Closing of St. Matthew’s in Smithville

SMITHVILLE, Ont. – For almost 80 years, God’s Word was proclaimed and the Holy Sacraments were administered at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church (also known as St. Matthew’s Slovak Evangelical Church) in Smithville. On January 13, former members, friends, and local clergy gathered to officially close the congregation. With heavy hearts, this handful of people gave thanks to the Lord for the countless blessings God poured out upon the congregation throughout its history. In addition, they gave thanks for the many saints who worshipped there.

The seeds of this congregation go back to the 1940s when the first Slovak Evangelical Lutheran Church synod missionary in Canada traveled back and forth from Montreal, ministering to the Slovak community. In 1954, St. Matthew’s received its first pastor, a graduate from the Springfield seminary, and the following year the church structure was built and dedicated. Services were offered in both Slovak and English.

Pastors that served St. Matthew’s include Rev. Joseph Fabry, Rev. Dr. Roger Winger, and Rev. Stewart Marshall. With long vacancies between each pastorate, it eventually became a preaching station for students of nearby Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary.

In 1991, St. Matthew’s joined Lutheran Church–Canada. A tri-parish was formed with Messiah Lutheran in Stoney Creek and St. Stephen’s in Grimsby. That lasted until Messiah and St. Stephens merged to form Christ Our Saviour, Grimsby. Once again, seminary students helped to fill the gap until St. Matthew’s joined Emmanuel in Beamsville in a dual-parish situation.

An outstanding achievement from this time was the formation of the “Farm Project,” which raised more than $100,000 for Canadian Lutheran World Relief. Eventually, St. Matthew’s went back to being a preaching station for the English services, while Rev. Ladislav Kozak traveled back and forth from Toronto offering services in Slovak.

Rev. Kevin Walrath, Hamilton Circuit Counsellor, was asked by Rev. Marvin Bublitz, East Regional Pastor, to close the congregation based on the resolution of closure adopted by St. Matthew’s, and a brief order of service was held.

The records of the congregation were put into the safekeeping of Rev. Jason Gillard of Christ Our Saviour. A sharing of congregational memories was provided by Jill Munoz, wife of former vacancy pastor, the late Rev. Roberto Munoz. Highlights included the production of “Job and the Snake,” celebrating a Passover seder meal, caroling to the neighbours, and reaching out to the community through movies and soup suppers. The service concluded with the Doxology, “Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow.”

St. Matthew’s has blessed the wider church through the donation of its pipe organ to St. John Lutheran Church in Snyder, its altar crucifix to St. John Lutheran Church in Snyder, and its communion ware to Christ Lutheran Church in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Property ownership was officially transferred to Lutheran Church–Canada in November 2025.

As this building is officially closed as a place of worship, the church remembers with gratitude all the blessings the Lord gave to those living and those who have gone before. To God be the glory.

Print this article