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The handbell ministry of
Becks Baptist Church in Winston-Salem,
NC has grown under the
direction of Deborah S. Rice since 1983. This ministry includes three choir
groups: Joybells a multicultural choir for Young Ringers, the Richardson Memorial Ringers an intergenerational choir for youth and adults and
Rejoice Ringers an advanced choir of handbell
musicians.
These groups utilize seven-octaves of Malmark handbells, six octaves
of handchimes, and three octaves each of Petit Fritsen and White Chapel handbells.
The outreach for all three groups collectively has included hospitals, rehab
centers, nursing homes, retirement communities, correctional centers, benefit
concerts and a diversity of denominations and other groups without handbells.
Recent commissions have included works from
Donald Allured of Pensacola,
Florida, Carl Wiltse of Grand
Rapids, Michigan
and Susan Nelson of New Jersey.
They have also premiered music written for them as a gift from Fred Gramann of Paris,
France.
Joybells
a choir for Young Ringers
The Joybells may
include up to 21 ringers of elementary and early middle school age performing
on two three octave sets of handbells and handchimes, plus three octaves of boomwhackers.
Richardson Memorial Ringers
an intermediate choir for youth and
adults
The Richardson Memorial Ringers is open to
beginning youth through senior adults for an intergenerational fellowship
experience. Ringers of this group may also qualify for a more advanced
ringing experience in Rejoice Ringers.
Rejoice Ringers
an advanced choir of experienced handbell musicians.
Rejoice Ringers was organized in 1990 from the existing handbell ministry of Becks Baptist
Church. None of the
ringers are professional musicians by occupation, but cover a wide range of
vocational interests in business management, computer programming, financial
and medical professions. Their ministry has extended well beyond the local
community to be inclusive of international congregations in France, Poland and
the United Kingdom
as well as additional population groups of other countries.
The Rejoice Ringers perform on a seven-octave
set of Malmark handbells
and a five 1/2 octave set of hand chimes.
Handbell showcase concerts have included performances at
national seminars for Handbell Explosion in Charlotte and for the American Guild of
English Handbell Ringers (AGEHR) in California
and South Carolina.
In addition to numerous concerts in the Triad area and around the state, they
have rung by invitation at Historic Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC
and at the White House in Washington
DC as part of the home's 200th
anniversary celebration. In 2001 Rejoice Ringers released its first CD
entitled Christmas Reflections. In 2002 they became the first handbell group ever used by Kindermusic
International for their world-wide distribution of music on CD for early
childhood education.
Commissions and works gifted to the Rejoice
Ringers for the handbell instrument have included
composers Donald Allured of Florida,
Fred Gramann of Paris, France,
Susan Nelson of New Jersey,
Arnold Sherman of Texas and Carl Wiltse of Michigan.
- Director of Handbell Ministry
 Debbie been holds a bachelor's degree in music
and a master's degree in opera. Her expertise with the handbell instrument is recognized internationally
through her frequent work as clinician and conductor for workshops,
seminars and festivals. Debbie has also authored numerous articles for
Overtones, the national handbell/handchime
publication of AGEHR
(American Guild of English Handbell Ringers).
Through her work with AGEHR
she has served on and chaired numerous committees as well as held
elected positions as AGEHR Area III Chair (1997-99) and National
Secretary (1999-2003).
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Handbell Ministry