1. THE ORIOLE
Message from Rev. Cyndy
Dear Friends of OYM,
The Season of Lent is a time in our church
year when we can deepen our relationship
with God. It is also an opportunity to draw
closer to God and discern the next steps to
take in our lives. It is a time to ask, “What
is God calling me to do for myself,
community and world?” Often we find
ourselves moving from task to task without
a moment of thought or reflection. There
are some Monastic communities that have
a daily practice called „Statio‟ where they
stop several times a day to take a quiet
moment and recognise the time between
times. In that brief pause, they consciously
centre themselves around what they just
did, what they are about to do and within
this moment, they tune into God‟s
presence.
An example in your own life would be
before you phone someone, think about the
person and the conversation you are about
to have. Or, after reading a book, think
back over what you have learned. Before
Oriole-York Mills United Church Newsletter February 2013
In this issue:
Message from Rev. Cyndy
.……………………..….....…..1
Report from Council...…….. 3
Membership Relations
Reflection .…....................... 4
Be Happy Course Report.... 5
Mulli‟s Children and Lent ..…7
Thanks to Contributors ...….7
Ways to Save Trees
and Money …………..….......7
Contributions and
Suggestions…..….…………. 8
OYM Directory Changes …. 8
Your OYM Calendar .………. 8
Contact OYM ..….………….… 8

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sending an email think about the message you want to send and the
person receiving it. Before leaving the house, think about the journey and
route you will be taking and be attentive to the activity around you.
Before reading scripture, pause and ask what God‟s message is for you.
Set your mind on the task and on the Spirit of God.
The Season of Lent is our reminder to pause, reflect on what we did and
what we are about to do and ultimately to tune into God‟s presence within
us. I invite you to take the time over these next few weeks, to focus on
your life and God‟s presence in it. In everything we do, it is important to
keep God at the centre of our lives.
Over the past few months, the council through its chair, Carol MacLean,
has been leading focus groups. Carol has asked you to discern what you
believe is the future ministry for OYM. Through these discussions, Carol
has gathered information that she will share with council. The council will
then make their recommendations to you at the Annual Meeting on March
3rd
. In making this decision about your future, I invite you to prayerfully
consider where God is leading OYM. May we all be open to God‟s Spirit
in all these decisions and in others that we are called to make each day.
During the Season of Lent, I also invite you to follow the Lenten Calendar
that we will hand out on Sunday Feb. 17th
and collect money to support
“Mulli Children‟s Family” in Kenya. This organization lifts up the needs of
orphan children in Africa and in so doing, gives the children a home, hope
and opportunities for a better future. You can count up the money you
collect and bring it to worship on March 31st
, Easter Sunday.
I pray that the Season of Lent will draw you closer to God‟s living
presence in your life and may we all take time to celebrate God‟s
blessings each day.
With Joy and Peace,
Cyndy Cooper
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3. 3
Report from Council
We were very happy to receive and approve a request from the CJUC
council to extend their lease and our shared working agreement for
another two year, as the construction at Lansing will not begin until this
spring. Our members are very appreciative of the friendship and sharing
of the CJUC members and welcomed the news that this wonderful
experience will continue. So we are fortunate that our near future is
certain.
As Rev. Cindy has described, focus group meetings were held between
November and January to discuss longer term options for the future of
our church. About ten members attended each of the three meetings and
their thoughtful contributions were very much appreciated. These
discussions will be summarized in recommendations from Council to be
presented at the annual congregational meeting on Sunday March 3rd
.
There will then be a ballot vote to determine a plan for our future. On
behalf of Council, I thank everyone who has participated in these focus
group meetings or shared with Council their thoughts and support.
An agreement has been reached with the Granite Club to rent 45 parking
spots at OYM from November 2012 to June 2013. The Club was looking
for staff parking Monday through Saturday as the construction for their
facilities expansion means they have very limited parking for club
member, staff, and contractors. The expansion will not be completed until
2014 and we hope their rental of our parking lot will continue into 2014.
The twelve parking spots closest to the church have been reserved for
church use.
Over the last two years we have upgraded the tables and chairs in
Fellowship Hall and, with significant financial contributions from CJUC,
installed a screen and projector and a new sound system in the
sanctuary. The priority for our property in 2013 will be to prepare a
recommendation on replacing the current unreliable 30-year old Vertical
Platform Lift with a modern elevator. We are grateful to Moira Mancer

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who has agreed to investigate options for a replacement elevator that will
meet all of our needs. Equally as important, Moira is also gathering
information on potential funding available to help offset the cost of the
replacement. A new elevator will ensure that our property is fully and
reliably accessible and will meet all future Ontario accessibility
requirements for public buildings.
Finally, as we prepare for the annual congregational meeting, we are
looking to fill several vacancies on committees. If you are interested in
becoming involved in the governance of the church, either as a chair of a
committee, a committee member or a member at large, please contact
me or any member of council.
Carol MacLean Chair of Council
____________________________________________________________________
Membership Relations Reflection
In the Annual Report our Roll Clerk, Joan Bennett, recorded the three
members who passed away in 2012. First on the list is Les James. It
was through the efforts of our dear Julia Dreger and Ellen Davies that Les
transferred over from Thornhill United. Soon after that Ellen and Les
were married. They enjoyed seven years together – first at Les' home in
Thornhill and later at 8 The Donway East. Many of us enjoyed Les and
Ellen's annual lawn party. He was a faithful member of the O-YM Choir
and would favor us with a solo from time to time.
Next to go was Jean Aston, the last remaining Charter Member of O-YM.
When her husband, Bob, passed away Jean moved from the home near
Harrison Road School to a town house at Bayview and Cummer. Jean
told me that she chose that townhouse because it looked over a school
yard as did the house near Harrison Road Public. That way, she could
continue to enjoy watching children at play during recess.
Leone Junkin followed Jean Aston by a few days. She and Jack came
over to O-YM from Yorkminster United during the seventies. Their home

5. 5
in Lord Seaton sat on a well-manicured lot which benefited from their
tender loving care until it was necessary to make the move to Amica. Our
thoughts are with Jack as he adjusts to life without Leone.
As the Annual Report is being printed we mourn the passing of Margaret
Moore, the aunt of Brian and Diane Domelle. Her last years were happily
spent at Glynnwood Retirement Home near Bayview and John. Diane
would bring Margaret to church on occasion and I would always be glad
when they would sit close by. That way Margaret's good singing voice
would help to keep me on tune!!
Yes, we will always remember Les, Jean, Leone and Margaret but we are
encouraged by the addition of some new members, the most recent being
Alex and Sofia Hu. To observe them helping to serve communion most
recently was joyful and encouraging.
Also joyful is to worship along with CJUC and Rev. Cyndy. Is it just a
coincidence that we are together or is it divine intervention at work?
In closing, plans are underway to have another bazaar similar to the one
held last October. Again leadership would be provided by CJUC's Naomi
Tehasa and more news of that will follow.
Don Worth
Membership Relations and Communications
_____________________________________________________________________
Be Happy Course Report
The second Be Happy course was held at OYM on Saturday mornings
from November 3rd
to December 1st
with Rev. Cyndy and Rev. Coral
leading nine participants, including members from OYM, CJUC and
friends.
Here are our collective reflections on the course.
 I was sceptical at first but came to appreciate the course and what
it was about after the first session. It helped me to develop a

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feeling of gratitude. The handouts and written exercises were good
to keep and read again.
 During the course, the interactions in the group changed both my
outlook and how I interact with others and has brought me
happiness.
 The course was introspective for me and I realized that while my
prior life is cast in stone, with its many happy memories, the future
is fluid and how you embrace it rests with each of us.
 In the course we were given a journal to record 100 things we are
grateful for and why. Because of the course, I now pause each day
to think of what or who I am grateful for and have learned you can‟t
be grateful and unhappy at the same time.
Be Happy participants pictured above, from left to right in the back row
– Rev. Coral, Jean Javanshir, Maggie Kambanis, Naomi Tagasaki,
Bob Robinson, Joan Bennett, Carol Maclean, and in the front row
Wendy Krebs and Barbara Marshall. (Missing from the picture: Rev.
Cyndy & Judy Deri.)
We are all HAPPY to have taken the course, GRATEFUL to Rev. Cindy
and Rev. Coral for their leadership and to each other for honest and
wholehearted participation in all aspects of the course. We had many
laughs and enjoyed great food and refreshments.
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Mulli’s Children and Lent
As many of you may remember Larry Scott visited Charles Mulli in Kenya
in August 2007 and helped with various projects to benefit the orphans
under Mulli‟s care at that time. Now, as Rev. Cyndy reports, our 2013
Lenten charity donations will enable us to help more of these children in
need.
For more about this cause, visit the website at:
http://mullychildrensfamily.org/
___________________________________________________________________________
Thanks to Contributors
Thanks to the following for contributions for this issue:
Rev. Cyndy Message from Rev. Cyndy (page 1)
Carol MacLean Report from Council (page 3)
Be Happy Course (page 5)
Don Worth Membership Relations Reflection (page 4)
___________________________________________________________________________
Ways to Save Trees and Money
Ways to save trees and save OYM money at the same time continues by
reading „The Oriole‟ online at OYM‟s website, under „About OYM‟ at
˂www.oymunitedchurch.net>. The older way, but still a good way, to
save trees and save OYM money at the same time is to receive „The
Oriole‟ in pdf format. For either option, please send an email to „The
Oriole <oymoriole@gmail.com>' specifying your choice.
If not going the online or pdf route, you can help to save some trees by
leaving Oriole envelopes for re-use for the next edition of „The Oriole‟.
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