Handbells

St. Stephen’s Church is deeply grateful for a generous gift by Marshall and Beth Orr of new handbells, a five-octave set made by the Malmark Company in Plumsteadville, Pennsylvania, a leading manufacturer of handbells and accessories. The Orrs are long-time members of St. Stephen’s Church with a particular love for our music ministry.

This new set of 61 bells provides opportunities to expand the repertoire of our bell choir and the number of ringers who can participate. We are blessed to have a first-class bell choir director in Paul Honaker, a dedicated group of ringers, and the Orr family’s generosity and love for our music ministry.

The bells are being dedicated Sunday, November 23, 2025, and will make their debut during the 9 and 11:15 a.m. services.

If you would like to discuss joining the bell choir, send an email to Paul!

 

About the bells

Our new handbells were made by the Malmark Company of Plumsteadville, Pennsylvania, which has been in business since 1973 and is one of the world’s leading manufacturer of handbells and accessories.
There are numerous steps in crafting a handbell. Raw handbells are cast at a nearby foundry in Pennsylvania using a mix of 80 percent copper and 20 percent tin to create a bronze bell.

The range of the 61 bells in our set located is impressive, from an 8.25-pound bell two octaves below middle C on a piano to a .45-pound bell which is three octaves above middle C.

From the foundry, each bell goes to Malmark Company where the process of finishing it can take up to three weeks. The bell is machined and sanded on a buffing wheel. It is then voiced for tone quality. The company also ensures that the bells will sound together tonally. Then each bell is scribed on the inside where it has been tuned for the best sound quality. After the final tuning, Malmark attaches the handle and the clapper assembly. The final step is a meticulous polishing.

Using a company in the United States makes any needed repairs to the bells easier and less expensive.

This new set of bells arrived at St. Stephen’s Church on October 30, and the handbell choir rehearsed with them for the first time on November 4. We are thrilled with these new handbells and deeply grateful to the Orr family.