November 8, 2020

Woohoo! We Played Handbell Duets in Muskegon!

Yay for handbell duets! 2020 has been a challenging year for us, as far as handbell performances are concerned. Larry had shoulder surgery in May, so we initially couldn’t accept any performance bookings for the spring or summer months. Larry eventually recovered enough for us to start playing duets again. However, all the events where we might have played had been cancelled by then! Our summer duet “performances” mostly took place on the porch at our summer cottage in Bay View. Instead, we focused mainly on writing and rehearsing new music.

We eventually had an opportunity to give a duet performance in September. We presented an outdoor handbell program for members of the local branch of the American Guild of Organists. Since then, our booking calendar has been a bleak wasteland… until today, a long-awaited Sunday, when we took our bells to Muskegon for our second visit to Central United Methodist Church.

Playing for an online worship service

This is such a beautiful church to play handbells in! We were initially planning for a socially-distanced in-person worship service today. However, COVID-19 cases have been increasing here in Michigan, so the church wisely made the decision to broadcast the service online instead.

We played To God Be the Glory and I Stand Amazed for the Prelude today, followed by Beach Spring and Great Is Thy Faithfulness later in the service.

Even though the congregation was an online one this morning, we enjoyed being able to share our music during worship again. Our thanks go to all at Central United Methodist church for the warm welcome we received. We hope it won’t be too long before we’ll be able to go back and play handbells again for an in-person congregation!

Do you need handbell music in your church?

If you’d like us to come to your church and share our handbell music in worship, please get in touch with us!

October 26, 2019

It Is Well With My Soul – a Handbell Duet Concert

Before we launch into rehearsals for Advent and Christmas, we have just one more performance to do! Tomorrow we’ll be driving across Michigan to Gregory, to play in the morning service at Southwest Church of the Nazarene. In the afternoon we’ll be presenting a handbell duet concert of hymns and beautiful melodies to soothe your soul and lift your spirits. We’ll be playing well-known hymns such as Holy Manna, It Is Well with my Soul, and Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing. We’ll also be playing some traditional pieces from Scotland, Ireland, Holland and Japan. We might even sneak in a couple of Advent and Christmas carols, because that season is fast-approaching! There will also be a chance to ask us questions about our music and our instruments.

Admission to the concert is free, with an opportunity for a free-will offering. We’d love to see you there!

Handbell duet concert with Larry and Carla

Would you like us to play handbells at your church?

We have a wide repertoire of handbell duets suitable for worship, or for concerts. We invite you to read about our handbell ministry, and look at independent reviews of our performances. Please contact us if you’d like us to play a handbell duet concert at your church. We’re based in Holland, Michigan, but we’re happy to travel nationwide or internationally.

September 13, 2019

Wrapping up the Summer, and Looking Forward!

In the weeks since we came back from the Bay View Week of Handbells, we’ve appreciated the opportunity to focus on our handbell ministry. We’ve very much enjoyed being a part of worship services at several West Michigan churches. Now we’re wrapping up the summer, and reflecting on the last few months’ activities.

Just after we returned from Bay View, we made our first visit to Muskegon Central United Methodist Church. We played prelude, offertory and special music in their traditional Sunday morning service.

Handbells at Muskegon Central UMC — Our handbells in the beautiful sanctuary at Muskegon Central UMC

This summer we also played in the morning service at Christ Memorial Church, here in Holland. We’ve previously played Christmas music there, so it was fun to go back and be part of a summer worship service! We also enjoyed the opportunity to attend a rehearsal and work with their handbell choir on bass and treble handbell techniques, as they prepare for the upcoming season.

Wrapping up the summer - Larry and Carla — At Christ Memorial Church, Holland

We also played duets in the morning service at our home church, Third Reformed, here in Holland. Larry had the chance to do something different too — and he enjoyed playing the cajón with the praise chorus!

Larry Sue, Third Reformed Church — Larry played the cajón at Third Reformed Church!

We’ve also been part of the Downtown Holland Street Performer Series; our third summer at this popular event.

Now that we’re wrapping up the summer, what’s next for us? We’re looking forward to giving a program of handbell duets at a senior community party in a few days’ time. After that, we’ll be preparing for a Sunday afternoon concert in Gregory, Michigan at the end of October.

Handbell concert Michigan with Larry and Carla

The holiday season is always our favorite time of year. Is it too early to mention Christmas? We’re still taking bookings, so let us know if you need us!

September 9, 2019

“It is Well with my Soul” – a Handbell Duet Concert

October 27 at 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm EDT

Larry and Carla will be presenting a concert of handbell duets at Gregory Southwest Church of the Nazarene.

Admission is free, and no advance booking is required. A free-will offering will be collected at the concert.