The Bells of Mill Woods United Church

In January 2023, the Bell Choir was officially launched. With the wonderful support of the congregation, a used set of 3 octaves of bells was purchased, along with music folders, mallets, foam for the tables... the usual tools of the trade.

Who knew that 2 full choirs would emerge from the congregation? Who knew how much fun it is to play bells? Who knew how much counting, music details, techniques, and new learnings this would be?

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The big picture remains that bell music is part of worship, an offering of time, talent and our musicality as we join in, reach out, and prayerfully offer our musical gifts. For our congregation, bells offer a deep connection to the spirit among us and can be a time for meditation, for opening ourselves to God, to Jesus, to the world around us. Music has a way of lifting our spirits, healing in ways that we need, and bringing together both the musicians and the congregation. We know that music accesses many parts of our brain, it is linked to our emotions, to memory, and each of us forms our own connections to our faith journey through a variety of ways: prayer, praise, reflection, singing and listening. Worship nurtures our spirits, feeds our soul, grows our faith and lifts us, ready to make a difference. In such a short time, bells have become part of our worship here at Mill Woods United Church.

 

Bells are also playful and bring out our joy and celebration. There are a few missing players in these photos. There is room for more! If you would like to play bells, please contact the Church Administrator.

 

Thank you to each bell player! Jeannette Borstad!