On Sunday, September 29th, following a lovely prayer and praise service with our rector The Rev’d Betty Harbin, and our talented guest singer Mrs. Mildred Smith, the congregation gathered outside the entrance of the Church of the Holy Redeemer, and the bell pictured here was rededicated in a joyful service. It has now been settled into a beautiful bell house placed in front of the church.
The bell has a long and interesting history. It was forged in Dublin (Ireland) in 1857 for the Church of Holy Trinity, the first Anglican church in Spaniard’s Bay. Following the deconsecration of Holy Trinity Church in 1891, the bell was placed in the Church Hill Cemetery where it was used during funerals for many years. When that cemetery was no longer used it sat idly, waiting.
When St. Anne’s Roman Catholic Church was built in Spaniard’s Bay, the bell was loaned to that church with the agreement that they could use it for as long as their church remained opened. Sadly it has now been closed, and, honouring the agreement, the bell has been returned to Holy Redeemer Church. With the help of many kind volunteers, the bell now proudly sits outside the entrance of Holy Redeemer Church.
