St Augustine’s is an affirming church community and we recognize that all people are wonderfully and beautifully made in the image of God. In our baptismal vows, we make a promise before God to “respect the dignity of every human being”. We try to live this out by creating a safe and welcoming community where we strive for inclusivity and embrace diversity. We equip and empower diverse leadership. We recognize that families are formed in many ways and can take many shapes.

To demonstrate our support and to advocate for others, we take part in Toronto’s Pride Parade each year. We walk with Proud Anglicans and support their efforts. We also support neighbourhood events, like Pride Day at the local school.

While Anglicans have not changed their position on equal marriage at the national level, the Diocese of Toronto and our bishops have developed a local option to proceed with same sex marriage. At St. Augustine we are proud to offer equal marriage ceremonies for all couples, so if you are looking for a place to celebrate your wedding, please come and talk to us and we’ll pursue all options together.

To expand our work as advocates for LGBTQ+ communities, we are entering into a new project this year. Together with a neighbouring church, we will be funding and sponsoring a refugee couple. They are fleeing their home country because of persecution based on their sexual orientation. We hope to welcome them in the coming months and help them build a new life in Canada.