Walmer Road Baptist Church

In April 1889, Elmore Harris resigned as pastor of Bloor Street Church, effective October 15, 1889.

The first building (which can now be identified by the short tower some distance west along Lowther Avenue) was completed and opened on October 20, 1889.

Throughout its more than 125 years, Walmer Road Baptist Church has been a community of believers with a commitment to outreach and service in the Annex and a strong reputation for creative leadership by skilled pastors and involved lay people.

Walmer Road Baptist Church was designed and built in 1889 and 1892 in the Gothic Revival style by the architectural firm of Henry Langley and his nephew Edmund Burke.

A new structure was erected in the space between the two older buildings, and was dedicated as the Ruth Shenstone Harris Memorial Church School on January 18, 1914.

A significant ministry to poor people living in downtown Toronto continued in this location until 1942 when it ceased operation.

Courses were held at Walmer Road church for the first four years and then they relocated to new facilities at 110 College Street in 1898.

The vision of the founders was to train laypeople as Sunday School teachers, pastors' assistants, and as city, home and foreign missionaries.

Elmore Harris served from October 1889 to November 27, 1895, when he resigned as pastor on account of failing health.

Although a strong preacher and evangelist, and much-loved by the congregation, he faced the twin challenges of succeeding a beloved and famous pastor, and leading the church through a time of great economic hardship.

In June 1940, Dr. Bingham resigned to become the first full-time general secretary of the Baptist Convention of Ontario and Quebec, and in these early days of World War II, the church turned to Adiel Jarrett Moncrief, who began his ministry October 26, 1941.

In 1947 Walmer Road called Howard Bentall, a young Western Canadian, the pastor of First Baptist, Regina.

The next decade saw growth in many areas including work with young people and ESL programs as well as a renewed commitment to mission.

In 1959, Howard Bentall resigned, after almost 13 years of very fruitful ministry—a period of service second only in length to John MacNeill's.

When Bentall left for First Baptist Church, Calgary, he was replaced by a Maritimer, Harvey L. Denton, who commenced his ministry on September 20, 1959.

To lead Walmer through the 1970s, the congregation turned to Bruce W. Neal, an Ontario native, from James Street Baptist Church in Hamilton.

In October 1984, Dr. Daniel Dryer arrived bringing a love for the city and a renewed concern for the Annex community.

Under his leadership a number of innovative moves were made in the lead up to the celebration of Walmer's centennial in 1989 including the establishment of house groups as a formal part of the church's discipleship program.

After a lengthy search, in February 2004, Steve Cox was called as Lead Pastor bringing to the community his deep commitment to evangelism and his considerable skills in guiding worship.

However, following a valiant two-year battle with cancer, Buff died in 2012 and in early 2014, Steve Cox resigned after ten years of ministry at Walmer.