50 years of Handbells at St. Matthew’s UMC • Annandale, Virginia

by Nancy Cappel In 1973, St. Matthew’s purchased two octaves of handbells. The children’s choir director, Nancy Cappel, knew nothing about ringing handbells. After reading the pamphlet that came with the bells, she organized seven ladies to ring together. The booklet...

Let the Bells Ring

by Kim Braswell Bells have long had a history of ringing to signify a notable event. Bells have rung to call us to wake, to pray, to work, to feast, as a call to arms, and in times of trouble to join together. We can also reflect on the period when the bells were...

Is it a Lemon? Or Lemonade?

by Mya Dundzila I used to get caught up in some pretty trivial handbell things—whether all the pearl necklaces on the female ringers were the same length or if everyone was wearing the same style of black gloves. Did the music folders align from the front AND the...

Honk Loudly!

by Kim Braswell This time of year, when the geese are migrating, always reminds me of the extraordinary example they set for a handbell choir. Kim BraswellWest Regional Membership Coordinator Geese are remarkable animals traveling up to 1,500 miles in one day. They...