Ringing in the Season
Janette Mittelstadt
If what Zuzu says is true, there must be a great rustling of newly acquired heavenly wings this time of year, thanks
to hand bell choirs in churches across the country that are ringing in the holiday season. One such choir is the
Wesley Bell Ringers at Christ United Methodist Church in Salt Lake City, Utah.
What started 45 years ago as the first hand bell choir by nine teenagers in Utah has grown into 400 high school
students who have traveled to all 50 U.S. states and many Canadian provinces. The Wesley Bell youth choir has
performed at Mount Rushmore, Disney World, the Cathedral of the Pines National Memorial, the 2002 Winter Olympics
and the U.S. Capitol. It has also made joint appearances with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Utah Symphony
and performs 10 to 15 concerts around the Salt Lake Valley during the holiday season.
Janette Mittelstadt is a former Wesley Bell ringer and now the public relations director for the choir. "It's a
very dedicated group," she says. "All of the money for purchasing equipment and touring to perform has been raised
through the fundraising activities of these young people.
"My best memories of being a Wesley Bell Ringer 20-plus years ago are the friendships I made and still continue
with today," she adds. "I loved playing the beautiful music the group created, especially during the holiday season.
I felt that we brought so much joy and beauty into peoples' lives."
Janette lives in Cottonwood Heights, Utah, with her husband Eric (also a former bell choir member) and their three
children, Alec (13), Cullen (10) and Ella (5) and their dog, Holly.