Evangelical Church of the Deaf

The Evangelical Church of the Deaf is a congregation of the United Church of Canada for the Deaf. It is located at the Bob Rumball Centre for the Deaf in Toronto, Ontario.

Services, conducted entirely by signing, draw deaf worshipers who were reared in Catholic churches and in an array of Protestant denominations.[1]

History

From 1925 to 1973 the church used the historic Paul Kane House as its church hall.[2]

Former footballer Bob Rumball was appointed as the church's pastor in 1956, and became a noted advocate for the deaf community.[3]

In about 1960 the Church purchased property in the country and opened the Ontario Camp of the Deaf, using army surplus tents. The camp prospered; in 2000 it could serve 212 campers in a "sunny dining hall," and hosted 300 campers every summer.[4]

The Church meets at a dedicated multipurpose centre on Bayview Avenue. It was constructed in the late 1970s on a 6.1-acre property purchased from General Bruce Matthews, and includes a sanctuary seating 300.[5] Toronto Maple Leafs founder Conn Smythe, team owner Harold Ballard and wrestler Whipper Billy Watson helped Rumball to raise the $7.6 million to open the centre.[3] Initially known as the Ontario Community Centre for the Deaf, it was renamed the Bob Rumball Canadian Centre of Excellence for the Deaf after Pastor Rumball's death in 2016.

In 2009 the Toronto Star reported, "The centre includes a 75-room residence for seniors and special needs adults, a daycare, a non-denominational church, a library, a skills-training facility, sign language classes for new Canadians, a host of community service programs and a welcoming space for social functions of all kinds."[6]

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References
  1. Csillag, Ron (24 July 2004). "Making a joyful silence; Signed scripture reading, invocation, hymns and prayers attract worshippers to churches for deaf Fellow parishioners offer deaf Christians a 'spiritual support group,'". Toronto Star. ProQuest 438716024. – via ProQuest (subscription required) . Summary available at Inclusion Daily, retrieved 2 December 2017.
  2. "Paul Kane House". Lost Rivers of Toronto. Retrieved 2 December 2017.
  3. Bob Rumball was a fierce advocate for Ontario’s deaf community Elizabeth Renzetti, Globe and Mail obituary, June 15, 2016
  4. Smith, Graeme (5 August 2000). "Special place for deaf brings friends together for yearly summer fun; Former CFL player had idea for camp in Parry Sound about 40 years ago". Toronto Star. ProQuest 438175332..  – via ProQuest (subscription required)
  5. Grant, Donald (29 September 1978). "Fund-raisers for new centre for deaf puzzled by Ottawa's lack of support". Globe and Mail. ProQuest 387117105.  – via ProQuest (subscription required)
  6. Hall, Joseph (13 November 2009). "Ministering to the deaf for half a century". Toronto Star. Retrieved 22 October 2013.

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