Our Story: The Little Church That Could
Mimico Baptist Church began in 1920, when Mimico was a small lakeside town of about 3,500 people. A few families from High Park Baptist believed their growing neighbourhood needed a church that loved God and cared for its community. They started meeting in a rented Orange Hall, even though it was also used for dances, poultry shows and pretty much anything else you could imagine!
Very quickly, this tiny group began Sunday School with just five children, held prayer meetings in people’s homes, and dreamed of having a church building of their own. Despite having very little money, they gave generously to missions, even sending part of their very first offerings to help children affected by famine in China. This “give first” spirit became part of the church’s DNA.
By 1923, the people of Mimico Baptist built their first church at Hillside & George, the same place where we worship today. They celebrated their first services in a building warmed by borrowed chairs, donated items and a whole lot of hope.
Growing Through Good Times and Hard Times (1930s–1940s)
Like the rest of Canada, the church struggled during the Great Depression. Money was tight, pastors sometimes had to endure salary cuts and volunteers kept the church running with love and elbow grease. Still, the church didn’t stop serving. Sunday School grew to more than 300 children and families supported each other through unemployment and sickness.
During World War II, many from Mimico served overseas. The church sent letters, knitted clothing, packed boxes for soldiers and prayed faithfully. After the war, the congregation celebrated milestones like paying off the church mortgage and installing the beautiful Casavant pipe organ in 1941, an instrument still loved today.
A Community Church for a Growing Neighbourhood (1950s–1980s)
As Mimico grew with new homes, immigrants and young families, the church grew too. These were decades filled with neighbourhood picnics, youth groups, children’s programs, choirs and new ministries like:
- Vacation Bible School / Holiday Club
- Moms & Tots
- RUGRATTS (a lively kids’ club!)
- Mission Band
- Teens & Twenties, Keenagers, and Young Adults groups
The church often had limited resources, yet it continued to serve the community creatively — from outdoor summer services in the Dominion parking lot to supporting mission work around the world.
In 1970, Mimico Baptist celebrated its 50th anniversary, already known as “the little church that could” — small in size but big in heart.
Reaching Out in New Ways (1990s–2010s)
The 1990s and 2000s brought major change in Mimico as diverse cultures, renters and young families moved into the neighbourhood. The church responded by focusing on hospitality, children’s ministry, youth retreats, Holiday Club and community events like Party in the Park, which blessed hundreds every year.
One of the biggest chapters began in the early 2000s with the birth of the Mandarin Ministry. New Canadians found a spiritual home at Mimico Baptist through Bible studies, worship services and 65+ baptisms. This ministry became a beautiful expression of our growing multicultural family.
The church also stepped boldly into mission work, sponsoring refugees from Congo, Colombia, and Syria; supporting international missions; and partnering with local groups such as Out of the Cold.
100 Years and Beyond (2020–Today)
In 2020, Mimico Baptist celebrated its 100th anniversary with gratitude — remembering God’s faithfulness through world wars, depressions, neighbourhood changes and seasons of growth and challenge. The theme was simple and true: “Founded on Christ. Forward with Christ.”
Today, the church continues to be:
- A welcoming home for kids, youth, adults, seniors, and newcomers
- A multigenerational and multicultural community
- A church committed to Scripture, prayer, worship, and service
- A place where people can explore faith, grow together, and bless Mimico and beyond
We continue to strive to be the little church that could. We continue to invite others to be part of that.