The continuing story of CTK Toronto: A church living the prayer of Jesus

Christ the King Anglican Church, Toronto (CTK) started life in May 2009 as the “Toronto Centre Project,” an Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC, later known as the Anglican Diocese of Canada, ADoC) church planting project under the care of St. George’s Anglican Church, Burlington. A multicultural group of 13 people, led by Claus and Heather Lenk, began in the Lenks’ living room for its first monthly meeting. It then transitioned to the board room of a business office in North York. Not too long after that, the meetings became bi-weekly in September 2009. A leadership team developed with Rev. Ray David Glenn (Rector of St George’s Anglican Church), Claus and Heather Lenk, Raymond Leung and Marion Karasiuk. Shortly after, Raymond Leung left, and Robin and Sandra Guinness joined the leadership team.

On September 26, 2010, Sunday services began in the afternoon at 4:00 p.m. at the premises of Blythwood Road Baptist Church. It was during this time that a new name was chosen for the church – the Toronto Centre Project became Christ the King Anglican Church, Toronto.

In January 2011, Rev. Robin Guinness became the Priest Associate appointed to oversee the church while a search was made for a rector. In September of that year, Rev. Jonathan Wong, from the Diocese of Singapore, became our rector in a part-time capacity. Jonathan had come to Toronto to work on his Ph.D. at Wycliffe College.

Hospitality has been and continues to be an important aspect of CTK right from the beginning. Every service was followed by a time of fellowship over refreshments, and parishioners stayed a good hour after service to catch up with one another. This helped form a sense of real community among the members. Any excuse for a party, BBQ, or reception with food was a good time to celebrate God’s goodness.

In the fall of 2013, CTK became incorporated, attained its charitable registration, and moved officially from plant to parish. The congregation then had a core attendance of about 22 parishioners. The following year, in June 2014, Rev. Jonathan Wong moved back to Singapore for family reasons.

Rev. Len Finn, who started attending CTK a year earlier and had been appointed the Assistant Pastor, took over the mantle from Jonathan and became our rector in March 2014. Like Jonathan, Len had started a Ph.D. programme at Wycliffe. In March 2015, Len left CTK to focus full-time on his doctoral studies, and Robin Guinness took over as the interim pastor.

A rector search committee ensued, and after much prayer and consideration, Rev. Keith Ganzer began as the first full-time rector of CTK in September 2015.

In April 2016, Marion Karasiuk initiated a discussion with members of Christ The Redeemer (an ADoC church plant in downtown Toronto) to come together in an experimental joint venture to hold services on Sunday mornings at 10:30 a.m. in downtown Toronto. Services began at Crimson Teas, a teashop run by Phillip Chan, who generously allowed the premises to be used for the joint venture.

Our first Sunday service at Crimson Teas was held on April 24, 2016. Initially, CTK continued to hold afternoon services at Blythwood. However, a decision was taken to discontinue the service at Blythwood in November 2016.

In January 2017, CTK and Christ The Redeemer were formally merged into one under the name Christ the King. Weekly Sunday services were held Sunday mornings, and in three years the congregation grew to 3 services under Keith’s leadership.

During the pandemic, CTK moved to a Zoom service. In July of 2021 we were able to resume meeting in person, now at Wycliffe College at 4:30 in the afternoon. In December of 2021 Keith left to pursue Ph.D. studies. Until the end of 2023, we were led by our interim rector, the Rev. Prof. Glen Taylor while we prayerfully pursued the calling of a new rector.

In the fall of 2023, CTK called the Pastor Ben Wall to serve as our new rector, and he began his ministry with us at the start of 2024. His wife, Leah Wall, an ordained deacon, was also installed as deacon at CTK alongside him.

Christ the King Sunday in 2025 marked the church’s 15th anniversary, which we celebrated with special services and a churchwide retreat. Later that year, Pastor Ben and Deacon Leah announced their resignation in order to be closer to family.

As we move into 2026, CTK continues to place its trust in God’s faithfulness, seeking the direction to which He is calling our church.