Candlelight Christmas Service in the historic Retlaw United Church

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By Nerissa McNaughton
Southern Alberta Newspapers
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Retlaw United/Union Church’s annual Candlelight Christmas Service takes place on December 15. Coffee, hot chocolate, and cookies are served from 6:30 to 7 p.m. The service begins at 7 p.m. The event is free to attend and open to all.

The Candlelight Christmas Service is special for many reasons. Not only is it a wonderful way to embrace the spiritual aspects of the holiday season, the church itself is historic and inspiring. As you enjoy the warm glow of the lights and the calming, serene atmosphere, know that you are in a building whose history shaped the region – and whose bell inspired an amazing tale.

These days, Retlaw is pretty much a ghost town, but in 1918, when the church was built, it was one of the many boomtowns that sprang up during CPR Rails’ heyday. Time marched on, leaving Retlaw in its wake, and by 1939, it was no longer a viable village. People left. Buildings were abandoned. What remained strong and proud on the prairies, however, was the church.

But what historical treasure is without a “scandal?” For the church, the ringing point is the bell. It’s a fun story, about how the church was literally “saved by the bell!”

 In 1918, the Domeij family donated the church bell in memory of their son, Waldemar, who had recently passed. When the church was abandoned years later, the bell ceased to toll.

In 1968, the land the church was on was bought by a local farmer. The farmer was ready to tear down the old building as it was not useful for his purpose. In preparation for this, he removed the bell.

Well, now the locals were taking notice! What was once just an abandoned church was a flashpoint of contention! The community rallied to save the church, and when they did so, the farmer took the bell out of storage and placed it in the entryway.

Where it was soon stolen.

Although it was taken, it was recovered at some point. This led to the bell being placed in a shed.

The story of the bell picks up again in the early 1990s. A local university wanted the bell to help commemorate a milestone anniversary. However, the bell was slated to go a cemetery to be placed in a mini church to mark the passing of another young man – as was the bell’s original purpose, commemoration, so many years before.

This time, however, when discussions went out about building a mini church for the bell, the talks turned into, “Why not just rebuild the actual church?”

The rest is history. The Retlaw community, Retlaw Historical Society, and descendants of the Retlaw settlers worked hard to rebuild, preserve, and maintain the church. It was re-dedicated in 1995.

The church hosted its first Candlelight Christmas Service in 1992. Candles and kerosene provide heat and warmth. It brings to mind how the early settlers gathered to worship, and the impact is not lost on those who follow those footsteps at the Service today, where every seat is typically filled.

Technically, it is not a “working” church. It has no dedicated minister. However, it remains a very popular spot for weddings, funerals, tours, and baptisms. Since the doors are never locked, it is also a wonderful place to sit quietly in contemplation.

And it’s the perfect place to host the Candlelight Christmas Service.

On December 15, as the candles glow and the doors open, casting welcoming light on the winter prairie, think of the settlers who made the same trek in the early 1900s to gather, to worship, and to enjoy the magic of the Christmas season together. Think of a sorrowing couple donating a bell to keep their son’s memory alive, and a community that rallied to save the most important building in a town that died around it. The Candlelight service connects the past, present, and future – and you are so very welcome to attend.