Pulaski Citizens Team Up To Restore Baptist Church Bells
by Mike Johnson | February 14, 2021 11:31 am
PULASKI, NY – The sound of church bells echoing through the streets of a small town is a comforting sound, a short but sweet musical performance in a tradition that has been a part of western civilization for centuries. But not at 2 a.m.
When the Pulaski Baptist Church’s carillon (the set of bells that create music) began to malfunction, concerned citizens and previous residents from all over the country stepped up and provided financial support to a small congregation that is an integral part of the community.
The sound of church bells ringing in Pulaski began in 1955, with the donation of a Schulmerich carillon to the Pulaski Baptist Church by longtime community benefactor and church member John Ben Snow. Snow heard the sound of church bells in his travels, and felt that the people of Pulaski should enjoy this music as well.
This device lasted 30 years, being replaced by a more modern system in 1985, also financed by a matching grant from the Snow Foundation. Both of these systems required resetting after a power outage or at the onset of Daylight Savings Time.
Church members were advised that the 1985 carillon would not last forever, and due to a change of ownership in the carillon business, it became more of a challenge to have the system serviced. In the fall of 2020, the system began to malfunction and the bells were heard more often than they were programmed to play.
The time to replace the malfunctioning carillon had arrived. The church applied for a grant from the Village of Pulaski, but the grant was denied.
“I did not realize how much the bells meant to the community,” said Pulaski Baptist Church Trustee Richard Fowler. “When the bells weren’t working, the village was sort of silent, and when the bells were back, we received a lot of comments from people who missed them.”
The church, long a contributor to the community, would now begin to see the favor returned.
“I never realized the level of support in the village until the young lady from the flower shop placed a post on Facebook asking for donations to restore the carillon,” Fowler said.
That young lady is community activist Robin Philips, who, when hearing of the church’s dilemma, challenged the caring citizens to step up and help preserve something that is enjoyed by everyone.
“I knew that there was a financial need within the congregation, and those bells are something that bring charm to our village,” Philips said.
She placed a post on the “What’s Happening in Pulaski NY” Facebook group, including an attractive photo of the church by Christie Brewer, and donations began to arrive.
“The Baptist church has shouldered the responsibility of the bells that we all enjoy, and we should all come forward and help support them,” Philips said.
The outpouring of support came from far and wide.
“We have even received contributions from the far west,” Fowler said. “People who grew up here still care about their hometown.”
The contributions from the community came as a pleasant surprise.
“We have been talking about purchasing a new carillon for about a year, and when we contacted White’s Clock and Carillon, they gave us an affordable price and we decided to move forward with it,” said Pulaski Baptist Church Pastor Brett Charsky. “The church usually gives to the community instead of asking from the community.”
The church had been setting money aside for a year in anticipation of the expense of replacing the carillon.
“It’s unbelievable the way the community has rallied around us, and, as a Pastor, I praise God for the way He has gotten all of these people involved,” Pastor Charsky said. “For the congregation it has been very encouraging and uplifting to know that the people of the village see value in having these bells ring, and I think it has united the community in a unique way.”
The return of the sound of the carillon has not gone unnoticed.
“People have thanked me, especially in the last month or so, for keeping the sound of the bells ringing through the village,” Pastor Charsky said.
Thanks to the generosity of neighbors and friends, residents of the Village of Pulaski will continue to enjoy the sound of church bells ringing, the melody of faith and neighborly support echoing throughout the quiet streets.
In an act of kindness and cooperation, members of the Pulaski community have combined resources to keep the traditional musical timekeeping devices performing and in good order.
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Source URL: https://oswegocountytoday.com/community/caring-communities/pulaski-citizens-team-up-to-restore-baptist-church-bells/
