Outreach in Our Community

Our Long History of Outreach

St. Matthew’s has long history of outreach and service, from the time this church was established as Zion Methodist Church in 1878, to the present day.

Ministry among Young People: 1900, Two young

theological students, J.E. Hughson and Allen C. Ferrell at Zion Methodist Church organized the Epworth League and the Young Men’s Club, beginning a long-standing ministry among young people.

Canadian Girls in Training: 1910 at Zion Church

Ladies Aid: 1914-1918, raised money for the British Red Cross and University Base Hospital and sent boxes to the fighting boys during the First World War.

Boy scout troop: 1921, first in the area established at Wychwood Park Presbyterian, which later joined with St. Matthew's.

War Services Committee: In 1944, this group of women made 70 quilts, 803 knitted garments, 178 pairs of minesweeper mitts, 416 ward slippers for the men overseas and in hospital.

P.S. Business and Professional Women’s Club: Established 1952 at St. Clair Church for unmarried women working in business.

Vaughan Coop Nursery: Canada’s oldest co-op nursery school, its home has been at St. Matthew’s since 1969. Now called Hippo School.

St. Matthew’s Bracondale: Seniors home built 1972 on initiative by St. Matthew’s Church leaders.

St. Clair West Services for Seniors: Starts 1973 with church establishing a Meals on Wheels program.

Wychwood Open Door: 1986, The Wychwood

Ministerial, a group of local church leaders, starts a food security drop-in program for low-income people. It still operates out of St. Matthew’s, now run by The Stop.

First Interfaith Out of the Cold: 2005, moved to St. Matthew’s from St. Peter's Catholic Church.

Noojimo'iwewin Gitigaan Healing Garden: 2018, Indigenous traditional garden beside the church is a way to reflect on our relationship to the land.

Refugee Sponsorships: 2015 to the present, church members worked with the neighbourhood to sponsore several Syrian and Afghan families.

Bracondale seniors building has both low-income and market units.

Gift of tobacco at Indigenous ceremony at Tollkeeper's cottage.

J.E. Hughson began working among young people in the early 1900s.