The Sound of Harmony

 

* Handbell Choir at Gardner

Pastor Joyce Kang

12.21.24. Church Conference

 Last Sunday, the beautiful sound of bells filled the Gardner Nursing Home. It seemed impossible three months ago because we didn’t have enough people. Yet, seven dedicated individuals, including conductor Mary Miller, gathered for an hour every Thursday to pray and practice.

A bell choir is an instrument of teamwork—waiting, teaching, and supporting one another. If one person makes a mistake, it affects the whole harmony. From the 4th grade of elementary school to the “7th grade of life” (over 70 years old), we became friends and companions, encouraging each other. I took over the seven bells at Bass Cliffs that Lydia played last year. Initially, it felt overwhelming; I was used to ringing only three bells. However I focused on what was essential in each song and played only what I could manage.

Sometimes I hit the bells too quickly, and sometimes I missed entire measures. Yet, gradually, I learned. As the bells rang in the quiet chapel, I felt the presence of more than just seven people. The Holy Spirit filled each note, and I sensed our love and friendship woven into the harmony. At the nursing home, when people sang carols with us, I experienced God filling every mistake and empty space with their voices.

In July 2014, when my husband was appointed to Houlton and Hodgdon, we arrived with no family, friends, or fellow Koreans. I worried whether we could truly make a home here. The first three to four years of ministry were incredibly hard. But when we became family with our church members, we were happy.

When I joined Mars Hill two years ago, I wondered how we could manage these ministries. But God provided a small group who could ring the bells—people who carried many ministries, sometimes “ringing seven bells” themselves. Together, the three churches (Houlton, Hodgdon, and Mars Hill) worked in harmony. We shared bulletins, worshipped together in joint services, supported one another’s events, and served our communities.

Children who missed Sunday services for sports came to Together Tuesdays, where they volunteered and worshipped. Backpacks for Kids reached four schools, delivered by adults, while Senior Supper cards—handmade by children—touched lives throughout the community. Volunteers in after-school programs became mentors and friends to the children.

This year brought challenges: the pain of denominational division, the loss of loved ones, and aging key leaders who could no longer serve as they wished. Yet, a few faithful members stayed steadfast, “ringing the bell,” and their harmony inspired others to sing. I was especially moved during Mars Hill’s handbell choir performance last Saturday and the Christmas party where so many prayed together. Seeing 10 children participate in Pageant Sunday at Hodgdon and serving Together Tuesdays with 11 volunteers at Houlton has been a profound blessing.

At the nursing home service, I felt the powerful presence of the Holy Spirit. New choir members joined afterward, and I am so thankful. Now, I don’t have to frantically ring seven bells; I can focus on just three.

In many ways, this ministry has been like my life—balancing the full-time calling of serving three churches while raising five children. Sometimes I missed messages, struggled with priorities, and felt overwhelmed. I cried often, feeling unworthy of my role and worried I wasn’t serving the church as I should.

But now, like a tiny life growing in the womb, I am shifting my focus. From July next year, I will center my ministry at Mars Hill while my husband focuses on Houlton and Hodgdon. These next six months feel like a pregnancy—time to nurture, grow, and prepare. Just as Jesus came to earth as a tiny dot and grew to become the Savior of the world, I pray that our churches will grow spiritually, emotionally, and physically.

I pray we will thrive, not just survive. I pray we will become the church our communities need. I pray the Han family will live up to the calling that brought us here.

As I think of the bell choir, I see a picture of the Kingdom of God—each note coming together in perfect harmony, allowing the whole town to sing along. May we continue to ring our bells, join our voices, and bring glory to God through love, unity, and service. 

 

지난 주일 아름다운 벨 소리가 가드너 요양원을 가득 채웠습니다. 3개월 전만해도 인원이 부족하여 못 할 것 같았는데 Mary Miller 지휘자까지 7명이 모여서 매주 목요일마다 한 시간씩 모여서 함께 기도하고, 연습하였습니다. 벨 콰이어는 한 사람이라도 틀리면 다 영향을 주기 때문에 모든 사람이 곡을 잘 이해할 때까지 기다려주고 가르쳐주고 응원해주는 팀웍이 꼭 필요한 악기입니다. 초등학교 4학년부터 인생의 7학년까지 서로의 벗이 되고, 컴패니언이 되어 격려하고 도와줍니다. 저는 작년에 Lydia가 치던 베이스 클리프의 7개의 벨을 맡게 되었습니다. 원래는 3개 정도의 벨을 맡아서 치는데 사람이 부족해서 다 맡게 되었습니다.

처음에는 너무 부담스러워서 어떻게 해야 할지를 몰랐습니다. 그러다가 그 곡에서 꼭 필요한 것들을 우선순위를 정해놓고 칠 수 있는 것들만 치면서 곡을 채웠습니다. 어떤 때는 너무 빨리 벨을 바꿔서 벨끼리 부딪히기도 하고, 어떤 때는 너무 욕심을 부리다가 한 마디를 통째로 못 치기도 했습니다. 그러나 차츰 7개의 벨에 적응을 했고, 칠 수 있는 음에 감사하기 시작했습니다. 조용한 예배당에 벨이 울려 퍼질 때 저는 7명 이상의 존재를 느꼈습니다. 음 하나 하나에 성령님이 함께 하심을 느꼈습니다. 우리들의 하모니에 서로에 대한 사랑과 우정이 있음을 느꼈습니다. 그리고 벨 콰이어가 요양원에서 연주했을 때 사람들이 함께 캐롤을 부르며 함께 했을 때 저는 모든 실수와 빈 공간을 하나님께서 그들의 목소리로 채우심을 경험할 수 있었습니다. 아무리 7개 벨을 맡고 있어도 결국 한 번에 하나 많으면 두 개 밖에 칠 수 없는데 그런 사람들이 모여 화음을 만들고, 그 화음에 맞춰 사람들이 노래를 부르는 것 이것이 바로 우리 세 교회 사역이라는 생각이 들었습니다. 

 

2014년 7월 남편이 홀튼과 허지든에 발령을 받아 왔습니다. 가족도 지인도 한인도 없는 이 곳에 왔을 때 과연 여기에서 우리가 살 수 있을까 걱정이 되었습니다. 목회 초기 3-4년까지 교인들과 가족이 되는 것이 참 어렵고 힘들었습니다. 그리고 가족이 되고 나서는 정말 행복했습니다. 2년전부터 저까지 사역자로 마스힐까지 함께 하게 되면서 과연 우리가 이 사역들을 감당할 수 있을까 걱정이 되었습니다. 그러나 하나님께서는 적은 인원이지만 함께 벨을 울릴 수 있는 사람들을 붙여주셨습니다. 한 사람이 3개 이상의 벨을 맡는 것은 기본이고, 어떤 분들은 저처럼 7개의 벨들을 맡아서 많은 사역들을 감당하였습니다. 작은 교회들이 할 수 없는 out reach 사역들, Mission, Children’s ministry 등을 감당하였습니다. 이 사역들은 서로에게 하모니가 되어 화음을 이루었습니다. 세 교회는 함께 주보를 공유하면서 또 특별 연합 예배 등을 통해서 함께 예배를 드리고, 바자를 준비하고, 서로의 행사에 참여하면서 응원하였습니다. 교회를 넘어 자신과 시간이 맞는 소그룹에 들어가면서 지역 교회를 넘어 하나님 안에서 가족이 되었습니다. 주일에 운동 경기 있는 아이들은 주중에 있는Together Tuesday에 나와서 봉사와 예배를 드리고 그 아이들이 돕는 Backpack for kids는 어른들의 손을 거쳐 4개의 학교로 전달이 되었습니다. 아이들이 만든 카드는 지역 아이들, 한 달에 한 번 있는 Senior supper를 통해 지역 사회에 전달이 되었습니다. 방과후 활동을 섬기시는 분들은 아이들의 멘토가 되고, 삶을 공유하는 관계가 되었습니다.

올해 우리 교단은 분열이라는 아픔을 경험했고, 우리 교회도 예외는 아니었습니다. 그리고 많은 분들이 돌아가시고, 핵심 리더들은 점 점 연세가 들어 마음처럼 교회를 섬기지 못하셔서 속상해하셨습니다. 그러나 소수의 정예 멤버들은 각자 자기의 자리를 지키고 벨을 울렸습니다. 그리고 그 화음은 사람들을 노래하게 하였습니다. 특별히 지난 토요일 마스힐에서 핸드벨 콰이어 연주가 있었고, 크리스마스 파티를 하여서 그 동안 기도하던 분들을 많이 보게 된 것이 참으로 감사했습니다. 지난 주일 허지든에서 열 명의 아이들과 함께 드린 Pageant Sunday도 감동이었습니다. 매주 화요일 홀튼에서 11명의 봉사자들과 함께 14명의 Together Tuesday를 섬기는 일은 제가 가장 큰 기쁨이고 감사입니다.

세 교회가 주축이 되어 준비한 요양원 예배 때 성령님의 강한 임재를 느꼈습니다.  연주 후에 새로운 지원자들이 들어왔습니다. 너무 감사하고 기쁩니다. 이제 저는 7개의 벨을 정신없이 울리지 않아도 되고, 제게 맡겨진 3개의 벨에 집중할 수 있게 되었습니다. 다섯 아이를 키우면서 파트타임이지만 사역하는 시간은 풀타임으로 살아온 삶이 7개의 벨을 울리는 것 같았습니다. 그래서 때로는 한 마디 전체를 놓치기도 하고, 우선 순위를 잡느라 고민하기도 하고, 세 교회 성도님들과 사역들의 균형을 잘 못 맞추기도 했습니다. 성도님들에게 죄송한 마음 특히 설교자로서 배울 것이 더욱 많다는 생각에 많이 울었습니다. 그리고 마치 뱃 속에 처음 잉태된 점 하나 크기의 아이가 된 기분으로 이제는 너무 많은 벨이 아닌 마스힐 한 교회에 집중하고, 남편도 예전처럼 홀튼과 허지든에 집중하면서 나아가려고 합니다. 이런 변화는 내년 7월에 일어날 것이고, 그 때까지 우리 온 교인이 힘을 합하여 점 하나의 크기로 오신 예수님께서 온 인류를 구원하신 메시아로 성장하시는 6개월의 임신 기간을 함께 보내기를 간절히 소망합니다. Maintaing을 하는 구조가 아닌 spiritually, emotionally, and physically growing하는 교회가 되길 소망합니다. Han family를 이 곳에 부르신 그 소명에 따라 살기를 매일 기도합니다. Houlton, Hodgdon, and Mars Hill 교회 성도님들과 벨 콰이어 멤버가 되어 한 음 한 음이 모여 화음을 이루고, 이 온 타운이 함께 우리들의 연주에 노래를 부를 수 있게 되기를 간절히 소망합니다.