A century of Christmas morning church services
A century of Christmas morning church services
Written by Karen R. Thompson Friday, 07 December 2007
When new ministers are assigned to the Tenth Street United Methodist Church in Taylor, they are often surprised to find that they will be expected to hold Christmas morning church services at 6 a.m. The Julotta service, which began as a Swedish Methodist Church service 107 years ago, is one of the traditions still observed by the congregation today.
Many members of the Tenth Street Church congregation believe this early morning service is the best way to be reminded of the true meaning of Christmas.
In the years immediately following the American Civil War, “American fever” spread to Sweden. Between 1867 and 1880, the second wave of the great migration from Europe began in earnest. The number of Swedish emigrants to arrive in the United States in 1865 was 4,000. That number rose to 46,000 in 1887.
S.M. Swenson, the first Swede to arrive in the Republic of Texas in 1836 (the same year Texas gained independence from Mexico), led this effort in Texas. Swenson had become wealthy in the new land, and following a trip back to Sweden in 1864, he set out to fully sponsor fellow Swedes coming to Texas. The Williamson County communities of Palm Valley (Round Rock), Hutto, Brushy Creek and Taylor accommodated 90 percent of the Swedish immigrants to Texas before 1890.
In Taylor, from 1896 to 1898, Rev. Carl C. Charnquist conducted church services in the homes of Taylor’s early settlers. Lutheran was the official church of Sweden, but Charnquist led the movement to Swedish Methodism in Texas. This resulted in the founding of the Taylor church in 1900.
The original church was the chapel of a disbanded group. As the congregation increased, the church moved to its current site at 10th and Hackberry streets.
In addition to the 6 a.m. service, another way in which the congregation celebrates the meaning of Christmas is to decorate the church Christmas tree with “Chrismons,” Christian symbols made by members of the congregation.
The “Churches of the Blackland” tour of historic churches in the Taylor area will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Dec. 16, and admission is free. This tour is sponsored by the Taylor Conservation and Heritage Society and maps are available at the Dan Moody Museum at the corner of Ninth and Talbot streets. The tree and the other decorations in the sanctuary will be on display during the tour. The heritage society is asking for a donation of food items for the food pantry to be dropped off at the museum.
Santa first appears in Taylor during the annual Christmas parade, which was Dec. 1 this year. After that initial appearance, he is available for visits on the front porch of the old city hall at the corner of Main (Hwy. 95) and Fourth streets every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night. Volunteers from the Chamber of Commerce man Santa's chair each night.
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