Decorating worship spaces

There are those within the Body of Christ who are given to hospitality. Every Easter, the beauty of First Presbyterian Church of Tulsa is enhanced by the symbolism of palms and lilies. This has been a multi-generational gift of service, which has been joyfully provided by Sherye Halliburton’s family and friends for over 50 years. 

The tradition began after Dr. William Wiseman became the pastor in 1963. He learned that Mary Ellen Esser was a member of the Tulsa Garden Club and requested that she develop a decorating scheme. She and her husband, Walter Esser, developed a plan replete with fresh greens and potted plants, and lowered the decorating budget in the process. Along with a host of other ideas, Walter designed a board to slip over the choir railing to hold the huck, palms and lilies, and Mary Ellen commissioned the planters for the potted lilies in the Sanctuary. The Essers were members of the burgeoning Mr. and Mrs. Class, which met weekly in the Chapel. Upon receiving approval for their decorating plan, they recruited a team from among their class members.

Sherye Halliburton has fond memories growing up in the church and recalls helping her parents, Walter and Mary Ellen, decorate in 1965. The next year, Sherye married Richard, and he was soon deployed to NATO headquarters in Turkey. The couple returned to Tulsa in 1968, and began assisting the Essers and the Mr. and Mrs. Class once again.

Walter Esser passed away in 1971, and Mary Ellen continued her labor of love for the church with the help of her Sunday school class. In the 1980s, Mary Ellen asked Sherye to recruit younger couples to help. Sherye and Richard were members of the Forum Class, so their class began to help. After Mary Ellen passed away in 1992, Sherye, Richard and the Forum Class continued the decorating tradition.

“I don’t know what anybody would do without a church family. We help each other all the time.”
– Sherye Halliburton

The Forum Class is now joined in their efforts by new generations. Sherye’s daughter and son-in-law, Amy and Lance Tate, are volunteers. Sherye’s son and daughter-in-law, David and Amy Halliburton, and her grandsons, Aaron and Connor, have helped whenever they are in town for Easter. Over the years, each volunteer has specialized in an aspect of the décor. Some people opt to build the palm trees from palm fronds, while others focus on the chancel railing or the welcome window. Sherye explains that the lily cross was designed and implemented by Ivan and Hilda Roark, and now Linda Roark-Strummer continues arranging the lily cross every year just like her parents did before her.

Sherye shares that she has done every job over the last 50 years, but now focuses on directing traffic. She enjoys the relationships that are created by volunteering and being part of a church group. She says, “It’s a creative outlet, but I couldn’t do it without my group. The Forum Class is like a big family. We take care of each other whenever something happens. I don’t know what anybody would do without a church family. We help each other all the time. It’s a good group of dedicated people.”