St. Thomas's Anglican Church is a parish of the Anglican Church of Canada. It was one of the earliest Anglo-Catholic congregations in Canada. It was established in 1874, moving twice before settling into its present building, in the Annex on the western edge of the University of Toronto's downtown campus.
A beautiful red brick Arts and Crafts building designed in 1892–93 by parishioner and renowned Toronto architect Eden Smith, the building was intended to be a temporary structure until the parish could afford a larger stone building. However, this structure has now served the community for more than 125 years. St. Thomas's houses a number of architectural treasures, including historical stained-glass windows, a First World War memorial baptistery, and a stunning reredos behind the high altar, which displays hand-carved statues of nine saints associated with the parish’s growth and role in the Anglican Church in Toronto. St. Thomas's also has a wonderful collection of treasured church vestments and vessels.
The parish has been, from its earliest days, at the forefront of the liturgical and musical life of the Anglican Church of Canada. The Eucharist is the central act of worship every Sunday and is celebrated daily throughout the year. The schedule on Sunday is:
8:00 am Low Mass (Book of Common Prayer)
9:30 a.m. Sung Mass (Book of Alternative Services)
11:00 a.m. High Mass (Book of Common Prayer)
5:00 p.m. Evensong and Devotions (Book of Common Prayer)
Excellent choral and organ music are vital components of the liturgy of the Sung Mass, High Mass, and Evensong. Choristers also sing the services of Holy Week and select weekday feasts.