| Salem United Methodist Church |
| Your home, your community, His world |
If you missed the Turkey Trot, now is your chance to do something! On Christmas Eve (the 24th), be at the church at 4pm. We’ll get together, pray, and go for a little 5k run/jog/walk/stroll. Good times, great fellowship. (Silly hat not included!) See you there!
Don’t worry – we’ll have time to get ready for the Christmas Eve service. (Click here for info)
This is LAST part of a series of articles on the symbols of the Chrismon – the ornaments hanging on the trees in both our Sanctuary and Worship Center. The idea is to help you understand the symbols instead of just looking at the pretty tree. Enjoy! (All posts in this series here)
Lyre
Lyre
The lyre or harp is associated with David as a shepherd boy, and so represents praise to God. It symbolizes the angelic chorus who sang praises to the shepherds at the birth of Jesus.
Cross with a wreath
Cross with a wreath
A cross with a wreath, an ancient symbol of victory, here symbolizing Jesus’ victory over sin and death. The greenery of the Christmas wreath connects the cross with Jesus’ birth; the circle symbolizes eternity and eternal life.
Dove
Dove
The dove is a symbol of the Holy Spirit, recalling the Holy Spirit’s descent on Jesus as a dove at his Baptism. The nimbus, three-pointed rays around its head, is a symbol of the Trinity.
White candle
White candle
A single white candle symbolizes the Christ. The golden glow of the candle recalls the halo of light called animbus that symbolized divinity and power in medieval paintings.
Bell
Bell
The bell is a later western symbol that arose from church bells calling people to worship. It represents the proclamation of the Gospel to the world.
White Poinsettia
White Poinsettia
A stylized white poinsettia, a modern symbol of the Christmas season.
Wreath
Wreath
The wreath is an ancient symbol of victory. It symbolizes the victory of Jesus over sin and death. The circle also symbolizes eternity and eternal life.
Cross and Flame
And FINALLY…. The Cross and Flame
The Cross represents Christ and the flame is a reminder of Pentecost when diverse witnesses were unified by the power of the Holy Spirit.
The Cross and Flame* is the official symbol of the United Methodist Church.*
This coming Sunday (the 20th) is going to be special! First of all, both services will be combined in the Sanctuary at 10:30 (am). The Chancel Choir from the traditional (“Solid Rock”) service and the Praise Band from the Praise (“The River”) service will join forces to present a musical worship service, “The Wonder of Christmas.”
It may be a bit crowded, so please plan accordingly. You may park in either the south or west parking lots. If you haven’t dropped in yet, this is a great way to try us out before coming to the Christmas Eve service. We look forward to seeing you there! [More Christmas info here]
This is part of a series of articles on the symbols of the Chrismon – the ornaments hanging on the trees in both our Sanctuary and Worship Center. The idea is to help you understand the symbols instead of just looking at the pretty tree. Enjoy! (All posts in this series here)
Love of God Cross
Love of God Cross
A modern symbol known as “The Love of God Cross,” recalls the words of John 3:16. It symbolizes the love of God for us revealed in the entire life of Jesus as proclaimed in the four Gospels.
Celtic Cross
Celtic Cross
Reminiscent of a Celtic Cross, the circle, since it has no beginning or end symbolizes eternity and so represents God; in this combination, it symbolizes the endless love of God offered through Jesus and his death on the Cross.
Gothic Cross
Gothic Cross
A Greek Fleurée Cross or Gothic Cross, whose open petals symbolize the mature Christian; the three petals on each arm symbolize the Trinity, while the open flowers speak of new life and the resurrection.
Jerusalem Cross
Jerusalem Cross
A stylized version of the Crusader’s or Jerusalem Cross. It symbolizes the Four Gospels or the spread of the Gospel to the four corners of the Earth. The five crosses can also represent the five wounds of Jesus.
Ankh Cross
Ankh Cross
A variation of the Ankh Cross, an ancient Egyptian symbol adopted by Christians to symbolize eternal life; the budded arms symbolize the resurrection and hope.
Upsilon Cross
Upsilon Cross
The Furca (forked) or Upsilon Cross (from the Greek letter Υ) is also called The Thieves’ Cross from the two robbers who were crucified on each side of Jesus. From ancient times, the furcasymbolized the choice between good and evil.
Draped Cross
Draped Cross
The Cross draped in white/silver is a symbol of the resurrection and Jesus’ victory over sin and death.
Gamma Cross
Gamma Cross
A variation of the Gamma Cross (the arms resemble the Greek letter Γ ) or wheel cross, symbolizing the power of God working in redemption. The four gammas also represent the four Gospels that proclaim redemption.
Shepherd's Cross
Shepherd’s Cross
A cross combined with the shepherd’s crook symbolizes Jesus as the Good Shepherd who will lay down his life for others; the two crooks together form a X (chi), the first letter of the title Christos, Christ, in Greek.
This is part of a series of articles on the symbols of the Chrismon – the ornaments hanging on the trees in both our Sanctuary and Worship Center. The idea is to help you understand the symbols instead of just looking at the pretty tree. Enjoy! (All posts in this series here)
Natal Cross
Natal Cross
A Natal Cross, with a four-pointed Bethlehem Star representing the sign in the night sky announcing Jesus’ birth combined with a cross, symbolizing the salvation which the birth of this child brings.
Cross & Dove
Cross & Dove
The cross combined with a dove symbolizes the empowerment of the Holy Spirit for mission and ministry, as recounted in Luke: “Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit” (4:14).
Armenian Cross
Armenian Cross
The Armenian Cross, a pre-Christian icon adapted by Armenian Christians; the number eight was sacred and the eight points came to symbolize Christ. In heraldry, called a Forché (forked) Cross.
Armenian Cross with Lilies
Armenian Cross with Lilies
A form of the Armenian Cross; the lilies symbolize the resurrection and hope; the eight points represent Christ and salvation, as well as the proclamation of the Gospel message to all eight points of the compass.
Calvary Cross
Calvary Cross
A Calvary Cross with steps symbolizing the site of Jesus’ crucifixion. Also known as the Graded Cross, with the steps representing the virtues of faith, hope, and love. The budded arms symbolize the resurrection and hope.
Fluer-de-lis Cross
Fluer-de-lis Cross
A variation of the Fleurée or Fleur-de-lis Cross with the arms ending in stylized lilies; the three-petaled arms of the cross symbolize the Trinity; the lily also symbolizes the resurrection.
Cross with a Chi
Cross with a Chi
A variation of the cross with a X (chi), the first letter of the title Christos, Christ, in Greek.
Avellane Cross
Avellane Cross
An Avellane Cross with arms resembling filberts or hazelnuts; used in 18th century English coat of arms and as an heraldry symbol; the three points on the arms symbolize the Trinity and the resurrection.
This is part of a series of articles on the symbols of the Chrismon – the ornaments hanging on the trees in both our Sanctuary and Worship Center. The idea is to help you understand the symbols instead of just looking at the pretty tree. Enjoy! (All posts in this series here)
Chi-Rho
Chi-Rho variant
The Chi-Rho Monogram, composed of the first two letters in Greek of the word Christos (Gk: chi, X = ch;rho, P = r). There are many variations of this monogram.
IHS Monogram
The IHS monogram or Christogram is composed of the first three letters of the name Jesus in Greek. Here it is combined with the Budded or Trefoil Cross symbolizing the Trinity. Together this symbolizes the divinity of Jesus.
Triquetra
A form of the triquetra, a symbol of the Trinity from Great Britain. The three points represent Father, Son, and Holy Spirit while the continuous interwoven line represents unity.
Trefoil
A combination of a triangle and the trefoil, a stylized shamrock used by St. Patrick to illustrate the Trinity. Both are symbols of the Trinity, three persons united in One.
Fleur-de-lis
The fleur-de-lis is a stylized lily. It represents purity and so symbolizes the Virgin Mary. Because of its three points, it can also symbolize the Trinity and the resurrection. In France, it came to represent royalty.
The Sharing Trees that you remember from times past, can once again be found in the entryways of both the Sanctuary and the Worship Center.
It’s up to you to carry on the Salem UMC tradition of collecting caps, mittens, gloves, socks, underwear, and sweat pants for elementary school kids in our wonderful community. You are also encouraged to donate non-perishable food items. These will support our ministry in the Agape Home. Thank you!!!
Christmas is on its way (along with the snow)! It’s a wonderful time to invite a friend to come to church with you. There’s a bunch of things going on. Please have a look at our Christmas page (HERE) for details. (It’s also a good place to refer your friends!)
This is part of a series of articles on the symbols of the Chrismon – the ornaments hanging on the trees in both our Sanctuary and Worship Center. The idea is to help you understand the symbols instead of just looking at the pretty tree. Enjoy! (All posts in this series here)
The Cup
The cup symbolizing the sacrament of Eucharist or Communion; it also represents forgiveness and reconciliation with God.
Wheat
A stylized head of wheat symbolizing the bread of Eucharist or Communion. It also recalls Jesus as the Bread of Life (Jn 6:35, 48), and can also represent the Church among the “weeds” of the world.
Seashell
The seashell or scallop is a symbol for Christian baptism or the baptism of Jesus. It is also a symbol for pilgrimage and the spread of the Gospel to the world.
The Ship
A ship symbolizes the church as the “ark of salvation” that carries people to safety. It recalls the story of Noah and the flood, as well as Jesus’ calming the storm and saving the disciples.
Ichthius (fish)
The first letter In Greek of several titles of Jesus (Jesus, Christ, Son of God, Savior) together spell the Greek word for fish (icquV, ichthus). This fish symbol incorporates the chi-rho monogram.
One of the most beautiful parts of this season is seeing the charming poinsettias. Sing-up sheets are on the bulletin boards for donation of poinsettias for the Christmas worship services.
Fill-in your name and how you’d like the dedication to read. You may also call the church office to order. The plants are $15 each.
