Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church, located at 617 S. Main St. in Lexington, will hold an Advent open house this Sunday, Dec. 21, from 2 to 4 p.m. The open house will feature the Chrismon tree with ornaments made by the pastor, members and friends of the congregation.
Refreshments will be served with fellowship and crafts offered for adults and children alike.
On display from the beginning of Advent through the Day of Epiphany on Jan. 6, Chrismon trees not only add beauty to the sanctuary, but also preach the gospel of Jesus through deeply spiritual and biblical symbols, said a spokesperson.
The tradition of Chrismons traces back to 1957 at the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Ascension (ELCA) in Danville, Virginia. Noticing secular decorations like Santa Claus, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and candy canes on the Christmas tree in the church’s sanctuary, Frances Kipps Spencer decided to create more spiritually inspired ornaments for the tree. She called these ornaments “Chrismons” — a portmanteau of the title “Christ” and the word “monogram.” Most of the original 1950s ornaments were ancient Christian symbols for the name of Christ, living up to their name as “Christ’s monograms.”
The original Chrismons took the form of ancient symbols from early Christianity that were known to be signs of Christ such as the Chi-Rho (what looks like the letter “P” intertwined with an “X” which are the first two letters in the Greek word Χριστός or christos from which we derive “Christ”) or the Ichthus (the well-known Christian fish symbol). Various cross designs were also quite popular. Over time, designs expanded to include the life and ministry of Jesus, the Trinity (e.g. triangles, shamrocks, three interlocking circles, etc.), the heavens (e.g. stars, angels, etc.), the Church, and liturgical calendar.
The Chrismons on the tree at Good Shepherd reflect these expanded designs and also symbolize Christian virtues, theological truths, and stories from the Bible.
In 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, several members of Good Shepherd purchased kits and used the extra time at home to create new Chrismons to replace many of their aging ones. They have been replacing and augmenting this Chrismon collection ever since.
Pastor Adam C. Schultz and members of Good Shepherd will be on hand to share the beauty of the Chrismon tree with visitors this Sunday.
