Restore the bell

Want to join us in making a difference? We are raising money to benefit Bellbrook Presbyterian Church, and any donation will help make an impact. Thanks in advance for your contribution.

Bellbrook Ohio was settled in 1816 and only a few years later the Bellbrook Presbyterian Church was first organized. Bellbrook is a beautiful village with many parks and other features that attract people to make this community home. One important feature for over 170 years has been the sound of The Bellbrook Presbyterian Church bell ringing on Sunday mornings. After more than a century those joyful sounds stopped as the bell requires restoration. As we approach our 200th anniversary our community is committed to bringing back the beautiful sound of our historic bell. In addition to donations from our members and neighbors, and sweat equity savings, we still need $12,000 to complete the restoration.

The tradition of bells in churches and in communities to communicate information over long distances dates back more than 1,600 years. In the year 604, the ringing of church bells during worship was officially sanctioned for use during certain parts of the worship service and to announce times of daily prayer called the canonical hours. By the early Middle Ages, church bells were common in Europe. As church bells became more common elsewhere in the world, their importance grew as they developed into a form of mass communication to convey religious and secular information or to summon people across large areas. For centuries, church bells have played a prominent role in the history of countries, communities, and places of worship throughout the world.

Bells inspire us to come together in community to serve others. The ringing of a single bell traditionally called people to church. At the pull of a bell rope, the bell swings back and forth, causing the clapper inside to strike it. The change in tone and volume as the bell moves toward and away from the listener creates the familiar sound, “Ding Dong.” Church bells ringing can stir deep emotions and memories and help us to pause and reflect, reminding us of the vital role our faith and church play in our lives. When The Bellbrook Presbyterian Church bell rings again, our community will hear those joyful sounds again and know the church is alive and well.

The Bellbrook Presbyterian Church was first established in 1827 and moved into our current location in the old village in 1890. In addition to our church services we are an important part of our community providing space for scouts, library book clubs, historical society, parent’s groups, piano lessons (on a grand piano), and more. Our historic bell was cast and tuned by the G. W. Coffin, Buckeye Bell Foundry in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1846. While most cast bells last forever, the mechanical parts and supporting equipment can become worn and require repairs best left to specialists. Beginning last summer, our team of volunteers began looking into what it would take to make our bell safe to ring again on Sunday mornings. The team found that it would require a complete restoration of the framework and moving parts due to over a century of use and wear. The bell itself just needs some cleaning. Quotes to complete the whole job came in at over $32,000. With that sticker shock we decided to put in some sweat equity and negotiated more than $12,000 in savings by performing the removal and reinstallation and cleaning the bell ourselves. We are well on our way to bringing the bell back to Bellbrook. Thank you for your support.