The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday May 28, 2008 - 15 Living Oakville Beaver LIVING EDITOR: ANGELA BLACKBURN Phone: 905-845-3824, ext. 248 Fax: 905-337-5567 e-mail: angela@oakvillebeaver.com Maple Grove is busy at 50 By Angela Blackburn OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF MICHAEL IVANAN / SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER the spirit soars and the heart finds a home. As the birds chirp busily just outside the stained glass windows lining Maple Grove United Church's Sanctuary, congregation members are just as busy inside the church, the community, and on the global stage. "A church is only as healthy as its outreach," advises The Reverend Doctor Morar Murray-Hays. "The congregation is resilient and healthy," announced the reverend who has not only led the 405-family strong congregation since 1987, but is a leader in her field -- she was the first female minister in Oakville. This Sunday, June 1, to mark the 50th anniversary, the children's groups at the southeast Oakville church will lead the congregation from Sunday service at the church to the nearby Maple Grove Public School where officials will kick off a celebratory church picnic. The school is where the church's first members met when it branched off St. John's United Church 52 years ago, awaiting its official status as a church that came A "A church is only as healthy as fter 50 years it's a place where its outreach." The Reverend Doctor Morar Murray-Hays, Maple Grove United Church in 1955 and finally, a church building of its own in 1957, according to Judy Lilly, chair of the church's 50th anniversary committee. Sunday's picnic will be a ramped-up version of the annual picnic with extras this year to mark the milestone. Local dignitaries, a catered barbecue -- and. of course, the annual water balloon toss -- will help make the celebration a party. "The water balloon toss was here when I was a kid," said Oakville resident Tony Peros, 33, who along with his wife Beth, attends the church he attended throughout his life. Now, the Peros' three daughters, Sarah, 9, Kaya, 6, and Faith, 4, are being raised in the same faith community -- from attending its daycare, to going to Sunday services and Kaya even soloed in a recent concert. Actually, the concert and the upcoming church picnic are among a long list of special events that have made the 50th anniversary a year-long celebration. The church is definitely a family affair -- literally for Peros, whose children attend, as well as their grandmother who is in a prayer group. Peros' dad was even the general contractor who worked on the church's addition in 1982. "It's generational," said Peros who is on the church's 50th anniversary committee. Being part of the family is what the church -- and its leader, Murray-Hays -- excel at. And it doesn't stop there. Maple Grove United Church is very involved in the local community, working with First Nations peoples within Canada and as a supporter of relief and aid internationally -- through local fundraising and hands-on visits abroad. It supports the $Million or More Oakville campaign in assisting the Stephen Lewis Foundation. It supports a family in Africa -- a grandmother and several children -- that has lost its middle generation to HIV/AIDS. Two aid projects have seen church members visit Africa and work with Rotary to vaccinate against polio in India. See Outreach page 17 MARKING A MILESTONE: Rev. Morar Murray-Hays, left, Tony Peros and Judy Lilly have worked on Maple Grove United Church's 50th anniversary celebrations, which will culminate with a service and church picnic this Sunday. WORRY TOO MUCH? Do you suffer from constant worry and anxiety about r a t a a variety of everyday things? Does this worry create ar r a t r r t excessive tension, tiredness and irritability that affects , a r a t your daily life? If so, you may be eligible to participate in r e i ar a research study using a medication for the treatment of r a a r t DO YOU Now Available GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER Y You must be at least 18 years or older and found to meet at f d m f full criteria for generalized anxiety disorder in a clinical t r a assessment. m F For more information contact: Christine at 905-521-2100 x76632 christine@macanxiety.com Anxiety Disorders Clinic McMaster University Medical Centre, Hamilton , www.macanxiety.com y "MASONRY & FIREPLACE DESIGN SPECIALISTS" w w w. c o b b l e s t o n e m b e r s . c a 406 SPEERS RD., OAKVILLE ACROSS FROM RONA LANSING 905-337-2066 The true story of a man, a pig and their journey to the table. Look for this innovative series Look for this innovative series in The Hamilton Spectator Saturday May 24 The Hamilton Spectator Saturday, May 24 to June 7. h il d June 1003