Oh Come All Ye Faithless!
Our Diversity & Inclusion Holiday Tree makes another triumphant appearance in the County City Building lobby in downtown South Bend at 227 W. Jefferson Blvd.
HOLIDAY DISPLAY ORNAMENTS
St. Peter’s United Church of Christ
St. Peter's is a Christian community committed to: Joy in Worship, Warmth in Fellowship, Compassion in Outreach and Growth in Discipleship. No matter who you are or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome at St. Peter's, an Open & Affirming Congregation of the United Church of Christ.
Knock, knock! It's Saint Peter's. Standing at Ironwood and Corby with doors and hearts wide open. Serving South Bend for 155 years. Come and experience our rich history. Come be a part of our family!
To learn more about St. Peter’s visit their website.
Secular Christmas
The ornament, an adorable penguin with a Christmas tree, crocheted by local South Bend resident and artist, Zoe Giver, represents a Secular Christmas tradition observed by Christians and non-Christians alike, devoid of Christian elements. Most of the traditions pre-date Christianity, consisting of things like Santa Claus, Christmas trees and decorations, Christmas songs like “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “White Christmas”, mistletoe, egg nog, sharing a meal with family, and the giving and receiving of gifts.
Krampus
The Krampus tradition originated in Germanic Alpine regions, and is thought to predate Christianity.
According to legend, Krampus provides assistance to St. Nicholas the night of December 5. As they move from house to house, St. Nicholas rewards the good children, while Krampus doles out punishments for the naughty.
In some areas, people still recognize Krampus in St. Nicholas Day festivities, with elaborate costumes and hand-carved wooden masks that have been passed down for generations.
This ornament was created by Karen Nemes, who creates "taxidermy oddities, and things that go bump in the night" under the studio name La Grotesquerie.
Mari Lwyd
The first time you encounter a Mari Lwyd (Mary-Lloyd) the image tends to stay in your memory. A bleached horse’s skull with glass baubles for eyes, a white sheet used as a veil and its head bedecked with ribbons, bells, holly and ivy - the apparition sounds like it should be the stuff of Halloween, but it is in fact a pre-Christian tradition carried out during Welsh Holidays.
In 2022 we were contacted by a community member wishing to add an ornament to our tree that represented her family's tradition of Mari Lwyd, and we were honored to add it.
The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster
With millions of devout worshipers, the Church of the FSM is widely considered a legitimate religion, even by its opponents – mostly fundamentalist Christians, who have accepted that our God has larger balls than theirs.
Some claim that the church is purely a thought experiment or satire, illustrating that Intelligent Design is not science, just a pseudoscience manufactured by Christians to push Creationism into public schools. These people are mistaken — The Church of FSM is legit, and backed by hard science. Anything that comes across as humor or satire is purely coincidental.
To learn more, visit: https://www.spaghettimonster.org/about/
Angie Rice
Pokagon Band of Potawatomi
This globe ornament features beautiful Tribal Artwork by Angie Rice, member of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi.
Pokagon Band is a Native American government based on core values of Wisdom, Love, Respect, Truth, Honesty, Humility, and Bravery. Learn more about Pokagon culture on their website.
Angie wood burns and paints on dried gourds, creates beaded and wood burned jewelry, weaves dreamcatchers, and more. Learn about Angie and see her most recent creations on her Facebook page.
The LGBTQ Center
A local Girl Scout Troop made holiday ornaments for The LGBTQ Center, and we are so happy they shared these three with NIA!
The LGBTQ Center is Northern Indiana's only Center dedicated to the promotion of LGBTQ+ experiences and inclusivity. The LGBTQ Center promotes equality, builds community, and increases understanding of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) experiences, meeting these crucial needs through educational resources, support groups, social events, and enriching programming.
Learn more at thelgbtqcenter.org/
Black Lives Matter South Bend
BLM South Bend seeks social, economic, environmental, political, and legal justice for all people of the African Diaspora in Northern Indiana and Southern Michigan, the area which corresponds to the watershed lands of the Kankakee River ("land open to view") and the watershed lands of the St. Joseph, originally named Sakiwäsipi ("Outlet River"). We believe that no one is free until Black people are free, because Black people have been personally and systematically deprived of power and it is our duty to reclaim it for ourselves. In doing so, everyone is liberated from systems of oppressive domination.
NIA stands in steadfast solidarity with BLM South Bend and the Black community, and we are proud to include their ornament on our tree.
Food Not Bombs South Bend
FnB SBN shares free food and supplies every Sunday from 1-3pm at the intersection of Michigan and Monroe in South Bend. NIA works alongside organizations like FnB SBN through our Resource Distribution Program in our shared mission of community care.
Milford Food Bank
This ornament is a holiday toy from a case of toys we received for distribution from Milford Food Bank. NIA partners with Milford Food Bank to provide food to people in our community who are food insecure. They acquire and purchase food in bulk for redistribution to serve multiple food pantries throughout northern Indiana.
Learn more about Milford Food Bank on their website: www.milfordfoodbank.org
Monastery of the Holy Martyrs Orthodox Workers
A Mutual Aid Community Project by Orthodox Workers, Monastery of the Holy Martyrs is located in Plymouth, Indiana, but serves most of northern Indiana. When you visit the Monastery at 1000 South Michigan Street in Plymouth, you will noticed that 90% of the pews have been removed to make room for food shelves for the community pantry.
The Monastery provides essentials like food, clothing and shoes, diapers and toiletries, and many times a nice hot meal. There are no income requirements, you don’t need to prove who you are or where you live. No questions and no scrutiny – only the support of people who care. Learn more on their website.
If you would like to see your community, culture, and traditions represented on NIA’s Diversity & Inclusion Holiday Tree, send us an email at Contact@NorthernIndianaAtheists.com.
Northern Indiana Atheists is a nonprofit established to fight state/church violations on a local level and defend the rights of atheists and other marginalized communities across Northern Indiana.
Membership is open to atheists and our allies who share our vision for a government that represents all people equally and our passion for serving our community. Your membership and donations amplify our voice and makes our impact even stronger. Become a member today at NorthernIndianaAtheists.com.