Ringing World Thought for the Week. Advent 2022
Advent begins another Church year and although the liturgical colour of the penitential season is purple or mauve, it has a very different feel about it from Lent. For example, Alleluias are said or sung in Advent but not in Lent. The hymns we sing have a different feel about them as we look back to our Lord’s first coming in Bethlehem and forward to his coming in glory.
The Advent season is soon lost as we progress towards Christmas with carol services, Christingles and then the Christmas services themselves where bells feature in the hymns and carols we sing and in our ringing itself.
As bell ringers we look back. Bells have been prominent in the last few months as we have rung for the Platinum Jubilee of HM the Queen and later in the year for her funeral. Now we look forward to next year when we will be ringing for the King’s Coronation.
This year has been a real opportunity to bring bellringing to the fore and there has never been a better opportunity to recruit new ringers.
In Cornwall we had a special occasion in October, when we celebrated the 125th Anniversary of the formation of the Truro Diocesan Guild. This was another opportunity recruit new ringers from visitors to the Cathedral.
During Advent our bells proclaim the first and second coming of the King of Kings, whose Kingdom will have no end. The message of hope in the Advent season tells us that although life can be tough, as it is for many through inflation, war and climate change, better days can come if we are prepared to work to build a society of justice, mercy and peace.
“Your Kingdom come, your will be done, ON EARTH AS IN HEAVEN”, means we have the privilege of working with God to bring in a world where all creation can flourish. Where there is so much suffering our bells can be a sign of genuine hope.
MALCOLM BOWERS