My fascination with English handbells began with my attendance at an area festival conference at Lewis and Clark College about 35 years ago. Such beauty…hundreds of bronze bells ringing joyfully. I had to share my enthusiasm with our church and was very pleased to have approval to raise funds to buy a small set of Schulmerich Handbells. Some of you may remember the sheets of paper hanging in the small fellowship hall you could sign to buy all or part of a bell. In a short period of time we had enough money to buy 2 octaves. Linda Woods wanted to direct and that’s where the Lake Oswego United Methodist Church’s handbell choirs began. Three families added subsequent octaves to reach our current five octave set, each buying one octave to honor loved ones. The approximate replacement value of our five octave set is over $10,000. Tables, mallets, chimes…well you get it.
I have played handbells with our church and Lake Grove Presbyterian Church for about thirty five years. I have directed the handbells at Lake Grove Presbyterian for 30 years and still do. I’m excited to bring my love of these beautiful instruments to our church as its new bell choir director.
Handbell Choir Director
Brief info
Leanne has been a member of the LOUMC bell choirs for many years! She has played and directed at Lake Grove Presbyterian for 30 years and now she will direct at LOUMC as well!