return to Bell Project Main Page      Home

BELL PROJECT TESTIMONIALS AND RESPONSES

(e-mail to Patrick Hazell on September 24, 2004)

We had a great time with the bell concert (Sept. 19). It was truly amazing
to see how many people, of every demographic, came together to share one
event. What an awesome, community enriching event. I've never seen
downtown Dubuque so alive on a Sunday night. The concert prompted the
rewriting of the epilog in the forthcoming book about
people/community/congregations "Here's the Church, Here's the Steeple,"
written by Dr. Norma Everist. She teaches at Wartburg Seminary, Dubuque.
We had a good talk about the theology of your concert, and how the 'call
and response' ringing was perhaps more powerful and instructive than
simply trying to get the bells to play only melodies. Thought you'd like
to know what a lasting impact your concert is having.
The ringers from St. John's were thrilled by the event; it gave
them a chance to do something they really love but can't do often enough.
Guess we're hoping this won't be the last community-wide event you
attempt in Dubuque. Thanks for giving us all such an amazing gift.

Pastor Steve Meysing
St. John's Lutheran Church
Dubuque, Iowa--

Sept.19, 2004

PAT......

WE DID MAKE IT TO DUBUQUE,,AND WANTED TO GIVE YOU FEELINGS ,,WHILE THEY ARE FRESH.....WHEN WE FIRST GOT TO THE POINT NORTH OF THE CLOCK TOWER..AS YOU SUGGESTED....THERE WERE MANY PEOPLE WAITING IN THAT AREA FOR THE BELLS TO BEGIN..THAT WAS RATHER EXCITING....LIKE THAT FEELING BEFORE A CURTAIN OPENS ....WHEN THEY BEGAN,,,,WE WERE ALL FEELING FRUSTRATED BECAUSE WE COULDN;T HEAR THEM,,,THEY WERE VERY FAINT..AND ..YOU'RE RIGHT THE TRAFFIC IN DUBUQUE WAS A PROBLEM.....THE WORD SPREAD ABOUT BETTER SPOTS TO GO TO...AND WE WERE GUIDED TO 14TH STREET,,,NEAR THE LIBRARY....QUITE A CLIMB,,,AND WHEN WE GOT UP THERE ...MANY PEOPLE WERE THERE...QUITE A CROWD LOOKING OUT INTO THE NIGHT FROM THAT HILL...AND YES,,,THE BELLS WERE FAR MORE CLEAR...IT ALSO HELPED FOR ME WHEN NIGHT CAME...BECAUSE I GUESS SEEING THE DOWNTOWN AREA...WHILE LISTENING FOR THE BEAUTIFUL BELLS WAS DIFFICULT....SO...UP HIGH....LOOKING OUT AT THE CITY ALL LIT UP FROM THE HILL...WITH THE BELLS SWEETLY CHIMING ..BECAME QUITE MAGICAL...I BELIEVE AT ONE POINT...THAT THE LIGHTS OF THE CITY...STARTED TO GLOW LIKE CANDLES..AS I TOOK THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE IN....AND IT WAS ALSO A VERY BEAUTIFUL NIGHT OUT ...BALMY AND AN EVER SO GENTLE BREEZE.....THE ENDING HALF WAS PARTICULARLY NICE WHEN THE CHURCH BELLS CLOSEST TO US RANG OUT ....THERE IS A VERY HYPNOTIC AFFECT....ISN'T THERE.....AND THEY TOUCH SOMETHING IN OUR CORE.....A VERY NICE FEELING....LIKE BEING BATHED IN SOMETHING VERY SOOTHING,,,,A BEAUTIFUL FEELING ..........IT WAS QUITE AN EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCE..AND I'VE HEARD THE BELLS OFTEN WITHIN..SINCE THEN......../

----BEV

Hello Patrick!

.........A group of my "music buds" and I ...stake(d) out a perfect spot on one of the
bluffs ......, and we were all blown away by what we heard at the Dubuque
Bell Project! Please keep me posted if you come to the area again in the
future.

Thanks!
Megan Gloss, River Stages