St. John's will celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation on Tuesday, March 25 at 6:30pm with a festive Eucharist, some treats to break our Lenten Fast, and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity...the christening of our historic church bell.

Adults, children and infants are baptized, where they die in the waters of the font and rise to new life in Jesus Christ.  Bells and ships are christened, which means they are given a special blessing and a name.     

The pealing and tolling of bells in towers is as identifiably Christian as minarets and calls to prayer are to Islam.  St. John's great bronze tower bell was cast in 1870 by a famous New England sleigh bell maker--Veazy & White Bell Company in East Hampton, Connecticut--and was hoisted into our current building's bell tower in 1898.  The original iron mechanisms which allowed it to peal failed last fall.  Since then the bell has been silent. 

Through an anonymous gift in memory of St. John's parishioner Hester Kimpel (1913-2010), a new ringing mechanism has been fabricated and soon will be placed in the tower to allow our historic bell to sound once more.  As part of this new beginning, it is the perfect time for our bell to be given its name.

Perhaps two of the world's most famous secular bell names are "Liberty" (Independence Hall in Philadelphia) and "Big Ben" (the largest of five bells in London's Palace of Westminster). Christian communities have often named their principal bell after one of the archangels, for the pealing or tolling of a tower bell reflects the ministry of angels and archangels who deliver messages from God.  Given that our church's patron is John, who wrote in his gospel that the "Word became flesh and moved into the neighborhood," the logical choice for our bell's name is "Gabriel."  For Gabriel--which means "God is our Strength"--was the archangel messenger God used to tell Mary that she was the one to give birth to the Word of God.

God is indeed the strength of this community of faith.  Come join in the celebration on the 25th!

Come spend the morning in the beautiful spring weather and help with spring clean up in the church gardens on Saturday, March 29, from 9am to noon (rain day, Sunday, March 30).  Bring your leaf and garden rakes and your work gloves.  Children welcome - make it a family outing!