In 1893 a 48-year-old Swede named Otto Lilly bought a 200-year-old homestead at the corner of what is now Cedar Avenue and Lakeshore Road. Otto and his wife, Mary, had a vision: to build a permanent community for like-minded English-speaking Protestants. He named it Cedar Park because of the abundance of cedar trees, and built Cedar Avenue, a macadamised road that he lined with apple trees and a wooden sidewalk.
    A community needs a school and a church, but in order to establish a Protestant school board Cedar Park needed to "secede" from the Catholic parish of Pointe Claire. Lilly undertook this procedure and also funded the building of Cedar Park's first school, which opened in 1895.
    Four years later, April 1899, the Pointe Claire Presbyterian Mission is created with the first worship service held in the wooden school house with a small improvised pulpit and Otto's own personal organ. So began the history of our church. Not surprisingly, with a school and a church available summer residents became permanent residents and a community began to grow. On January 9, 1913, Otto Lilly died in his 78th year, but the seeds he had planted flourished into a vibrant community known as Cedar Park.
    Between 1913 and 1920 four church"elders" governed the congregation, which was chaired by a Moderator, the Rev. A.G. McKinnon. By 1920 the Ladies' Aid Society of Pointe Claire had been founded for the purpose of raising money towards the cost of a Church building and a full-time minister. The first fundraiser took place on the Cedar Avenue "circle" across the street from the old school house.

Rev. William Shearer, a quiet, handsome, snow-haired Doctor of Divinity, came out from the west to become Cedar Park's first minister in early 1921.
    The following year the funds were secured to build a church. It would be called the "Lilly Memorial Church." The dark-brown brick church on "the circle" featured pews from Knox Presbyterian, which had been on the site of the new Sun Life building in downtown Montreal.
    The first congregation was truly interdenominational. Indeed, "we can claim to be the first United Protestant Congregation in Canada," said one of the early founders. On March 11, 1923, the church had its first morning service. The following year, Rev. Shearer retired and Rev. N.D. Keith took his place.
     History was made in 1925 when the Presbyterian, Methodist and Congregational churches merged to form the United Church of Canada. But it was also a disappointing year for Rev. Keith. After a series of controversial sermons, the congregation voted to exchange Keith for another church leader, Rev, Mr. D.A. McCuaig.
     Under his leadership the church began to mature. The first Committee of Stewards was created. The Young People's Society was formed, but the core support remained the Ladies' Aid Society. Their fund raisers paid the mortgage, light, heat, fire insurance, and more. In 1933, they renamed themselves the Women's Association. But it would be a few more years before the women could take their place on the church governing board.
     A new minister began that year, Rev. Albert Hinton. While not much was written about Rev.Hinton, it is known he respected the importance of the Women's Association. Rev. Hinton left in 1939, after which Cedar Park received the first minister actually called upon by the congregation (the others were appointed by the Presbytery).
    Rev. Victor C. Rose was in the first class of ministers ordained by the newly formed United Church of Canada. Rev. Rose became one of the longest serving, most beloved ministers in the Church's history. When he invited the Youth Group into his home, they played "spin the bottle". Instead of chastising, he joined in. "It was the only way to settle them down," he said.
    In 1946, the congregation had a ceremonial burning...of the mortgage! But time and space was running out on the church. With the postwar boom the Sunday School was bursting at the seams. By 1953 there were more than 400 students. Parking had become a problem. The Women's Association had 145 members, and in June alone 103 new members joined Lilly Memorial Church. Even the raccoons joined. During one service, a pair of raccoons tore into each other up in the ceiling of Lilly Memorial, which suddenly opened up and in a cloud of dust the pair came crashing down "like the Devil himself".
    The congregation decided the time had come: 637 families totaling 1610 members would suggest a new church was needed. On September 18, 1954, at 4:00 p.m., the corner stone was laid for the new $235,000 church on Lakeview Avenue. Thus ended 32 years of worship at Lilly Memorial.

On June 17, 1955, Rev. Victor Rose knocked on the door of the Sanctuary of the new Cedar Park United Church and opened the door to a hectic new period on the life of the Cedar Park congregation.
     New church groups, new activities and new members reflect the dynamism that was the start of this new church. Sunday School students, a barometer of the baby boom, had risen to more than 700. There were also 43 new members, which was important since there was still a seizable debt to pay for the new church. The church was full every Sunday for the two services at 9:30 and 11:00.
     Church population declined somewhat by 1960 as both Beaconsfield and Lakeside Heights had their own churches. Still, the church bursted with activity and eventually it took its tool on Rev. Rose, who had to begin missing meetings due to exhaustion. An assistant, Rev. Lindsay King, was brought in to help. Interestingly, it would be not until 1962 before the church had its carillon bells installed in the tower, a donation from the Henderson family in memory of longtime church elder and leader George Henderson.
    Times were changing. In May 1965 the names of two lady elders finally appeared in the Session Minutes. Also, at the annual meeting in February Rev. Jacques Beaudon of Eglise St, Jean spoke on "Some Aspects of Separatism in Quebec." Finally, exhausted and his job of moving the congregation done, Rev. Rose retired. In his place arrived Rev. Lorne Brown from Toronto, the church's sixth minister.
     It was an interesting period for the church: bell bottoms, tie dye, Expo 67, drop outs and love ins, and everything was groovy. At the church, there were 928 active members and 120 active adherents. Music Director Boyd Pellow introduced folk mass music. Sister Rita Patenaude, the singing nun of Montreal, presented the "Ballad of the Word" with her guitar. During this time the church became more active in the community. Alcoholics Anonymous and Spira (drug rehab) were invited to hold their meetings at the church. Meals-on-wheels was launched.
     But the community itself began to reflect the changing politics. In 1971, Rev. Brown, who began taking French lessons, spoke about the crisis in Quebec and later that year 101 church member names were removed from the Roll. The church went to a single Sunday worship. In 1974, Rev. Brown, who previously had been ill, accepted a call to Milton, Ontario. Said Eleanor Brown on their departure, "I have fond memories of a caring, creative congregation and staff whose gracious and generous ways supported....us with their friendship, love and prayers."

The search for Cedar Park United's seventh minister was guided by destiny it seems. After deliberating all spring of 1975 on several promising candidates, it was proving difficult to make a decision. Then a call came in: Would we wait for one more candidate? The new candidate was Jack Nield. When they heard him preach there was no question who would be the next minister for Cedar Park United.
    They would need his strength. The years 1977-78 were the Great Exodus from Quebec and the church lost many families. The Church Women's group dwindled to almost no one. Yet the heart of the community continued to beat.
    Easter 1978 saw the installation of a new stained-glass window in the sanctuary (poorly imitated for this web page) donated in the memory of Barbara Anne Browne. In October the congregation was stunned by the news of Rev. Lorne Brown's death in a car accident. (The congregation later set up a bursary fund in Lorne's name at the Montreal Theological College.)
    On a happier note, this was when Marian Siminski, Cedar Park United's talented musical director, became church organist. On in 1980, 30 new families joined the church. Innovative worship services made 1983 and 1984 interesting years with guest speakers followed by discussions in the main hall. The theme: "Beyond Ourselves." Easter service involved a liturgical dance, and in November there was a pulpit drama (with Jack Nield and actor Phil Spensley) on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther's death. The Country Fair was begun. The Sunday School began sponsoring a foster child and a refugee family from El Salvador, while the Outreach committee sent money to the Ethiopia famine relief.
     But the most significant event was the granting of sanctuary to "Julio", a Chilean refugee under threat of deportation. Church families cooked for Julio who stayed within the church. Thanks to the efforts of the congregation, Julio was granted refugee status.
    The C.A.R.E outreach project was launched, food collected for St. Columba House mission, and more refugee families were sponsored. The church also got its first computer. Then the sad news came on September 9, 1989: Rev. Dr. Victor Rose had died. And the following March, Jack Nield announced his call to a church in Ottawa.
    In September Rev. Paul Evans arrived as a part-time supply minister for a month, then became full-time supply minister. By Spring we was the permanent minister. He had looked after the Fraser family when Ken Fraser died in 1990. Such was his contribution that he was the overwhelming choice for permanent minister.
    His tenure was marked by a youthful vigor and enthusiasm: more theater and shows, Sunday School musicals, dinners (with wine!), new repairs, Dix Milles Villages, new Mission Statement, and a grand party to celebrate 100 years of Cedar Park United. But this is one of the toughest jobs around, and Paul succumbed to the punishing demands and announced he was taking leave of his post. Later, he announced he would not be returning.
     On December 1, 2000, Rev. Brenda Bell arrived. She took very good care of Cedar Park congregation while Paul was on sick leave for six months, then for a year while we went through the process of finding a new minister.On June 3, 2001, a Joint Needs Assessment Committee was struck to determine what kind of minister was desired. Their report was accepted by the congregation on November 4, 2001, and a Joint Search Committee was formed to find a new minister who fit the report's description. Cedar Park United began looking for a new minister....to open the next chapter of this wonderful history of community spirit and devotion.

That minister is Rev. Sharon Moon, who was called to Cedar Park on April 28, 2002. Here are photos of the Rev. Sharon Moon's first worship service at Cedar Park United Church on September 1, 2002. Even though it was Labour Day, over 200 people attended. Name tags were handed out by greeters Jeannie and Bill Blevins to help Sharon identify us. During the youth spot, Sharon conferred with the children about new beginnings. The choir sang a beautiful anthem. Scriptures were read by Cameron Fortin and Lisa LeRoy from a modern version of the Bible, "The Message", by Eugene Peterson. Sharon's enlightening sermon, "Absurd Propositions", was about Moses. It encouraged us to consider our own burning bush experiences.

Sunny, mild weather allowed us to have the reception outside under one of Karl Miller's linden trees. Terry Taylor, Faye Hossack and the coffee team supplied us with eats and drinks. Margaret Vost brought three delicious carrot and lemon cakes. A piece of cake was saved for Sharon's husband, Rev. Howard Clark, who was leading worship in Maxville, Ontario, that morning. Music was provided by Peter Purich, violinist and wash board expert, and electric guitarist George Toufexis. Lisa Walsh sang several songs including the popular "Summertime".

Sharon's family members were taken on a historic tour of our church by Bill Blevins. A whole crowd of people stayed for over an hour to eat, visit with each other, and introduce themselves to Sharon. What a satisfying start to our ministry under our new moon!