Singing Christmas tree coming to Belmont

Chloe Collins, Gaston Gazette
·2 min read
Foursquare Church's singing Christmas tree.
Foursquare Church's singing Christmas tree.

This year, Gaston County residents can experience a singing tree in real time at Belmont Foursquare Church.

In 2009, Sonny Keller saw a singing tree go up for sale and knew his church had to have it.

“I was worship pastor at Cornerstone Family Worship in Mount Holly, and I prayed about it, and that was always my dream, to get a singing Christmas tree,” Keller said. “Well, it came about. I found it in Philadelphia, and we rode up and got it.”

From 2009 to 2013, Cornerstone Family Worship put the singing tree to use every Christmas.

“I left Cornerstone Family Worship, and the tree went dead from 2013 until now,” Keller said.

This year, Cornerstone reached out to Keller, who is currently the worship director at Belmont Foursquare, and asked if he wanted the tree.

“I went through the roof. I was so excited,” Keller said. “Yes, I wanted it, so I brought it to the church I’m at now, Belmont Foursquare, and we brought it back.”

“To get a tree like this it would run probably $30,000 to $50,000 now. I got this tree for $300.” Keller said. “God gave it to us, so we’re bringing it back.”

“There is one in Charlotte, Carolina Voices puts it on, and you can go to it but I think the asking is $50 to get in,” Keller said.

The singing tree event at Belmont Foursquare will be free to the public, and will include refreshments and drawings at the end to give items away, according to Keller.

“We’re just trying to bring unity to the community,” Keller said. “We’d like to reach people that, you know, don’t get to go to a Christmas program.”

This year’s singing tree concert will have two showings, starting at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 9, and Sunday, Dec. 10.

The shows will be hosted at Belmont Foursquare Church, located at 8 Elizabeth Street.

Keller hopes to make the singing tree concert a community tradition, and to expand beyond the church walls.

“My dream is to have it in a downtown area for the whole community to come out and see it, and not close it in a building,” Keller said. “You have to start somewhere.”

This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Singing Christmas tree coming to Belmont