The sound of the handbell is sweet and silvery. At close range it can be amazingly powerful and penetrating—a uniquely happy and ethereal sound that first surprises and then captivates the listener.
Handbells—tuned bells that are rung by holding the bell upright—originated in England hundreds of years ago. However, only during the past few decades have churches on this continent started using handbells in worship. And many—perhaps most —Reformed and Presbyterian congregations have never heard handbells.
