Light On The Hill Community Church (St. John The Baptist) is located in the Oak Ridges Moraine at 12125 Yonge Street in Richmond Hill, Ontario, just south of Stouffville Sideroad and just north of Jefferson Sider Road. The original structure is a red brick-clad building with additional meeting, office and hall spaces added in the mid-1900’s, resulting in the current appearance of the building.
Architecturally, St. John’s Anglican Church is a simple interpretation of the Gothic Revival style. The building has a picturesque silhouette, with the main body accented by a small enclosed porch centred on the west elevation, a chancel. Each gable-roofed component is of a different height, stepping down in progression from the main part of the church. There is a small, gable-roofed belfry with Gothic-arched openings at the west end of the main roof.
In 1912, red brick cladding was applied and other alterations were made, resulting in the current appearance of the building.
Architecturally, St. John’s Anglican Church is a simple interpretation of the Gothic Revival style. The building has a picturesque silhouette, with the main body accented by a small enclosed porch centred on the west elevation, a chancel. Each gable-roofed component is of a different height, stepping down in progression from the main part of the church. There is a small, gable-roofed belfry with Gothic-arched openings at the west end of the main roof.
The tall, slim Gothic-arched windows contain pictorial and geometrically patterned leaded glass. A rose window on the west elevation contains pictorial leaded glass. The red brick cladding is decorated with voussoirs, a 5-course plinth, a raised belt course in the west gable, raised voussoirs around the rose window, and a Gothic-arched arcade on the west wall of the porch. Brick buttresses accent the north and south walls of the main part of the building. Inside, on the east wall behind the altar, the reredos comprise a series of four painted canvas panels containing The Lord’s Prayer, The Ten Commandments and The Apostle’s Creed.
The illuminated panels have gold lettering in an Old English script, on a background of royal blue. They are believed to be one of two known in Canada.
St. John’s cemetery contains numerous marble and granite grave markers, many dating from the 19th century. Names of many of Jefferson’s pioneer families are represented. Most of the markers are freestanding slab, block and obelisk styles, and a number exhibit elaborately carved decoration.
Burials were made in orderly rows and family plots on either side of a central lane that runs east to west. A number of early marble markers which originally stood upright are lying flat on the ground or in a gravel-filled wooden crib. The cemetery is enclosed by a black iron fence.
Situated behind the cemetery is a 20 plot Community garden and a large working greenhouse
Beside the garden to the north is the Henri Nouwen Centre For Worship and Prayer which features an amphitheatre gazebo-like structure, a fire pit, benches, BBQ and chairs, picnic tables for outdoor gatherings, worship, theatre and weddings as well as a Prayer Garden under a group of mature trees. It is fully equipped for sound.
In the northeast corner of the property is a large rectory building with one apartment and offices as well as a cell tower.
Beside the church on the North side is a very large green space about the size of a football field.
The south lawn, closest to Yonge Street in front of the cemetery entrance, features a large children’s play structure, benches, and mature 200-year-old trees.
The church has portable basketball nets, a three-hole disc golf set, two soccer nets, two hockey nets and two basketball nets.
The Upper Hall can accommodate up to 60 people. The Lower Hall is up to 100 and the Sanctuary to 125. The Upper and Lower Halls are not wheelchair accessible at this time.
There are two washrooms.
The kitchen has suitable counter space, a stove, a grill, two microwaves, a refrigerator and a freezer.
The two parking lots can accommodate 75 vehicles in the lot and an additional 75 on the grass and in the laneway.
For more information about this property and Commercial and Not-For-Profit rental prices, please contact:
Adam Furfaro
Executive Director
Light On The Hill Community Church, Oak Ridges, Ontario