MPR’s Cathy Wurzer talks with church bell ringers in the Twin Cities.
From Salvation Army kettles to church towers, the ringing of bells is a traditional part of the Christmas season. Their melodic sound that tolls from bell towers across the region are more often, than not, courtesy of computer chips and other high technology. But we found at least two churches in the Twin Cities whose bells are still powered by the human touch. One church, the historic St. Clement's Episcopal Church in St. Paul has three men who ring bells the old-fashioned way....by pulling on cords to get a distinctive cascade of sound. The other place is the House of Hope Presbyterian Church on St. Paul's Summit Avenue. There, a traditional carillon is located high up in a bell tower.