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Make a Joyful Noise to the Lord - Become a Bell-Ringer
 If you love the sound of church bells, and have at least some ‘sense of timing’, why not consider becoming a bell-ringer?
Church bells are incredibly heavy – ranging from six hundredweight to more than 28 hundredweight per bell - but anyone is strong enough to ring them. Ringers range from schoolchildren to teenagers, from the middle-aged to retired people. It’s a wonderful pastime for breaking down the generation gap
All you really need is to be fit enough to walk up steps. There are few lifts in church towers, and most ringing chambers are high up!
After you reach the ringing chamber, the practice begins. There are a lot of instructions to remember: “Don’t look up, look straight ahead”, “don’t anticipate the sally (reaching for the stripey part of the rope, the sally, too soon), “get closer to the rope”, “flick your wrists away”, “one foot a little ahead of the other”, “pull down slowly – no, too fast, too fast”, “use your elbows”. Etc, etc!
You don’t need strength. Once you’ve got the bell going, it is just a matter of keeping the rhythm of your pull steady on the rope. There is no strain on the back: you simply stand straight and relaxed. If you have the all-important sense of timing, the rest comes with practice. Some people master the art in as little as four months; others take almost a year. But one day, when you least expect it, you’ll find you’ve ‘got it’ at last. A bit like learning to ride a bicycle!
For those wishing to find out about bell ringing at Great Yarmouth Minster, please call Ann Womack on 07595 872995
courtesy of Parish Life
Do you have a news story about yourself, church, or organisation; or forthcoming event relating to Christians or a church in Great Yarmouth or surrounding district?
If so, email office@networkyarmouth.co.uk with details and, if possible, a suitable picture(s)
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