Worship is an experience that we enter into with our whole selves-bodies, minds, and spirits. At its best, liturgy engages all our senses.
The use of bells in worship can awaken our senses, and call us to attention. Traditionally, the ringing church bells call the entire community to gather for worship.
At Canterbury, the bowl bell invites us to enter the silence, to become still and quiet and listen for God speaking in the depths of our souls. The hand chimes invite us to emerge from the silence, to open our eyes and ears and pay attention as we continue with the liturgy.
This Sunday we introduced another set of bells in the liturgy: the altar bells. Historically, the altar bells have been used in a variety of ways, in various historical periods and various liturgical traditions. The altar bells call our attention to the holiness and mystery of a particular liturgical moment. At Canterbury, we ring the altar bells three times during the Eucharistic Prayer: once before the words of institution, once after the elevation of the host (the bread), and once after the elevation of the chalice (the wine.) I will be inviting the children of the parish to take turns assisting me at the altar by ringing the altar bells. (I've created this video introduction to the bells for the children of the parish...please share it with a child you know!)
I invite you to enjoy the sound of the ringing bells in worship. And I pray you will heed the bells' call to attend to the mystery and beauty of the moment, where God is always present.
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