After 450 years of the having the same bell ringing in the bell tower of the Lutheran church, it was time for a change. The town has been raising money for this project for over 2 years, and on Saturday (yesterday) it all came to fruition.
I do not understand the complexity of this project, but I do believe that the cast for the new bell was in the ground.
At one point more dirt was added to slow down the cooling process.
This burner, which apparently took some time and skill to light (and left a household without heat for the evening!) melted down the big bars of metal.
The actual casting was set for 8:00, but due to the slow start, things got delayed somewhat. However, the crowd that had gathered was so full of anticipation of what was to happen, that the wait just added to the excitement!
The pastor of the Lutheran church read a Psalm, gave a short word, thanked everyone possible, and closed his talk with another Psalm and a prayer. It was really a special moment.
I took this picture from across the parking lot so it's not the greatest, but that was the "container" which held the melted metals, ready to pour - to cast the bell. When the pouring was done the huge crowd cheered and clapped. Apparently the bell will be ready by Wednesday, at which time it then has be to transported down the street to the church and mounted in the bell tower. Hopefully I will get in on some of that action too!
What a great event this was. It felt really neat to be a part of history in the making.
I do not understand the complexity of this project, but I do believe that the cast for the new bell was in the ground.
At one point more dirt was added to slow down the cooling process.
This burner, which apparently took some time and skill to light (and left a household without heat for the evening!) melted down the big bars of metal.
The actual casting was set for 8:00, but due to the slow start, things got delayed somewhat. However, the crowd that had gathered was so full of anticipation of what was to happen, that the wait just added to the excitement!
The pastor of the Lutheran church read a Psalm, gave a short word, thanked everyone possible, and closed his talk with another Psalm and a prayer. It was really a special moment.
I took this picture from across the parking lot so it's not the greatest, but that was the "container" which held the melted metals, ready to pour - to cast the bell. When the pouring was done the huge crowd cheered and clapped. Apparently the bell will be ready by Wednesday, at which time it then has be to transported down the street to the church and mounted in the bell tower. Hopefully I will get in on some of that action too!
What a great event this was. It felt really neat to be a part of history in the making.
3 comments:
Will you be posting pictures of the completed bell?
i hope so! the bell was supposed to have been moved to the church on wednesday. however, although it was unearthed, it won't be put up in the tower until saturday. i hope to be there! how ARE you?
Thats quite an old bell being replaced. It is said that many church bells were melted back down for casting into cannons when things got politically hot over the centuries.
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