On
14 October, I wrote about
St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church’s annual Blessing of the Animals
service. St. Andrew’s has an amazing choir that sings every Sunday.
For special celebrations, St. Andrew’s sometimes presents
handbells or
bagpipes.
English handbell ringing started out around 1700 as a way for
change ringers to
practice music outside of the church tower. (You can read more about change
ringing in Dorothy Sayers’ superb mystery
The Nine Tailors,
with Lord Peter Wimsey.) St. Andrew’s handbell choir is called Bells Angels.
They play during the service several times a year, most recently two weeks ago.
St. Andrew’s hires the
Los Gatos – Monte Sereno Police Pipes and Drums marching bagpipe band
for events such as the blessing of the tartans service
in March 2008. Because Andrew
is the patron saint to Scotland, bagpipes are an appropriate instrument in a church
named for him. Some photos:
English handbells
|
Bells Angels in action
|
English handbells
|
St. Andrew’s Banner
|
Bagpipes in Church
|
Marching band
|
Images Copyright 2008 by Katy Dickinson
KatysBlog 