Gloribells preparing to ‘Ring in the Season’ Sunday

First United Methodist Church’s Gloribells have been ringing for 16 years and this Dec. 9 is no different. The Gloribells are getting their brass bells ready for spreading Christmas cheer at their annual “Ringing in the Season” bell concert.

At concert rehersal Wednesday night, the Gloribells rang under the instruction of concert director Marva Schiessler to prepare for Sunday’s concert.

As the director raised her hand, the bells took swift position, some were held in the air, ready for instant use, while others lay ready at the table. The bells were picked up so quickly when needed, that you wonder how many of the Gloribells would have won in a cowboy’s old-fashioned game of quick-draw.

The director’s hands waved to the rhythm of the chimes. Each bell-ringer having steady focus and a face full of determination to get every note right. Some let their bells echo slowly away before the next swift ring; others kept theirs in rapid movement like a well-oiled machine.

They bopped their bells on the cushioned tables at times, bringing an almost cartoon-like noise to the air. The polished brass bells gleamed from the overhead lights as the Gloribells brought Christmas classics to life.

“We enjoy music, and this is another way to express that,” said Gloribell Shirley Oliverius.

“It’s all about the flick of the wrist and the circular motion afterward,” said Schiessler, who started out as a bell ringer.

The Methodist bell choir was organized in 1989, when the church was able to purchase the bells with memorial donations Schiessler said.

Thus, the three-octave bell set began to chime, and in 1999 the bell choir became known as the Gloribells, the director said.

“We have four charter members still performing with the bell choir. They have been playing the bells since day one,” Schiessler said.

“It’s hard to keep the bells going because you have to have a bunch of people that are truly committed to it, because if one person is gone, those notes aren’t played,” said Schiessler.

The Gloribells start practicing songs for the Christmas concert as early as September and are dedicated to their bell ringing, Schiessler said.

“We see this as a way to give back to our church,” said Gloribell Lorraine Lafler.

The four charter members still performing are: Valerie Hoekema, Cheri Berry, Lorraine Lafler and Wanda Talich.

The rest of the Gloribells performing are: Deanna Aurich, Linda Brue, Sandy Long, Rebecca Napier, Colleen Miller, Shirley Oliverius, Janet Rosenbaum and Kristin Simmons. Valerie Hoekema serves as accompanist.

“We all kind of became family. You really depend on each other. It’s definitely teamwork, because there is no one who can fill your bells except you,” Schiessler said.

Some of the bell-ringers don’t become family just through the Gloribells. Instead, sometimes being a Gloribell runs in the family.

Cheri Berry and her sister, Colleen Miller, are Gloribells, and Kristin Simmons followed in her mother Wanda Talich’s footsteps and became a Gloribell.

After months of preparation the Gloribells are ready to fill ears with Christmas joy.

At 3 p.m. before the concert on Dec. 9 there will be Nativity scenes set up at the church for viewing.

“There are hardly any Nativity scenes that are the same, and people can bring as many as they want to. We usually have 100 or more Nativity scenes set up,” Schiessler said.

The concert will be at 4 p.m. and last for about an hour. A soup supper will be served by the Methodist Church’s Faith Formation/Education Committee immediately following the concert.

“We see this as our gift to the community,” Schiessler said. “It’s a free concert for them to come and enjoy.”