Excerpts From: The Messenger |
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Grace to you and peace from our Lord Jesus Christ. Welcome back to an exciting fall edition of St. Ansgar’s Messenger. My summer was nothing but restful for me, two trips to Ontario, visiting with my nieces from Virginia & Ghana, and having a marvelous time with my three sisters and brother. One of these sisters I haven’t seen since our mother’s funeral four years ago. In between those visits I did some work on the house. I hope you had a great and restful summer.
While I was thinking about what to write for this newsletter, I remembered this beautiful story, which has taught me a lot. Here is how the story goes, and I hope it speaks to your heart as well as it did to mine.
There was a young woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. As she was getting her things 'in order,' she contacted her Pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes. She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in.
Everything was in order and the Pastor was preparing to leave when the young woman suddenly remembered something very important to her. 'There's one more thing,' she said excitedly. 'What's that?' came the Pastor's reply.' This is very important,' the young woman continued. 'I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand.' The Pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing quite what to say. That surprises you, doesn't it?' the young woman asked.
'Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request,' said the Pastor. The young woman explained. 'My grandmother once told me this story, and from that time on I have always tried to pass along its’ message to those I love and those who are in need of encouragement. In all my years of attending socials and dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, 'Keep your fork.' It was my favourite part because I knew that something better was coming...like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance!'
So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder 'What's with the fork?' Then I want you to tell them: 'Keep your fork, the best is yet to come' The Pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the young woman good-bye.
He knew this would be one of the last times he would see her before her death. But he also knew that the young woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did.
She had a better grasp of what heaven would be like than many people twice her age, with twice as much experience and knowledge.
She KNEW that something better was coming. At the funeral people were walking by the young woman's casket and they saw the cloak she was wearing and the fork placed in her right hand. Over and over, the Pastor heard the question, 'What's with the fork?' And over and over he smiled.
During his message, the Pastor told the people of the conversation he had with the young woman shortly before she died. He also told them about the fork and what it symbolized to her. He told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either.
He was right. So the next time you reach down for your fork let it remind you, ever so gently, that the best is yet to come. So, let us remember that friends are very rare jewels. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, they share a word of praise, and they always want to open their hearts to us.
Show your friends how much you care. Remember to always be there for them, even when you need them more. For you never know when it may be their time to 'Keep your fork.' Cherish the time you have, and the memories you share. Being friends with someone is not an opportunity but a sweet responsibility. The psalmist, David writes: “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers and sisters to live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head running down the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard down the collar of his robes….. For the LORD bestows his blessing, even forevermore.”
May grace and peace be yours in full measure.
Yours Faithfully,
Pastor Samuel K. King-Kabu
The fifth National Ringing Link convention for English Handbells opened at UWO in London, Ontario on July 2, 2008. This was my first bell convention of any sort, and I had only recently learned that such a thing existed, when I contacted the representative of Shulmerich Handbells in order to make arrangements to complete our three octaves of handbells at St. Ansgar’s Church. It was only 2 weeks before the convention that I had made the decision to attend the convention, in the hopes of learning some new techniques to share with our own bell choir.
Once registration was completed and I had taken occupancy of my room on the campus, I set about finding some new friends. One of the first was Wendy Pingree, director of ‘The Bells of St. Barnabas’ in Pierrefonds, QC. Only a few weeks earlier I learned that there are other handbell groups in the Montreal area, apart from us. Besides St. Barnabas, there are two other churches with handbell groups plus an elementary school with a handbell program. As an ‘orphan ringer’ I was assigned to play with ‘The Knox Handbell Choir’ from Goderich Ontario. They arrived while the opening ceremonies and announcements were under way, and just before the first massed rehearsal. During the opening ceremonies the 10 provincial flags were marched in and put on display.
Following the rehearsal we all went to the Great Hall where a reception was arranged for us with hors d’oeuvres, veggies and other refreshments. Then it was time to return to our rooms to rest up for the next day. I had been up since 4:30 in the morning, so it was a relief to finally retire for the night some time after 11:00 p.m.
July 3 - 5: Breakfast was served each morning starting at 7:15, in the Essex building where I was staying. I made it a point to sit with different people each morning. We had two massed rehearsals each day in Alumni Hall plus two workshops to attend. We were also treated to mini-concerts each day, performed by advanced ringers from all over the country. Lunch, served in the Great Hall each day, was another opportunity to visit with new friends and get to know them.
I got to know members of ‘St. John’s United Handbell Ringers’ from Halifax, NS, where Thomas Leslie had been tenor soloist while a high school student. And most ringers that I met from Edmonton, Alberta, knew Tammy-Jo Mortensen, who had been our organist before Julia Shantz. Tammy-Jo directs a handbell choir at the Robertson-Wesley United Church where she now is organist and music director. Alison Wood, who is chair of the International Handbell Guild, plays in Tammy-Jo’s handbell choir. I had several opportunities to speak with Alison, who was honoured at this year’s Ringing Link for her pioneering work promoting handbells. Alison used to direct the handbells, but decided to stop doing so when Parkinson’s made it too difficult.
Thursday evening was a night off. Many of the participants went to downtown London to experience the international festival going on there, while others decided to party and order food in. Some of us, however, made use of the time toget a rest and to study our music. Most of the ringers had been practicing their music with their handbell choirs since Christmas. I, on the other hand, received some of my music a few days before leaving for London (and studied it on the train ride) and the rest I purchased upon arrival at the convention. Quiet time to study the music was essential for me.
I attended some interesting workshops. One was an introduction to ‘Care of Shulmerich Bells’, two others had to do with techniques, ‘Basic Bell Techniques’ and ‘Four-in-Hand – Inexperienced’. And yet another was on ‘Alexander Technique’ giving us the opportunity to learn how to ring without hurting ourselves. ‘Marketplace’ was listed as a workshop, so that we’d all have an opportunity to visit the vendors and see all the new offerings available for handbell ringers. All – or most – of the vendors were bell ringers, themselves.
Friday evening we had a banquet in the Greek Canadian Club (to which we travelled in hired school busses). We were asked to sit with people we hadn’t yet met. A very nice dinner was served, we heard speeches and listened to several handbell choirs that had chosen to perform at the “National Concert”. We heard BC Bronze from the British Columbia Guild of Handbell Ringers, The Bells of St. Barnabas from St. Barnabas Anglican Church in Pierrefonds, QC, Alberta Rose (a handbell quartet) from the Alberta Guild of English Handbell Ringers, St. John’s United Church Handbell Choir from Halifax, NS, a handbell duet played by Heather and David Keith and Bells Ablaze, both of the Ontario Guild of English Handbell Ringers. At the end of the evening we waited under a starry sky for the bus to take us back to our residences.
The final concert on Saturday, July 5 was finally upon us. After dinner we all got into the T-shirts we had been issued, in different shades of blue, to evoke a country from Sea to Sea – or as it was dubbed at the Ringing Link – “from C to Shining C”. The Master of Ceremonies was David Burghardt, former radio personality from London, ON. He read a prepared text with slide accompaniment introducing each piece played by the massed ringers (while chronicling Canada’s history). We were conducted, in turn, by 3 different directors, David Keith, Rev. John Nelson Jr., and Dr. John Hooper. Somehow, 235 ringers played beautifully - together. It was amazing to hear and to be part of such a large group of handbell ringers. My group did not play every piece, so we had an opportunity to sit and watch the other ringers and be amazed by their skill. Big bells were rung, hit with mallets or plucked. Small bells were rung, sometimes with two in one hand. They also were struck with mallets or plucked at times. Other instruments were heard at times – a tin flute, rain sticks, etc, making the experience even richer.
The Provincial handbell guilds in Ontario (which includes Quebec and the Eastern provinces) and the Western Provinces have the goal of educating handbell ringers by means of workshops, performances and conventions. The Ontario Guild, for instance, has conventions once a year in different parts of Ontario. Their next convention is in June 2009 in Ottawa. The National ‘Ringing Link’ handbell conventions now take place every three years. The next Ringing Link will take place in Alberta in 2011.
It would be to our advantage to become members of OGEHR (Ontario Guild of English Handbell Ringers) so we can stay informed about upcoming workshops in the future. We have so much to learn !
Jette Blair
Web Page prepared by:
Roger Kenner
& Jette Blair.
Content-New Topics Last Updated: 2008/09/16
St. Ansgar's Lutheran Church - Montreal