Reflections on Handbells
Close your eyes and imagine a medieval English village nestled into green rolling hills. Then picture a quaint country parish church perched on a hilltop of that village. The church boasts a tower with 8 tower bells that toll to celebrate or mark the important festivals. The bells are pealed to call the community to worship. Now imagine hearing the solemn, stately tintinabulation of these bells. You soon realize, though, that they have been pealing for at least the past 6 hours, and this is the third day in a row. You see, the bell team has been practicing for a very special occasion. And not surprising, even the members of the team are starting to get a little tired of pulling the ropes that set the several ton bells in motion, and they're chilled to the bone practicing in the nearly open air chamber. Some smart person decided that there must be a better way to practice change ringing (which is the technique the team does) and handbells were invented to the delight of many.
Handbells found their way to America via P. T. Barnum and popped up in Boston sometime in the early part of last century. Handbell ringing soon established itself in churches and fast grew throughout the country as an important part of thousands of music ministries. Handbell ringing has also found its way into schools as a valuable music education resource, and the phenomenon continues. There is an organization dedicated to the art of handbell ringing called the Handbell Musicians of America. Handbells have been an important part of our music ministry decades, a part of the Brevard FUMC heritage. We have had an enthusiastic handbell choir ringing as long as I have been at FUMC. I am aware of numbers of people who have joined our fellowship because we 'do' handbells. Let's acknowledge and support that ministry.
Handbells are an important part of my personal history. The handbell choir was a very large part of my involvement as a teenager in my church, Pluckemin Presbyterian in NJ. Ringing in church was really the way that I was able to contribute to my church in a meaningful way. The handbell choir enabled me to be a good steward and was one of few ways in which I enjoyed engaging with my church at Pluckemin Presbyterian Church in NJ. My choir, The Carillons, were actually quite good. We did concerts throughout the state and regularly toured and attended AGEHR sponsored handbell festivals. Honest to God, I don't know what or where my life or my faith would be if I had not accepted the invitation to join the bell choir as a teenager. Praise God with ringing handbells.
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