Who We Are
🌈 Our welcome is wide—and includes you. Absolutely.
Nous sommes une communauté principalement anglophone — mais résolument accueillante.
Ceci dit, comme Dieu célèbre et se réjouit de la riche diversité humaine, nous faisons tout notre possible — dans nos célébrations du dimanche comme dans les activités et ministères de notre vie communautaire — pour offrir un espace d’accueil, de soutien, de partage et de croissance pour TOUS les enfants de Dieu. Et cela vous inclut — vous, nos voisins et voisines francophones.🧡
Plusieurs membres de notre communauté sont bilingues ou multilingues, et nous serons heureux de vous accueillir chaleureusement à Cedar Park. Des questions? Contactez-nous!
🏳️🌈 Cedar Park United is an LGBTQIA++ affirming ministry of the United Church of Canada.
Our congregation is part of the progressive end of the Christian neighbourhood:
We take the Bible seriously, not literally
We engage with science, art, and the world around us in our ways of following Jesus
We learn and re-learn how to live with respect in Creation
We extend a wide and generous welcome to all who long for wisdom, connection, and the sacred work of building God’s dream for the world
You’re welcome here exactly as you are.
We want you to know what we’re about.
We’re a congregation of the United Church of Canada.
We’re part of the Conseil régional Nakonha:ka Regional Council.
Our community life is guided by some core statements:
We take the Bible seriously, not literally.
Scripture reflects multiple human relationships with and responses to the Divine—we read it for its wisdom and inspiration.
We study the Bible using a midrashic imagination. Participate in the Midweek Midrash study group to find out more.
We’re an LGBTQIA++ affirming community.
Whoever you love and whatever your gender expression—this is a safe and welcoming place for you.
Learn more about what it means to be an "Affirming Ministry” in the United Church of Canada.
We’re a multi-generational, caring community.
Our congregation is entirely self-funded and self-supporting.
Our ministries (programmes) are volunteer-led, thanks to people's gifts of time and talent. We fund all our ministries and programming with financial donations from members of our community.
We actively seek grants from foundations or governments to supplement our work on special projects.
You can make a donation to support the life and work of Cedar Park United here.
We’re committed to living our faith through social justice and action.
We’re engaged with our denomination in its commitment to become an anti-racist denomination (United Church of Canada’s commitment).
That means that we’re also committed to the work of reconciliation with Canada’s First Nations and this is our territorial acknowledgement that we share each Sunday in worship.
We’re committed as a congregation to the work of supporting refugeed people.
Through our food security ministries, we’re engaged in various acts to support access to healthy food, particularly among elders and families at risk.
We have a rich history that spans over 125 years.
Our faith community has been part of the Pointe-Claire south landscape since it started in founder Otto Lilly’s home in 1893.
It became Pointe-Claire Presbyterian Mission in 1899. The expanding congregation built Lilly Memorial Presbyterian Church in 1923 and joined the United Church of Canada at its founding in 1925.
The congregation grew further over the next 30 years to become Cedar Park United, moving to its present site in 1955.
Curious about our past?
Discover more details about our history in this document lovingly compiled by our "resident historian" Jeannie Walbridge Blevins.
We’re a fully self-governed community.
As a United Church, we are led, or governed, by volunteers who are elected to serve on our Congregational Board.
The Board is responsible for the strategic planning and oversight of our programmes, ministries and budget.
You can find out more about our governance and leadership here.