted upon as the need arises.

Members

One of the prominent founding members was Joseph Workman, known as the "Father of Canadian Psychiatry". Other notable members include:

• Arthur Lismer
  Arthur Lismer
  Arthur Lismer, CC was an English-born Canadian painter and member of the Group of Seven.-Early life:At age 13 he apprenticed at a photo-engraving company. He was awarded a scholarship, and used this time to take evening classes at the Sheffield School of Arts from 1898 until 1905...
  
  , a painter, part of the Group of Seven
  Group of Seven
  Group of Seven can refer to:*G7 - the "Group of seven" industrially advanced nations .*Group of Seven - a group of Canadian landscape artists....
  
  
• Sir Francis Hincks
  Francis Hincks
  Sir Francis Hincks, KCMG, PC was a Canadian politician.Born in Cork, Ireland, he was the son of Thomas Dix Hincks an orientalist, naturalist and Presbyterian minister and the brother of Edward Hincks orientalist, naturalist and clergyman.He moved to York in 1832 and set up an importing business...
  
  , politician
• Emily Stowe
  Emily Stowe
  Dr. Emily Howard Stowe was the first female doctor to practice in Canada, and an activist for women's rights and suffrage. Emily Stowe was born in Norwich Township, Oxford County, Ontario...
  
  , the first female doctor to practise in Canada
• William Dennison, the mayor of Toronto
• Donald Macdonald
  Donald MacDonald
  Donald MacDonald may refer to:*Donald MacDonald , Scottish military officer who saw service for France, Charles Edward Stuart, and Great Britain...
  
  
• Michael Cassidy
  Michael Cassidy
  Michael Morris Cassidy is a Canadian politician. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1971 to 1984, and in the Canadian House of Commons from 1984 to 1988...
  
  , leader of the Ontario New Democratic Party
  Ontario New Democratic Party
  The Ontario New Democratic Party or , formally known as New Democratic Party of Ontario, is a social democratic political party in Ontario, Canada. It is a provincial section of the federal New Democratic Party. It was formed in October 1961, a few months after the federal party. The ONDP had its...
  
  .