Dear Rose Park,
As Rick mentioned a few weeks ago during worship, the ‘Tuesday Morning Crew’ of guys have been graciously working on cleaning and maintaining our church bell. If you get a chance, please offer a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to Jim Boeve, Rog Wolters, Jim Kiekover, Art DeRoo, Jack Hartman, or Gary Haverdink. I love the sound of a church bell. I love when little ones run up the stairs to pull the rope and ring it prior to our morning service. I love it not only because it’s pleasing to the eye and to the ear, but it’s also pleasing to the heart and soul.
The church bell does so much more than signify the beginning of worship. It rhythmically marks the time like the liturgy of worship. It begins and ends a day. It allows us to find our groove within worship and reminds us of home. It proclaims Good News. It announces to the entire community, worship is about to begin in this space. It shouts that Christ is being proclaimed in this space. It is an invitation. It calls all of us to gather. The gong and echo of the church bell reaches far beyond our own voices; it stretches beyond our street corner and invites all those who are weary and carrying heavy burdens to find rest in the sanctuary of the church.
It reminds us to celebrate; we ring bells when individuals have made marriage vows and the bell will sound as we celebrate the resurrection. But the bell also tolls during times of grief and sorrow; we’ll experience this as we toll the bell at the end of the year for all those who have passed away. The church bell reminds us of joy and sorrow; this seems fitting as the church is called to “weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice” (Romans 12:15). The church bell is ultimately a signal of hope and joy while simultaneously being a recognition of sorrow and despair. It speaks grace and truth while it also shows love and compassion.
This is all to say. Thank you ‘Tuesday Morning Crew.’ You’ve done far more than clean and maintain a historical item of the church. You’ve helped the Church to continue the hospitable and powerful act of proclaiming the Good News of Christ to a lost and broken world. It’s my hope to continue to use this bell as a beacon and signal: to remind, to proclaim, to invite, and to send the Good News of Jesus not only to Rose Park Reformed Church and those who live on Rose Park Drive, but instead to all of those within the gong and echo of our beloved church bell.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Mark