Jan. 11, 2017

By Pam Broiles
Parishioner, St. Ann’s, Wells

Wells---  On the First Sunday of Advent, parishioners of St. Ann's, were delighted to hear the handbell choir from St. Mary's Parish of Indian Lake ring in the sounds of the season.

Before the lighting of the Advent candle, their first selection was "O Come All Ye Faithful,” honoring of the season. The sweet and gentle hymn "Away In A Manger" gave communicants pause for reflection and the recessional hymn "O, God Our Help In Ages Past", was played on bells and also sung by St. Ann's choir for the final closing of Mass.

Father Sony Pulickal, St. Ann's pastor, had been announcing their coming for several weeks and told the congregation the story of the bells and how they came to St. Mary's. 

"Several years ago, Kay Wyman, former pastor’s wife of the United Methodist Church, and a good friend to St. Mary's, was getting rid of things, and she brought the bells over to the priest and church, " Father Pulickal said.

"They didn't have a bell choir, but they were gratefully accepted and put on a shelf where they stayed for several years.” 

Before coming to St. Ann's, Father Pulickal served at St. Mary’s and often remarked to the congregation that it would be nice if someone would take an interest in the bells.

"It would be so nice to have a bell choir... why don't some of you try to play them.”, he would coax.

One day in 2015 John Slackman, a congregant and gifted musician, opened up the cabinet, took down the bells, unwrapped them from their soft covers and put out the word that if anyone was interested in being part of a bell choir he would help get it started.

Five people willing to give it a try came forward.  Camille Bodden became the director, with Taff Fitterer, Donna and Robert Bradlee, Aaron Gadway and Mr. Slackman putting on the white gloves and taking on the bells. 

“John, instructed us, and wrote out the notes to the songs while Donna enlarged and color coded the notes to makes them easier to see.” Ms. Bodden said.

By late Autumn they debuted for a Thanksgiving event and were ready for Christmas Eve Mass.

Father Sony, just recently got the news that the bells were beginning to chime again under the hands of the six member choir and quickly invited them to come to St. Ann’s. 

Slackman, studying for his doctorate in Chemistry in Long Island, could not be with the choir Nov. 27, but Ms. Bodden remarked that the choir owed him a “great deal of gratitude for the time and effort he put into helping us feel confident enough to bring special music to St. Ann’s.