Capitol Drive Lutheran Church has a long history of handbell music in the worship service. Handbells were first introduced in worship services in 1964. Five tuned handbells by Petit & Fritsen; F, G, A, A#, and C {of the middle C in handbells} were loaned from the I.T. Verdin Company of Cincinnati, Ohio for use in the festival Christmas Services. It was hoped that with the introduction of the handbells, the congregation would purchase a set of handbells and begin a ministry for children and adults who were “disinterested in choir singing!” “Handbells [had] become quite the vogue the nation over” and the church desired to start a new music ministry. 
Cast by the Schulmerich Bell Company of Sellersville, PA, the handbells in use by our choirs today started out as a set of four octaves dedicated on July 19, 1970. Church archives state; “The bells will be used to enhance the worship service as a solo instrument, as an accompaniment to the choir and chant, with the organ, to highlight the processional, and in a carillon-like call to worship.” The initial 49 bells contained the G3 to the G7 octaves. The fifth octave was added in the early 1980s and the entire set has been ringing God’s praises in worship services and other festivals.
Three octaves of Malmark Choir Chimes (C4 to C7) enhance the handbell choirs and add versatility and fun to the ringing experience.
Handbell directors have taken pride in the quality of ringing in the worship service. Former director Barbara Semmann wrote many pieces for use in the worship service and many of these are available through various publishing houses.
Capitol Drive Lutheran Church has a long history of handbell music in the worship service. Handbells were first introduced in worship services in 1964. Five tuned handbells by Petit & Fritsen; F, G, A, A#, and C {of the middle C in handbells} were loaned from the I.T. Verdin Company of Cincinnati, Ohio for use in the festival Christmas Services. It was hoped that with the introduction of the handbells, the congregation would purchase a set of handbells and begin a ministry for children and adults who were “disinterested in choir singing!” “Handbells [had] become quite the vogue the nation over” and the church desired to start a new music ministry.
Cast by the Schulmerich Bell Company of Sellersville, PA, the handbells in use by our choirs today started out as a set of four octaves dedicated on July 19, 1970. Church archives state; “The bells will be used to enhance the worship service as a solo instrument, as an accompaniment to the choir and chant, with the organ, to highlight the processional, and in a carillon-like call to worship.” The initial 49 bells contained the G3 to the G7 octaves. The fifth octave was added in the early 1980s and the entire set has been ringing God’s praises in worship services and other festivals.
Three octaves of Malmark Choir Chimes (C4 to C7) enhance the handbell choirs and add versatility and fun to the ringing experience.
Handbell directors have taken pride in the quality of ringing in the worship service. Former director Barbara Semmann wrote many pieces for use in the worship service and many of these are available through various publishing houses.