Ring the Bells

My home church has a bell tower. Actually, I assume it's still there. Okay, well, I know the tower is still there. My assumption is that the bell is still there. Anyway, when I was a kid it was always a mysterious and curious place. There were only a few I knew who had been into the bell tower. When you came up the stairs and into what passed for a narthex, there were two doors to your right. One was a closet, full of worship supplies. Behind the other door was a set of steps that wound around to the room where the bell rope was.

I remember when I finally got to go behind the door, up the stairs and into the bell room. If I remember right, it was for a Watch Night service, the traditional New Year's Eve midnight service. The youth had been assigned (as I remember) to ring the bell at midnight, announcing to the community that the new year had come (in case they didn't know). We thought it was great fun. I'm not so sure the neighbors would have agreed!

That's the only time of year I remember ringing that bell. Once a year, we felt we needed to announce something to the community. Bells were once used by many churches to announce news, to summon the community to worship, to let people around know that something was happening in the community. Christmas Eve would have been a perfect time to ring the bells because on this night, we have the very best news to announce to the world: good news of great joy, as the angels said. News of peace on earth, good will toward all people! What else is worth celebrating as much as this news?

So today and tomorrow, in whatever way you can, "ring the bells." Announce the good news of great joy to those around you. Take a moment to pray or sing before your Christmas dinner. Spend some time reading the old, old story. Worship together as a family. Ring the bells...share the news...Christ is born! Good news! Alleluia!

Merry Christmas, everyone!