This article appeared in the Jan. 5, 2007 issue of the Interlake Spectator…
From Sylvan to Arborg, and Sky Lake to Silver, then Rembrant, Meleb, and as far south as Fraserwood: This is the great circuitous route a trio of dedicated carollers travels in a quest to keep their traditions living and to help save their dying church.
They visit 50 or 60 houses each year in the towns and along remote country back roads to reach members of their church, St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church, which stands on highway 7 at Silver. Many of the people they make their way to are older now, and some are not able to get around. They also stop in on non-members who want to share in the music, and have made appearances at personal care homes.
“They appreciate our visit,” said 40-year-old Cheryl Gelinas, of Arborg, “some of them will sit there and cry. It’s so touching.”
Carolling is a long-standing tradition for Ukrainian Catholics, and this group of singers gets together year after year to sing authentic Ukrainian Christmas carols door-to-door. They start on January 7, Ukrainian Christmas, and continue for four or five days until they have visited everybody they can. When someone cannot understand Ukrainian, the group will oblige listeners with English carols too.
The carollers are offered food and drink along their journey, usually Kubassa, cheese, and dainties. On occasion they have been offered a full course meal. “The people are so generous,” said Gelinas.
Traditionally, this is one way the church has collected donations. Now, it is the only means of survival for the Silver church, which currently has only ten families who regularly attend, with a total of about 20 families with roots in the church who come out once a year from Winnipeg, or other centres.
“The younger generation left and the older ones are trying to keep it going.” Gelinas explained, “Other members have passed away or moved into towns and have joined churches there.”
The group typically collects $800 to $1,000 each season. This keeps the church alive. It pays for such expenses as insurance, electricity, candles, and the cost of the priest, Father Harry Chuckry, who is also the priest’s for some of the other churches in the area. Gelinas pays for her own vehicle expenses, and the trio donates their time.
“There used to be three or four carloads of carollers from our church, but now there are only the three of us,” said 39-year-old Randy Melnychuk, who has been a life-long member of the church.
Melnychuk’s great grandfather helped to organize the building of the church. He purchased and donated the church bell, and Melnychuk is deeply proud of that fact.
Melnychuk has been carolling for his church most years since about the age of 14. He started out by filling in when there were not enough carollers. Now Gelinas, and her mother Marian, would not think to leave him behind.
“If it wasn’t for Randy, we wouldn’t be able to do it,” said Gelinas. “Randy and I grew up together. He’s like a brother to me. He’s so much fun!”
Marian Gelinas recalls some years of icy roads and deep snow when, without Melnychuk, there would have been slim hope of getting out of a snow drift on the lonely back roads. “It is times like those I remember why we are doing this,” she said.
