Connecting With Zion’s Past

by Dennis Dugger

Connecting with Zion’s past at this time of the year is not difficult. We have many wonderful Christmas traditions.  Christmas at Zion is time for the Chrismon tree, decorating, special offerings, Santa’s Sack, and the Candlelight Service.

It is difficult to determine exactly when some of the older traditions began.  Our oldest minutes are almost silent about Christmas plans including special offerings, the types of services, or how the church was decorated.  Minutes do tell us that the special Christmas offering dates back to at least 1922 and the Candlelight Service goes back to at least 1940.  If anyone knows more about their origins, please share.

There are photos of the church from the late 1920’s showing a Christmas “snow storm” in the sanctuary.  Threads were hung from the ceiling with “bits” of cotton tied onto them.  I’ve also seen photos from the 1930’s showing strands of tinsel and icicles strung across the Sanctuary.  And always there were Christmas trees, some displayed outside.

The trees and the singing of ‘Stille Nacht, Heilege Nacht’ at the Candlelight Service are not only beautiful, but also reminders of Zion’s heritage.  That tradition will be compromised a little this year with electric candles.  In 1983, also for safety, we had to give up the “live tree” in our sanctuary; and the tree is still beautiful.

One very old tradition that fell by the wayside over the years was a tradition of remembering the choir at Christmas, a tradition that went back to at least 1910.  For several years in the 1920’s and 30’s, the Council voted to give each choir member a dollar at Christmas.  Humm?  Wonder how much that would be equivalent to in today’s terms?  That was a very nice present then!  However, in 1933, due to the Depression, this practice ended by vote of the Council.

Zion’s Chrismons were made by members in 1969, starting one of our newer traditions.  Chrismon ornaments originated in 1957, with Frances Kipps Spencer, a member of the Lutheran Church in Danville, Virginia.  She wanted the Christmas tree to honor the Christ child.  She got her inspiration from the symbols that were once drawn or carved on doors to identify Christian households.  Each white and gold Chrismon is a monogram, symbol, or cross that relates to the life of Christ or to some event in the Church calendar.

Santa’s Sack started in 1981 with the leadership of Dr. Lee Dew.  This year marks the twenty-sixth year for Santa’s Sack.  Does that seem possible?  According to the 1981 Annual Report, that first year Zion “adopted” thirty-six children recommended by principals, teachers and social workers.   Each child was furnished with a toy and a complete set of clothing including a coat.  Last year we made Christmas brighter for over fifty children.  In recent years the families of our adopted children have also received blankets and boxes of food.  I estimate that over the first twenty-five years, Santa’s Sack has contributed over $90,000 to needy children.  I believe that is what Christmas at Zion is all about!