Christmas is Coming

Each year, since we permanently moved to Loon Lake, we have been attending a Christmas Carol Service at the historic Essonville Church on the Essonville Line. Attending takes us back to a time when life was so very much different. The church has been restored by community residents and is run by lay-people, except for special occasions when you will find a visiting minister attending. We have attended most years, unless there's been such a terrible storm that you can't see to drive. Our first visit is forever etched in our minds - an experience we'll never forget. It was bitter cold, and the path to the church was lit by liminaires made from candles inside brown paper bags. Stepping inside the church, we got a bit warmer - but the old woodstove was just barely warming the air. It was not too bright inside, but the glow from the kerosene lamps at the windows did their job and tinted the air with that ever so familiar kerosene smoke smell. Changes have taken place over the years and the old wood stove has been replaced by an oil stove and a single power line has been run into the church to power outside lights. This coming year, there's a wedding coming in January and the father told us last night that the stove will be lit on the Wednesday before the wedding.



Here's a link to the church's website and I urge you to drop by and experience a true piece of Haliburton history:

http://essonvillechurch.org/index.html