By Shannon McFarlin News Director
Paris, Tenn.–After being silent for over two decades, the bells at Grace Episcopal Church in downtown Paris are once again ringing out for all to hear.
For church officials and members, it’s been a journey to restore the cast bronze bells in the historic bell tower which was erected in 1895.
Senior Warden Dr. Pamela Evans said people have told church members how nice it is “to hear the chimes again downtown. It’s such a bright, joyous sound.”
Even the church’s oldest member, Jimmie Veazey, who is in her 90s and lives a few blocks over from the church, can hear the reassuring sound of the bells during the day, she said.
The bells now ring out each hour on the hour from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., and play hymns at noon and 6 p.m., Dr. Evans said. “Over the weekend, we changed the hymns to reflect the Advent and holiday hymns.”
The bells had been silent for some 20 to 25 years, she said, and with the passing of Father Will Holt in February, “The church wanted to do something in his honor. He was such a great person for our church.” A plaque of dedication for Father Holt has been erected which expresses the congregation’s “sincere gratitude for his dedication and genuine commitment” to the church.
The bell restoration project took much research and donations.
The research began with the church’s former Music Director Elaine Conger, who directed church officials to Chuck White of White’s Clock & Carillon, located in Sharpsburg, Ga. As luck would have it, White’s company was also servicing the Bicentennial Park Carillon in Nashville and they were able to make a service call at Grace Church in mid-October.
Dr. Evans’ son Chester Evans climbed into the bell tower through a trap door in the ceiling and photographed the church’s earlier bell system. The photos were examined to determine which parts—if any—could be salvageable for the restoration project.
Dr. Evans said thankfully parts of the system could be reused and Chuck White began work to revive the carillon. In the process, a new feature has even been added—a remote control that can activate the bells.
“I’m not sure how long it had been since anyone was up there,” she said, “but he was able to solve it very quickly for us.”
The bell tones were recorded in Belgium and provide a “warm sound that is very authentic”, she said. “We’ve had good feedback from people who hear the bells downtown.”
Photo by Shannon McFarlin.