By CONNIE TABBERT
Editor
WESTMEATH — The tinkle of several small bells filled the room with magical music, both in song and as random acts of accolades.
To celebrate the 117th anniversary of St. Andrew’s United Church in Westmeath, the Sunday service was filled with song, music and prayer – with the focus on bells. The St. John’s Senior Hand Bell Choir was the main musical guest with solo performances by Harko Wassing and Rev. Rick Metcalfe.
Rev. Suzanne Nadon welcomed those gathered for this special service, noting it was a special day, not only because of the anniversary of the church, but the church finally has a bell. She noted along with the special musical performances, there was time set aside in the service for people to tell about their recollections of a special time in the church, or what their ancestors said about the church or what the church means to them.
“This church has an illustrious history, which began quite a long time ago,” Rev. Nadon said.
She and her husband, Rev. Metcalfe, have been the ministers for this church for the past 18 months, coming out of retirement to do so.
“We are retiring for the third time at the end of this month,” she said.
Leading into the service, Rev. Nadon said, “We light the Christ candle at the beginning of all of our worship services to remember that the light of Christ lives in every one of our hearts and we have so much to be thankful for.”
Along with celebrating the church anniversary and the new bell, the 90th anniversary of the United Church in Canada will be celebrated on Wednesday, with school children coming for a special event – the ringing of the bell 90 times at 10:30 a.m. followed by an early lunch of hot dogs.
Taking to the pulpit, Rev. Metcalfe said, “This is a hymn I’d like to dedicate to this wonderful, small group of faithful, resilient people where the light of Christ continues to shine in their midst.”
In a beautiful and melodic voice, he performed Living In The Light. Once performed, the tinkling of bells could be heard, as those who brought a bell from home rang them loudly.
In her prayer, Rev. Nadon noted the parishioners were there to rejoice and celebrate, and dedicate.
“We have come together to dedicate the bell sitting outside our church,” she said. “To celebrate our 117th anniversary as a church building and our 182nd anniversary as a church congregation.
“We pray that as the bell peals, people in our village will be reminded of the love of God for all of God’s people, calling them to peace, joy, and love, the message of your gospel.”
Following soloist Harko Wassing, who performed three songs, including I’ll Remember You and I Believe, Rev. Nadon said, “Our music today, and our scripture, teaches us that the church is the body of Christ, the household of God, Christ being the head and the heart of the church. We gather as one in Christ’s name to rejoice with St. Andrew’s United Church in Westmeath and to celebrate 117 years in this church building in Christ’s service.”
Rev. Nadon said while the church may be 117 years old, Westmeath was first settled in 1830. She then provided a brief history, noting there is a four-page pamphlet with the information for people to take home.
“There have been many joys and sadnesses in this congregation,” she said.
She noted it was the people of the village and congregation who ensured what the church needed was provided.
“You have survived all of the joys and all of the trials that your congregation has been put through,” she said. “You and the church will be around for a long time. Even though we are a small congregation, there is a lot of strength, a lot of spirit and a feeling of belonging in this community, in the Whitewater Community, that was really evident at your seniors production last week. When you can laugh together, play together and pray together, you know you have a strong community.”
The hand-held bell choir performed two sessions at the anniversary, performing the songs For the Beauty of the Earth, This Is My Father’s World, What A Friend We Have in Jesus, I Love to Tell the Story, We Gather Together, Chorale (from the Great Gate of Kiev), Onward Christian Soldiers, The Church’s One Foundation, Dona Nobis and Go Tell It On The Mountain. There are 12 ringers and 32 different bells and various chimes.
Soloist Harko Wassing performed I Can’t Help Falling In Love With you, with the congregation joining in.
The church choir performed Come On Ring The Bell, leaving the choir area during the last verse and paraded inside the church, with those who had a bell joining in the parade. While the chorus was sang, the bells were ringing inside the church.
Closing the service, the parishioners went outside, and while gathered in a circle around the bell, Peter Valliant told about the history of the bell.
“This is quite an historical day,” he said. “I remember as a child always there being the talk of having a bell in the church.”
Twenty-five years ago, a bell fund was put together and it was in memory of the pillars of the church, of the people who kept this church running.
“I felt obligated and continued to work to get this bell in place,” he said.
Mr. Valliant recalled parishioner Calvin Wright calling him one night, advising he had found a bell. He located the place where seven bells were and checked them out.
“Six of the bells didn’t suit,” he recalled. “The last bell suited, the one he had in his garage and this is the bell.”
The history of the bell is it comes from a town called Alma, near Guelph, out of a Presbyterian church, but the sister is in Alma. He was able to get it and with the help of the congregation, purchased it and brought it home.
Louis Martin of Westmeath Welding created the tower structure for the bell. Mr. Valliant painted it and it was brought to the church, where it now sits beside it.
“I hope it serves the community, it’s a part of this town,” he said. “It’s going to be a part of this town, and it fulfills the wishes of all those people who dedicated it, and it’s in memory of those people.
“I hope we enjoy it (the bell), and I really feel honoured to be a part of it,” he said.
Whitewater Region Mayor Hal Johnson, who attended the service and the bell dedication, was invited to say a few words to those gathered.
“Bells are symbols of a community and faith, but they are also symbols of how to bring people together in crisis, like fires, and how to tell a community we needed people in the early, early days.
“One thing really interesting as I look around here, is, it’s really great, you people have children here. The bell can be a symbol to the children and to the elders to keep coming back.
“Volunteers in the church are very important, but the church itself is extremely important, Mayor Johnson said. “Our faith is key to family life, and family is key to community life, and community life is key to our country.
“And so, this is a very exciting thing to see in Westmeath and in the United Church.”
Rev. Nadon then dedicated the bell.
“I dedicate this bell erected in our church yard to the service of God,” she said. “We dedicate ourselves to follow Christ, promising to continue to care for this building and to care for this old bell and new tower and all that you have entrusted to us. We do this in memory of all those who have contributed to this trust for the glory and service of God.
“Peace be to all who hear this bell for our worship, our baptisms, our funerals, our weddings or any community events,” she said.
It was a special time for the parishioners as they were all provided the opportunity to ring the bell until it pealed out 117 times. Mr. Valliant started the bell tolling and Mayor Johnson gave the final toll.
They were then all invited inside for social time and lunch.
Following lunch, Rev. Nadon said she and husband Rev. Metcalfe are really retiring this time so they can spend more time with their seven children, four grandchildren, with another on the way.
“Our children and their families have need of us,” she said.
It was 18 months ago they were asked to help out the parishioners at this church.
The congregation is once again “strong and resilient” and are now searching for a new minister. Until a minister is hired, they will be ministered through United Church laypeople and retired ministers.
Rev. Nadon is also a writer and has some things she would like to write about.
“It’s with tears and joy” that the couple leave this parish.
The anniversary service and ringing of the bells was a “true celebration of the spirit of this congregation, she said.
“Let the bells ring out in joy,” Rev. Nadon said.
