Welcome

St. John’s church and garden is open every day of the year from 9am to 5pm and you are welcome to visit, pray and wander through this historic and beautiful corner of Toorak.

Service Times

Sunday Services at St. John’s

8am Holy Communion, followed by breakfast hospitality in the Guild Room

10am Holy Communion, a sung service with choir, followed by morning tea hospitality in the Gardens or Church Hall

Worship of Holy Communion includes readings from the Bible, Prayers, and sharing in the Bread and Wine

Please note that after Christmas and during January there is one Sunday Service at 9am only

Weekday Service at St. John’s

February – December until Christmas
Wednesday 7pm Holy Communion, followed by hospitality in the Vestry

This week's Pewsheet

Pastoral Services

Weddings

St. John’s has developed a comprehensive wedding package that arises out of the long experience of the parish in hosting the marriages of all manner of people, among them many celebrities and prominent Melburnians.

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Baptism & Confirmation

Baptism marks the beginning of a journey with God which continues for the rest of our lives. It is a first step we take in response to God’s love. For all involved, particularly the candidates but also parents, godparents and sponsors.

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Funerals

St. John’s Toorak has been the venue for many services celebrating the lives of all manner of people over a great many years. The staff at St. John’s are well used to preparing and leading services of this nature.

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Buxton Hall

The Buxton Memorial Hall at St. John’s Toorak is available for hire as a location for drinks and canapes and finger foods etc. after a wedding and before the reception, for a wake following a funeral, or for after Baptims refreshments.

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Children & Families

Children's Ministry

Children of all ages are always welcome at St. John’s.

Every Sunday, there is a children’s talk early in our worship together. We hold Sunday School in the Kinder room on Sundays during the sermon time of the 10am worship each week apart from school holidays and long-weekends. All activities are supervised by adults who hold current Working With Children Checks. Parents are welcome to attend these sessions or to enjoy the service in the Church.

St. John’s also has a dedicated Children’s Corner, a safe and comfortable space for children and parents to enjoy complete with toys, books, comfortable cushions, and a quiet area for reading.

St. John’s is a child-safe church. We have a zero tolerance of any behaviours that may or will harm children. On this website you will find policies and procedures that inform our practices in child safety. You will find these documents under ‘About Us’. If you wish to make a report, please contact the Director of Professional Standards at Kooyoora.

Church Staff

The Revd Dr Peter French

Vicar

Peter was appointed to St. John's in February of 2016, having returned to Melbourne from almost a decade in the USA, where he served principally as Chaplain to Princeton University for 8 years. For the Diocese of Melbourne Peter serves on Archbishop in Council and the Prevention of Violence Against Women Program. More broadly he is a member of the Council of St. Catherine's School, Toorak, a founding member of the Grief Group with The Mental Health Foundation Australia and in 2019 commences as Chaplain to the Australian Grand Prix. For more information, please see below.

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Ms Sally Robertson

Parish Administrator & PA to the Vicar

Sally manages the busy parish office and is also personal assistant to the Vicar of the parish. Sally handles all enquiries of a general nature.

The Revd Elizabeth Murray

Assistant Curate

Elizabeth Murray was ordained deacon and priest in Melbourne in 2016. Her first curacy was in Anglican Parish of the Parks - St Silas & St Anselm Albert Park, and she is now the Assistant Curate here at St John's.

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Mr Christopher Cook

Director of Music & Parish Organist

Christopher graduated in piano & organ from the Queensland Conservatorium of Music in 1983 and has worked in the music and education professions variously as teacher, performer, conductor, musical director & more.

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Mr Hanford Lam

WG Price Organ Scholar

Hanford is a piano student at the Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music, Monash University. Hanford currently spends his time outside his music degree enriching the musical education of younger students, accompanying two fantastic choirs, and travelling.

St. John’s Toorak History

The foundation of St. John’s Toorak can be traced back to a meeting hosted by Mr. H. W. Dauglish in his Heyington Place home (now part of St Catherine’s School) in November 1859. It was resolved at this meeting to appoint trustees and commence subscriptions for the building of a church in Toorak. Within months one of the six trustees appointed at that first meeting, Mr. Alfred Ross, had donated sufficient land from his property ‘Orrong’ for the site of the church and over £1500 had been raised.

The newly appointed government architect, William Wardell, was contracted to build the new church, on its present site, in the early English Gothic style. Wardell also designed and built St Patrick’s Roman Catholic cathedral in East Melbourne. In April 1860 the Governor of the colony of Victoria, Sir Henry Barkly, laid the foundation stone and building commenced.

Following a delay caused by some difficulty in seperating the new parish of Toorak from the existing parish of South Yarra, St. John’s Toorak was opened for worship, again by Sir Henry Barkly, in July 1862. As the first vicar, the Revd Walter Fellowes, was still in transit from England, the first service was led by Dr Bromby, the first Headmaster of Melbourne Grammar School.

Download the St. John’s Anglican Church, Toorak: A Guide.