Sydenham Street United Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sydenham Street United Church |
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1910 Postcard of the church
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | United Church of Canada |
| Province | Ontario |
| Year consecrated | 1852 |
| Location | |
| Location | 82 Sydenham Street Kingston, Ontario K7L 3H4 |
| Municipality | Kingston |
| State | Canada |
The Sydenham Street United Church is a historic church in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. It was built in 1852. Originally, it was called the Sydenham Street Methodist Church. In 1925, it became part of the United Church of Canada.
How the Church Started
The story of this church began with smaller Methodist chapels. One was built in 1811 in Kingston. Another was built in 1816-17 by British Wesleyans. These two groups of Methodists later joined together.
A famous minister named Egerton Ryerson was serving there. This was around the time Lord Sydenham passed away.
Building the Church
John Counter was a very important businessman in Kingston. He was also the city's first mayor. He strongly supported the Wesleyan Methodists.
Mr. Counter generously gave the land for the Sydenham Street Church. This land used to be a circus ground. The church building was designed by an architect named William Coverdale. John Counter helped start the building by laying the first stone on April 17, 1851.
The Reverend Samuel Dwight Rice helped manage the building project. He had moved to Kingston from Mount Elgin. John Counter also served on the church's management team.
The church was finished in 1852. It was a stone building about 60 feet wide and 90 feet long. It could hold between 1,000 and 1,200 people. The building cost about CAN$28,000.
Later, more improvements were made. These cost an extra CAN$6,000. The church reopened on July 14, 1878. More changes happened in 1887. A company called Power and Son made the church wider.
The stone building has a "plain Gothic" style. It has tall, narrow windows with fancy designs. The tower has many small spires at the top. These spires used to have leafy decorations, but they are now gone.
The Methodist Years
Soon after the church opened, a Methodist speaker named James Caughey visited Kingston. He stayed for four months. Hundreds of people came to hear him speak at the Sydenham Street Methodist Church. It is said that nearly 400 people had important religious experiences because of his talks. He gave his last sermon there on March 13, 1853.
In 1860, the Methodists held their big conference at the church. Michael Lavell, a doctor and educator, was a member of the church. Samuel Dwight Chown became a leader of the Methodist Church. He had a significant religious experience at the Sydenham Street Church in 1868. This happened during special revival services, which were common in Methodism then.
The Methodists held another large conference at the church in 1882. In 1889, two speakers, Hugh Crossley and John Hunter, started their campaign from the church. They encouraged people to change their ways and live a life pleasing to God. They also asked people to avoid things like the theater. The local newspaper reported that many people came forward at these meetings.
Crossley and Hunter were very popular. They used their fame to create excitement and encourage conversions. A report from their last service in 1889 said the church was packed. People were eager to get in, especially women. The minister at that time, Carson, earned CAN$2,000 a year and lived in a house provided by the church.
On September 25, 1892, a musical work called Harvest Cantata was performed for the first time in Canada at the church. In 1897, American speaker Dwight L. Moody visited Kingston. He held meetings at the Sydenham Street Methodist Church and Kingston Penitentiary. Many workers in Kingston were excited to hear him speak. About 1,000 people could not get in because it was so crowded.
During the Second Boer War (1899–1902), Canada sent soldiers to help the British. In January 1900, a special service was held at the church. Soldiers from C Battery attended this service. A newspaper called The Christian Guardian reported on the service. It encouraged people to pray for their country and soldiers.
Becoming the United Church
In 1925, the Reverend R.H. Bell was the pastor. That year, the Methodist Church joined with other churches. They combined with the Congregationalists and most Presbyterians. Together, they formed the United Church of Canada. The church then changed its name to Sydenham Street United Church.
When Queen Elizabeth II visited Canada in 1959, she attended a service at the church. This happened on June 28, 1959.
In the 1960s, about 400 to 600 people attended two services each week. By 1996, about 200 people came to one service on Sunday mornings. In the late 1990s, the church decided to become an "affirming congregation." This means they welcome people of all sexual orientations and gender identities.
Today, the church building is known as The Spire. It is used for many community events. The Cantabile Choirs of Kingston have used it for twenty years. The Kingston Choral Society also uses the building. Many different groups have offices there, like Autism Ontario and Kuluta Buddhist Centre. About 1,000 people use the building every week.
Many famous artists have performed concerts at The Spire. These include Henry Rollins, Richie Havens, Joel Plaskett, Ron Sexsmith, Arlo Guthrie, Angela Hewitt, Dan Mangan, Bruce Cockburn, Measha Brueggergosman, Liona Boyd, Matt Good, The Good Lovelies, Glass Tiger, Kathleen Edwards and Fred Penner.
Besides the main hall, there is a lecture hall and other rooms. These rooms can be used for meetings or conferences by different groups.
