Betsy thomas lead the bell ringers in a rehearsal. photo/greg Hitchcock.
Bell Ringers is a recent group at church with eleven bell ringers who perform every holiday during church service.
The group’s leader, Betsy Thomas joined the church with her husband Patrick four years ago. She said bell ringing can be challenging, but fun.
“It can be challenging. But it is a lot of fun. Music is a universal language,” Betsy said. “It is so nice that the group comes together and sounds so good.”
Mayfield Central Presbyterian Church received a donation of bells from Gloversville Presbyterian Church – both middle bells and high bells. An anonymous donor bought the church another set of bells to get the lower third.
Betsy said each ringer has two bells, plus the accidentals – the sharps and the flats. A ringer might be assigned two bells, but they often put one down and pick up an accidental.
“I enjoy the challenge of the harder music and switching bells,” she said.
“You can thump them, swing them, shake them, or use mallets on them which I hope to do in the future,” Betsy said.
Betsy has been playing bells since she was ten or twelve years of age. Her hope is to learn enough music to play once a month and maybe once during summer.
Rehearsals are every Wednesday at 3 p.m.