by Julie Durbin, New Brighton Free Methodist

This year at Advent, the New Brighton Free Methodist Church of New Brighton, Pennsylvania, will put up their fiftieth Chrismon Tree. It became tradition there after member, Eleanor Collins, saw one at a Lutheran church in a neighboring city. It was 1970, and she knew the church wouldn’t approve of a Christmas tree in the sanctuary, but this was different, decorated exclusively with white and gold symbols of Christ. 

Eleanor’s niece, Lois (Julie Durbin’s mother), and her husband Harold Allman have been putting up the Chrismon tree at New Brighton ever since with the help of family and friends from the church. They’ve gotten to share the tradition with other churches too, including Pearce Memorial Church in Rochester, NY, who created their first Chrismon tree in 1979.

The idea originally came from Frances K. Spencer, of the Lutheran Church of the Ascension in Danville, Virginia. Mrs. Spencer wanted to honor Christ with a tree decorated in his name, and came across “Chrismons,” monograms of Christ, which largely originated with the Early Church. Her Chrismon tree has now spread throughout the Lutheran world and beyond.

At the New Brighton FMC, the Chrismon tree always goes up for the first Sunday in Advent. Families love to use it as their annual Christmas photo backdrop. In the spirit of Frances Spencer, who “stated that a tree was never finished until someone came to see it and have the story of Christ explained to them through the ornaments” (chrismon.org), laypeople often participate in worship services during Advent by reading Scripture and explaining the symbols on the tree.