Community
Related Photos
Discussion
The brass is back: Glorious tones ring forth once again from church's handbell choir
“Hark! How the bells,” sweet, gold handbells all seem to cheer ‘Christmas is here!’ ”
At least, it’s just one more way the congregation at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Mercer knows the season is upon us.
It had been a few years since the church had a handbell choir and some former members recently decided they’d like to start one up again, member Joanna Julock said.
The group basically “strong-armed” Shawn Timblin into directing the choir because the church’s regular choir director recently had a baby and didn’t have time, Mrs. Julock said.
A Youngstown State University Dana School of Music graduate, Timblin lives in Grove City with his wife Marsha, also a member of the choir, and their toddler son Graham. Mrs. Timblin said that since her husband doesn’t use his degree in his daily job, so the ensemble is a chance for him to do something musical that he enjoys.
The handbell choir has received a lot of compliments from people after Sunday service performances, the first one being held after only three practices.
“A lot of people never played handbells before, so it’s really amazing,” Mrs. Timblin said.
Timblin said most everyone has played another instrument so no one had to learn to read music.
“I can get up and flap my hands and everyone follows along,” he joked.
Once the word was out that the choir was forming, it wasn’t hard to get people to join, Mrs. Timblin said.
“I like being part of a musical group and it’s fun to add more music to the season,” Mrs. Julock said.
Members range from high schoolers to retirees all working in tandem playing individual notes that combine to essentially function like one instrument.
Though the concentration on each ringer’s face is evident at a recent rehearsal, everyone seems to be having a good time.
When someone makes a mistake, they take credit for it.
“Oops. Sorry,” one of them called out after a sour note during a tricky section of a tune.
There may be some good-natured teasing, but they’re also just as quick to compliment each other.
“That was nice,” Timblin said after a particularly sweet-sounding stab at “The First Noel.” “One more time so that sticks.”
The choir is a family affair, as well.
Sisters Laura Wanchick of Hermitage and Mrs. Julock and their mother Jean Wanchick, both of Mercer, all play in the choir, as do Mercerites Delores Stone and her grandsons Russell and Michael.
Timblin’s wife Marsha and her sister Holly Schubert of Mercer both play in the group. Before they moved from Mercer to Grove City a few years ago, the Timblins played in the bell choir at Christ Lutheran Church, Sharon, where Mrs. Timblin’s mother Kathy Schubert still rings.
They’ve got no performances scheduled after the church’s Christmas eve service, but Timblin said they’ll “see where it goes.”
He said he’d like to continue the group after the holiday season. Other members include Sandee Swansiger, Craig Mercer, Julia Weller and Carol Giangiordano.
Some universities and communities have handbell choirs and there seems to be a resurgence in the musical form, the Timblins said.
Modern handbell ensembles descend from the way church tower bell ringers practiced their craft in 17th century England.
There are different techniques used to make different types of tones with the bells, Timblin said. They range from the basic ring where a player pushes the bell out in front of them in a vertically circular motion and then tucks the bell into their shoulder to dampen the sound to more complicated styles like shaking them, plucking the clapper, playing with mallets and the tower swing, which moves the bell alongside the ringer’s body.
- Community
-
-
Actors visit Camelot
The magic and mysticism that abounds in the King Arthur legend has been just as prevalent in the life of a woman who has written a three-part play chronicling the history of Camelot’s famed ruler.
Youngstown native Carol Weakland said she’s been working for 12 years on the play that premiered last weekend: “The Arthurian Trilogy Part One, Arthur and Merlin: The Making of a King.” She was never able to assemble a cast to play the demanding roles or “whittle down” the lengthy script into a compact but complete show. But this year, everything came together.
-
Annual senior fair is Friday in Sharon
State Rep. Mark Longietti will hold his fourth annual free Senior and Health Education Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday at the Sharon American Legion, 1395 E. State St., Sharon.
The fair will feature farmers market coupons, free health screenings, about 50 vendors, door prizes and free information and services.
For more information, call 724-981-4655. -
Dolata carves time for local fest
Walter Dolata shows and sells his wood carvings at arts festivals — sometimes large ones — in New York, Maryland and Ohio.
But he always makes time for the arts festival in his back yard: the Hermitage Arts Festival, which runs this weekend at Rodney White Olympic Park.
“I like it,” said Dolata, who lives in Hermitage. “It’s a local festival. It’s a nice little festival.”
-
Farmers market vouchers for seniors available
Mercer County Area Agency on Aging Inc. is again offering the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program to eligible Mercer County Seniors.
This program is made possible through the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Food Distribution.
The purpose of this program is to encourage older adults to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables produced by local growers.
Eligible seniors can pick up vouchers at locations in Greenville, Grove City, Mercer, Sandy Lake/Stoneboro and the Shenango Valley . -
Victorian Weekend begins Friday evening
Step back into a gentler era during the 22nd annual Victorian Weekend Festival, planned for Friday through Sunday on the historic Mercer County Courthouse Square.
The weekend begins with “A Victorian Concert” by the Mercer Community Band at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the bandstand on the east side of the county courthouse; the warmup concert starts at 6.
-
Girl Scouting gold goes to RHS grad
Lorrie Lehman, daughter of Dave and Rosemary Lehman of Reynolds and sister of Tommy, was recently awarded the Girl Scout Gold Award from Girl Scouts of Western Pennsylvania.
The Gold Award recognizes leadership, hard work and service to the community and for exemplifying the ideals of the Girl Scout Promise and Law. Only five percent of Girl Scouts nationwide earn this recognition annually.
-
Public invited to annual Farm Safety Day
Our annual Mercer County Farm Safety Day will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday at the Leslie N. Firth Learning Center, home of Mercer County Cooperative Extension, and the adjacent 4-H Park, 483 N. Perry Highway, 1 1/2 miles north of Mercer in Coolspring Township.
Our staff, along with event sponsor, the Agricultural Health and Rural Safety Advisory Committee, invite you and your family to attend and actively participate in a full day of safety demonstrations and open dialog on an issue which affects us all. Our goals are to make rural residents more conscience of common hazards, risky behaviors, and cultural traditions which often contribute to farm and rural accidents.
-
Urban League offers outdoor movie series
It’s been decades since movies have been shown on a big screen in Farrell.
The Shenango Valley Urban League is changing that this summer, with its “Films in the Square” series, to be held Friday nights at Veterans Square.
-
Fourth of July activities
There's no lack of Independence Day celebrations planned in the area.
-
League levels the playing field
It might not look like a traditional baseball game at first glance, that is, the baseball game one would see in the Brookfield Community Park on summer Sundays.
Some of the players are in wheelchairs, others use walkers and canes and most are mentally challenged, but they all come out every week for the same reason: the chance to play baseball, and it’s an opportunity they might not otherwise have.
It’s called the Challengers League, a baseball league for the mentally and physically challenged. - More Community Headlines
-
Actors visit Camelot
