Posted on 06/09/2004 2:29:45 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
LOS ANGELES, June 8 (UPI) -- President Reagan's family Tuesday urged churches across the United States to ring their bells Friday at the conclusion of his state funeral in Washington.
The family issued a statement saying they would like churches everywhere to join in when the bells of the National Cathedral begin to toll 40 times in honor of Reagan, who was the nation's 40th president.
The cathedral bells will ring starting in the capital at approximately 1:15 p.m. EDT Friday.
America's National Cathedral
I believe that the mediaeval practice was to toll the church bell before the funeral once for ech year of the deceased person's life. If possible the bell should be half-muffled, this produces a unique sound which can be most atmospheric.
Won't the ACLU file with the court in an attempt to get a court order to stop the bells? Won't the 'left' view this demonstation as a violation of church and state separation doctrine?
Very interesting.
No doubt. I'd like to see them try.
I only wish that modern curches (mine included) were built with bell towers. I would volunteer for that honor.
Me too.
The National Cathedral is in a forest? In the capital? Really?
There are a lot of mature trees in the surrounding neighborhood.
But it's really like that? The National Cathedral is really in the woods like that still? Wow. What a beautiful place.
I suspect that there will not be too many Unitarian/UCC/UnitedMethodist bells sounding through the countryside.
I'll be ringing the bell @ our church. Titusville, FL.
I will be ringing the bell at a UCC church. Bell ringing is reserved for significant events and this is very significant. I would suspect we would ring bell for any president's funeral if asked. It is an honor.
If you are a member of any church with a bell, call your pastor and ask for the honor of bell ringing. If it is refused, then respectfully ask why not.
How about using the ping list for this one?
FYI PING
I hope they do- that would be so cool to see.
(((((((((ping))))))))))) Info here.
Thank you.
I live just outside the city limits. I hope I can hear the bells. Maybe if enough churches ring theirs, that'll be possible!
My girls were at youth group Wednesday night discovering some of the strange things in a 60 year old church building. One of them was how to ring the bells. I came home and found this thread. I asked my girls if they would be interested in honoring President Reagan and they called the church and received permission to ring the bells. Our family will be honored to honor President Reagan tomorrow.
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