Bells, Bells, Bells

Throughout the history of the Chapel in the Pines the chiming of chimes… bells that ring and even bells that don’t ring…has been an important part of our identity in the community.  The first bell to grace the bell tower on the East side of the sanctuary was placed there during the original construction  in 1976.  The Saga of the Chapel in the Pines…Twenty-Five Years reports, “Wayne Collins of Galax, Virginia, gave the old bell that hung in the original belfry.  His son, Bill Collins was the Assistant Executive Director of our Landowners Association.  The bell had been cast by Montgomery Ward in 1886 and served as a school bell for many years.  Mr. Collins acquired it and hoped it could eventually be hung in a special place.  Upon learning the Chapel was in need of a bell, he promptly donated the old bell.  On many Sundays it was rung after the Chapel service.”    

In 1982 planning began to reorient and enlarge the original sanctuary.  Construction of this addition was begun in 1984 and completed in 1985.  It was during this time that a new belfry on the North side of the Chapel was built and a new bell was installed, only the bell never rang.  This bell was crafted by Carol Jackson and it consists of a cleverly molded light-weight shell covered by three thousand longleaf pine cone petals.

Again, from The Saga of the Chapel, “Carol’s imagination worked well as she selected a standard 24 inch plastic trash can for the base material.  She covered this with paper mache made with newspaper and a flour and water paste…all painted brown.  The pine cone petals were cut from cones with special sheers and each petal was dipped in craft glue and fixed to the base.  More than fifty hours of labor went into the project.  It was Carol’s surprise gift to the Chapel.”

Carol’s pine cone, yet silent bell still hangs in the North steeple of our Chapel and can be admired from those passing on Seven Lakes Drive, from the entrance into the front narthex, and even better from the top of the stairs to the North balcony.

Also, during the reorientation expansion of the sanctuary in 1984/1985, “…a suggestion was made to acquire and electronic carillon system with speakers in the old belfry.  Through the music of bells the Chapel’s presence to the community could be extended…This electronically controlled carillon is extremely versatile.  It can be programmed as easily as a home VCR, to play taped hymns at any given time of day, and day of the week.  We usually program to play for approximately 6 minutes each day at noon and 6 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Sundays.  Volume is set for a range of approximately one-mile radius but obviously this is affected by wind and weather.  Neighbors’ reactions have been favorable, and golfers’ comments have been complimentary….following installation of the carillon in 1985, Ken Norris mounted the old bell on a pedestal in the Chapel yard, honoring its contribution to our early history.”

In 2017 the Chapel received a gift from the estate of Lillian Burke, Don Truesdale’s Mother.  The gift was directed by Lillian to be used in equal parts by the Chapel’s music program, the children and youth program, and to upgrade and computerize the carillon.  This is the system of chiming bells that we continue to use daily as well as to celebrate weddings and other special occasions.

Bells have been such a special part of the history of the Chapel that when John Caggiano, Past President of the Chapel contacted a friend of his to help design the logo for our church newsletter, they decided that  the image of a steepled belfry with at prominent bell was most appropriate and that is when our newsletter was named The Chapel Chimes. 

No doubt that on November 15th when we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Chapel, one of these bells will hang silently to honor our past and two of these bells will ring out to usher in the next fifty years of preaching teaching, and living the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

        The Bells,

by Edgar Allen Poe

Hear the mellow wedding bells,                 

Golden bells!

What a world of happiness their harmony foretells!        

Through the balmy air of night        

How they ring out their delight!           

From the molten-golden notes,               

And all in tune,           

What a liquid ditty floats    

To the turtle-dove that listens, while she gloats               

On the moon!         

Oh, from out the sounding cells,

What a gush of euphony voluminously wells!               

How it swells!               

How it dwells           

On the Future! how it tells           

Of the rapture that impels         

To the swinging and the ringing           

Of the bells, bells, bells,         

Of the bells, bells, bells, bells,               

Bells, bells, bells—  

To the rhyming and the chiming of the bells!