HISTORY OF THE CHOIR
The Wesley Bell Ringers formed in 1963 when nine enthusiastic teenagers sold sandwiches for six months and made enough money to buy twenty-five handbells. The Wesley Bell Ringers became the first handbell choir in Utah. Fast forward 60 plus years and over 500 high school aged students have played in the choir which has expanded to 10 octaves of bells, and two octaves each of hand chimes, cup bells, silver melody bells, a 25-note set of Belleplates, a carillon and a custom-made instrument called a "Boom-a-gong." Click here for a more in-depth history of The Wesley Bell Ringers.
TRADITIONS
The Motto
The choir's motto is "Diakonia" which means "to serve with love." It appears on a banner filled with souvenir patches collected from churches, towns, cities and states where the choir has played over the years.
The Cross Crosslet
A committee researched the University of Utah Library in 1969 to find a symbol for the choir and proposed the cross crosslet. This symbol, with its four Latin crosses having the lower arms joined in the center, is suggestive of the spread of Christianity to the four corners of the earth. The Wesley Bell Ringers adopted this missionary cross as their personal symbol of service, faith, worship, and evangelism. The choir first used the symbol as a decoration on table covers. Later it was made into a gold pin, which the ringers could earn by accumulating points for completion of special projects, special rehearsals, and other services to the choir.
The Membership Banner
In 1972, Janet Glodowski had an idea for a membership banner. Each choir member would bring a six-inch piece of cloth to a special meeting and symbolically pin it onto a large banner to show that though each member remains an individual, all have become members of the larger organization. After that ceremonial pinning-on of the pieces of cloth, each one would get cut into a cross crosslet and sewn onto the banner. All former ringers were contacted and asked for a scrap of material. The banner was first used at a choir birthday party - still the traditional occasion for the once-a-year pinning of cloth.
The Marsha Vilven Award
In 1978, the choir began voting an annual peer award in honor of Marsha Vilven. The person selected each year to receive this award is the one who, in the eyes of the other ringers, has contributed the most to the choir over the year. The award is, therefore, highly prized by all who have received it.
The Honor Bell
The highest award a choir member can receive for long-term service to The Wesley Bell Ringers is the Honor Bell. It is awarded for exceptional service to the choir evidenced by earning twice the number of points required to receive the gold cross crosslet pin. Very few ringers earn the engraved handbell.
The choir's motto is "Diakonia" which means "to serve with love." It appears on a banner filled with souvenir patches collected from churches, towns, cities and states where the choir has played over the years.
The Cross Crosslet
A committee researched the University of Utah Library in 1969 to find a symbol for the choir and proposed the cross crosslet. This symbol, with its four Latin crosses having the lower arms joined in the center, is suggestive of the spread of Christianity to the four corners of the earth. The Wesley Bell Ringers adopted this missionary cross as their personal symbol of service, faith, worship, and evangelism. The choir first used the symbol as a decoration on table covers. Later it was made into a gold pin, which the ringers could earn by accumulating points for completion of special projects, special rehearsals, and other services to the choir.
The Membership Banner
In 1972, Janet Glodowski had an idea for a membership banner. Each choir member would bring a six-inch piece of cloth to a special meeting and symbolically pin it onto a large banner to show that though each member remains an individual, all have become members of the larger organization. After that ceremonial pinning-on of the pieces of cloth, each one would get cut into a cross crosslet and sewn onto the banner. All former ringers were contacted and asked for a scrap of material. The banner was first used at a choir birthday party - still the traditional occasion for the once-a-year pinning of cloth.
The Marsha Vilven Award
In 1978, the choir began voting an annual peer award in honor of Marsha Vilven. The person selected each year to receive this award is the one who, in the eyes of the other ringers, has contributed the most to the choir over the year. The award is, therefore, highly prized by all who have received it.
The Honor Bell
The highest award a choir member can receive for long-term service to The Wesley Bell Ringers is the Honor Bell. It is awarded for exceptional service to the choir evidenced by earning twice the number of points required to receive the gold cross crosslet pin. Very few ringers earn the engraved handbell.
CELEBRATING 60 YEARS & BEYOND
In 2013, The Wesley Bell Ringers alumni gathered in Salt Lake City for a weekend of festivities, reminiscing and celebrating the choir's 50th anniversary. A memory book, Diakonia, was published to commemorate the occasion and share our story with the world. There is a video link (see below) and a CD was made available highlighting some of the choir's achievements.
As we gathered once again for the 60th reunion of The Wesley Bell Ringers in summer 2024, we were reminded of the unique bond that has held us together over the decades. Reflecting on the past 10 years since our 50th reunion, it’s clear that the choir has always been more than just a group of musicians—it is a family, united by shared experiences, cherished memories, and a deep love for music.
Throughout the years, The Wesley Bell Ringers have continued to inspire, to grow, and to welcome new members into our circle. Whether we were sharing stories from our early days in the choir or celebrating new milestones, the sense of connection was evident. For many of us, the reunion was a chance to reconnect with old friends, reminisce about the joy of making music together, and rekindle the spirit of camaraderie that has defined this extraordinary group.
The love, laughter, and support we share extend far beyond the music. We celebrate each other’s accomplishments, offer strength during difficult times, and continue to be there for one another, just as a family does. As we look toward the future, we can’t wait for the next reunion, knowing that no matter how much time passes, our bond will remain as strong as ever.
As we gathered once again for the 60th reunion of The Wesley Bell Ringers in summer 2024, we were reminded of the unique bond that has held us together over the decades. Reflecting on the past 10 years since our 50th reunion, it’s clear that the choir has always been more than just a group of musicians—it is a family, united by shared experiences, cherished memories, and a deep love for music.
Throughout the years, The Wesley Bell Ringers have continued to inspire, to grow, and to welcome new members into our circle. Whether we were sharing stories from our early days in the choir or celebrating new milestones, the sense of connection was evident. For many of us, the reunion was a chance to reconnect with old friends, reminisce about the joy of making music together, and rekindle the spirit of camaraderie that has defined this extraordinary group.
The love, laughter, and support we share extend far beyond the music. We celebrate each other’s accomplishments, offer strength during difficult times, and continue to be there for one another, just as a family does. As we look toward the future, we can’t wait for the next reunion, knowing that no matter how much time passes, our bond will remain as strong as ever.
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Updated Memory Book Preorder coming soon!
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We are compiling a “Ringers Reminisce Section” for an addendum to the Diakonia Book.
Have you played in the choir over the past 10 years? If you are interested in adding to this updated Ringers Reminisce section, please fill out the form by clicking the button below to add your entry (ranging between 200 - 1000 words). |
50th REUNION slideshow (2013)
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Alice Hemingway 5
Margaret Osborne Denton 6 Joy Pemberton Brown 7 Chip Sherman 8 Elton Graves 10 Susan Schoonover Springer 11 Carol Tudor Stanfield 12 Kathy Havell Rozsa 15 Doug Vilven 17 Glenn Tonnesen 18 Pamela Plimpton 21 Donald Prater 22 Dana (Haun) Smith 26 Fred Barbero 28 Ed (Eddie) Pluess 32 Randy Milligan 33 Larry Ann Castle-Fericks 37 Terry and Lucy Waite 41 Robin Streeter 42 Paula Foster Morris 50 Beth Hockin Holmberg 51 Sarah Anderson 53 David D Haun 56 Cathy McKinney 57 Ken Prater 58 Lonnie Baskett 60 Holly Thompson Westergaard 63 Shelley Shepherd Pereboom 65 Jan Glodowski Jones 68 Jeff Herman 69 Rhonda (Baskett) Clayton 71 Teresa Hughes Rivera 73 Larene Vincent Pearce 78 Ann Vogel 79 Anne-Lise Olsen 81 David Duncan 82 Kristin Olsen Thompson 83 Steve Pearce 84 Tom Thompson 85 Brad Wallin 86 Brenda Blackman Barta 87 Steve Everett 88 Shelley Rains Mucha 89 Ann (Rettie) Itchon 90 Alan and Laura Sherwood 91 Rachel Haskin Cross 93 Brent Knigge 94 Kent Knigge 95 Kathy Pearce Lambert 96 David Rettie 97 Sandy Shepherd Miller 98 Kurt Osojnak 100 Becky Bailey Lambert 102 Leigh Chapman Jennings 103 Pam Herman Allison 105 Lynn Chapman Berklacy 107 Gwen Sherwood Storts 110 John Vogel 112 Susan Myers Elder 113 David Allison 114 Shelley Braun 115 Dan Herman 116 Steve Plantz 119 Tom Spangler 120 Timothy Thompson 121 Kathy Plantz Chojnacki 123 Beth Nohavec Chapman 127 Robert J White 131 Tia Allison Mittelstadt 133 Roberta Hamilton-Griggs 135 Jon Mittelstadt 136 Chris Richards 138 Janis Hairston Preese 140 Peter Rigstad 141 Jennifer DeVore Krell 143 Kendra Knigge Sabo 144 Susan Gabert McIntosh 146 Eric Mittelstadt 147 Richard Nissen 148 Charles Adler 150 Kim(Garwood) Matson 152 Tammy Spangler Iriondo 156 Mark Thompson 158 Janette Vincent Mittelstadt 165 Deborah O'Rourke 167 Tom Janecek 168 Renee Hunter Herndon 170 Roger Peckham 171 Reba Nissen 172 Jeanine O'Rourke Sugimoto 173 Brett Pariseau 174 Janet Vandegrift Tapia 175 Deanna Ivey Mains 176 Jill (Yelverton) Hershberger 177 Michelle Mason Brown 178 Patrick Brown 180 Lisa (Peckham) Hoge 185 Martha Rettie Davis 186 Mary Rettie Ding 187 Diana Sherwood 188 Jim Janacek 195 John Janacek 196 Kirk Mittelstadt 198 David Fox 204 Doug Garwood 205 Victoria Coffill Liedtke 211 Jerry W. Moore 214 Tracee Gross Sutton 219 May Thomas Harris 222 Angie Gaskill Garff 223 Cari Johnson 227 Natalie Moore Johnson 235 Lori Coffill Balser 239 Mitch Daily 240 Melody McNeal Moore 242 Jody (Thomas) Mattena 243 Robyn Wherritt 245 Sara (Dailey) Bauman 246 Kristen Garwood Skidmore 247 Charles Alexis 251 Marci Fjelstad 253 Adia Waldburger 254 Marchelle McGill Sanchez 255 Chris Balser 258 Ann Connelly Rutherford 264 Justin Cash 270 Betsy Fasy Bancroft 278 Kim Pezzullo McKendrick 280 |
Mark McGill 284
Nicolas Pereboom 291 Rachel Potts 297 Nick Olson 304 Allison Kuehl 306 Cecily Ellis Sakrison 314 Sherie Evans 315 Christy Watts York 318 Adam Waite 319 Stephanie Liebmann 322 James Hunter 329 Kristin Liebman Hunter 330 Lauren Littlefield 331 Cody Pearce 333 Michelle Gregory 337 Brian Waite 338 Emily Loken 339 Kellie Littlefield 340 Geoff Lay 341 Melissa Hartline Lyon 344 Justin Clark 345 Eric Bullard 346 Chelsea Knight Bakke 351 Heather Sudweeks 352 Andrew Lengyel 353 Sara Green Tharen 354 Sarah Cervenka 359 Dagny Gold Kelsey 361 Laura Kiechle 364 Heather Mattocks 369 Nicole Bullard 372 Rachael Wallace 373 Elise Green 377 Andrea Osojnak 379 Corinne Sanders 380 Tony Slinger 381 Zach Fox 383 Graham Larson 385 Katie Lay 386 Jamie Miranda 388 Annie Wallin 389 Ashley Timmerman 390 Andrew Jolley 392 Jim Malin 394 Greg Osojnak 395 Nick Peters 396 Mackenzie Wallace 397 Joshua Mangelsen 400 Kaelyn Walzel 403 Michael Jacobsen 406 Robby Walzel 410 Eric Conrad 411 Haley Berner 412 Jonathan Williams 414 Kristin Tatum 415 Bryce Pulver 417 Jeff Wood 418 Forrest Sawyer 419 Larni Emery 420 Josh Fox 421 Desiree Jensen 423 Catherine Knapp 424 Emma Laursen 425 Jacob Mangelsen 426 Alec Mittelstadt 427 Morgan Ryan 428 Jacob Allison 429 Riley Andrus 430 Tristan Meyer 432 Nathan Mittelstadt 433 Braden Nagata 434 Alicia Simons 435 Andrew Adamson 437 Charles CP Anderson 438 Cassie Bingham 439 Emily Haden 440 Timothy Hare-Diggs 441 Jillian Herman 442 Shannon Loveday 443 Austin McDowell 444 Kay Mattena 445 Wesley Sawyer 446 Chris Castleberry 447 Alicia Griffing 448 Bobbie Jacobsen 449 Corey Knapp 450 Shannon Meyer 451 Cullen Mittelstadt 452 Peachy Neeld 453 Madelyn Roberts 454 Katya Wahl 455 Vanya Wahl 456 Kelly Williams 457 Stacie MacArt Pearce ? Matthew Wieben ? Paul & Mary Ann Allison, Chaperones KathyJo & Tom Bullard, Chaperones Gaye Clark, Chaperone Thomas Cross, Chaperone Trudy Duncan, Chaperone Patty & Larry Emery, Chaperones Katie & Mark Fox, Chaperones Maxine Garwood, Chaperone Laura & Mark Green, Chaperones Ben & Kathy Ivey, Chaperones John & Ruth Lay, Chaperones Marilyn & Larry McGill, Chaperones Sue & Bill Nissen, Chaperones Darlene Pulver, Chaperone Eric Sawyer, Chaperone Marit Sawyer, Chaperone Sylvia Spangler, Chaperone Gary & Darlene Stanton, Chaperones Gina Williams, Chaperone Susan & Steve Wood, Chaperones Ron and Norma Hamilton, Clergy Jean Schwien, Clergy Ed Duncan, Director The Rev. Dr. G. Bruce Maxwell, Honorary Ringer |