St. Paul’s used to have two Christmas trees in the altar area. It has changed from real to artificial, from two to one tree.

In 1965, our congregation, specifically the Altar Guild, started the process of obtaining information about the Chrismons. Hattie Fender contacted the Lutheran Church of the Ascension in Danville, Virginia. That church started their journey with Chrismons in 1957.

There is a Chrismon Instruction Book and specific meanings to Chrismon designs. It is copyrighted. These Chrismons are not made commercially. Our Chrismons are all hand made with specific instructions and have been passed down through the decades. Some are very fragile and repairs have been made. New ones have also been made periodically by Altar Guild.

Did you know that men of our church used to cut down our Christmas trees. Walter Kruger’s land used to supply the trees. The men would go out and scout trees in decent weather and mark them. As time grew close for decorating the church, they went and cut them down. Roy Kissinger, Henry Rosenthal, Bennie Szweda and Paul and Mike Kubal were some of these people. Somewhere along the way we went to one real tree and put it on the main floor. First, by where the organ is now and then by the piano. One of our last real trees came from Leona and August Rudlaff’s land, Bill Rudlaff’s parents.

Just as a side note, Roy Kissinger, one year, saved a Christmas tree and used the main branch to make into a cross and that was used for Lent and Easter. Doris Kissinger and friends wrapped the cross full of Lilies for Easter morning. This tradition was done for several years.