About Us
One of Reverend Allan Baker's friends, reflecting on the future, says that doors are opening for new ways of living and working together; people have new attitudes about living with respect in creation; and some are even raising the question of how we might be able to live in a no-growth economy. Small, he says, is once again becoming beautiful. He dreams of our communites - including faith communities - developing new ways of sharing resources and power wisely. That is a part of our mission here at Newtonbrook United Church.
Our faith calls us to share the abundance of God's creation, and the gifts that God has shared with us. That abundance is why we gather to praise and thank God each week. We, as the people of Newtonbrook have been truly blessed. We have much to share! We also have a desire to reach inwards, to reach upwards and to reach out to God's wonderful world. We dream of loving our neighbours as much as we love ourselves!
If you want to know more about the long and vibrant history of Newtonbrook United Church, check out the history page. Be sure to check out Newtonbrook in the News as well.
Newtonbrook is a member of the United Church of Canada which is Canada’s largest Protestant denomination with over 3 million confirmed members and adherents. Formed in 1925 through the Union of Canadian Methodists, Congregationalists and 70% of Canadian Presbyterians, the United Church is found in all parts of Canada except for rural Quebec. For more information on the United Church of Canada, please access the links page.
Reverend Allan Baker
Allan has been a member of the United Church of Canada since his baptism at Collins Bay United Church as an infant. His journey in faith has taken him many places, eventually leading him to return to the church and a very different kind of ministry. It was the commitment to social justice that attracted Allan to return to the United Church and re-discover his spiritual roots.
Allan believes that God has shared many gifts for ministry with each of God’s children, and that we are all in ministry together. This means that Allan encourages everyone to put their faith into action by actively participating in the mission of the congregation. Allan also says that he may be labeled as having a “green theology” because of his passion for “eco-justice”.
Prior to his arrival at Newtonbrook on January 1, 2008, Allan had been involved in Intentional Interim ministry, in large and small congregations, for ten years. Since his ordination in 1992, Allan has been called or appointed to twelve different congregations of the United Church of Canada. This has given him a “world of diverse experiences”, as Allan calls it.
Since 1981 Allan has lived in the village of Guildwood, in Scarborough, with his wife Shari. Their son Perrin is a Ph. D. student in the Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology at the University of Guelph.
Taylor Sullivan
Music Director, Taylor Sullivan has been the organist and choir director here at Newtonbrook United Church since 1992. In addition, he is the music director of the Taiwanese United Church in Toronto, Newtonbrook's sister congregation. Taylor is also the Director of the Victoria College Choir at the University of Toronto, a choir which holds two regular concerts annually and now plays a significant role in the life of the college. As a composer and arranger, Taylor has developed a number of choral resources which are featured regularly in Sunday worship. These include a collection of Christmas Carol arrangements, descants and numerous choral settings of hymns. In 2002, he composed a Requiem, which debuted here at Newtonbrook at the Remembrance Day service. He has given freelance concerts and provided musical leadership at various venues across Ontario and as far away as Taiwan, Australia and Brazil.
This web site contains thousands of words that portray our lives as congregants, family members and friends, surrounding us in the community of faith that has nurtured, challenged and blessed each of us. The pictures are the face of Newtonbrook United Church, and show the ambiance, the joy, the likeness, and the laughter from the smiles that are shown. Both reveal the memories of the past and give the gift of time for thought and reflection.
Quotes throughout this website from www.dailychristianquote.com used with permission.