by Barry Howard

The poinsettias are ablaze with holiday red. And the crèche is in the window for all to see. The Advent wreath is in place and we are on our countdown toward lighting the Christ Candle on Christmas Eve. Among the poinsettias, the wreaths, and the candles, there are numerous Christmas trees adorned with ornaments, Chrismons, and white lights. Our church campus is colorfully and beautifully decorated.  And in addition to the traditional green Christmas trees, there stands a drum tree. You heard correctly.  A drum tree! A tree-shaped display made of assorted historic drums.

Vick Vickery, our esteemed Scoutmaster emeritus, assembles this drum tree each year out of 34 percussion instruments from different eras in history.  Included in this display are replicas of the rope drum used in the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. Historically, these instruments were crucial for conveying instructions and maintaining morale, for in the days prior to advanced…