When Senior Warden Jean McMaster asked me what I wanted as a gift for our Celebration of New Ministry on September 30, I said that a church bell would be a lovely gift for all the members of the congregation, for the parish community within hearing distance, and for me. Jean agreed, and so did the vestry. Jean ordered a suitably-sized brass bell, engraved with my name and the date of the celebration, which now hangs above the front porch of the church building. We’ll ask Bishop Andrus to bless it when he comes, but of course we’ve already begun using it, because who can resist! We ring it four times ten minutes before a service begins, and three times five minutes before to announce that we’re about to start. We ring it to toll the age of our beloved dead at the start of their Requiem Mass; we ring it to celebrate a person newly-baptized after that sacrament is administered; and we ring it to celebrate a newly-married couple at the end of their Nuptial Mass. In the event of a civic celebration or tragedy, we ring it in a way that seems appropriate and respectful to the occasion to mark the emotions of our parish community. There will likely be other occasions to ring the bell – at the praying of the Angelus, perhaps – to remind our neighbors that they are fortunate to live near a thriving parish congregation. Thanks be to God!
God’s blessings and peace,
Dan+
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