The Middletown Community United Methodist Church Bell Tower and Sanctuary was dedicated in 1897, 114 years ago.
For the past two years, at the urging of Ms. Floydean Greenlow, at night a white light has shown on the bell in the tower. A year ago several colored bulbs were interchanged in the tower to coincide with the Christian seasons. Advent from Nov. 28 Dec. 24, the light is blue and red, Christmas and Epiphany yellow.
The time after Epiphany, green; Transfiguration, yellow, Ash Wednesday and Lent, purple. For Maundy Thursday the light is red.
There is no light on Good Friday and Holy Saturday. Easter Sunday week the light is yellow; Eastertide, Pentecost and Trinity Sunday, red. During ordinary time from June 26 to Nov. 19 the light stays green, and Christ the King from Nov. 20 to 26 the light is yellow.
Two weeks ago, after Bible Study, we noticed the light did not come on in the Bell Tower. Neither Middletown nor the church had a power outage, so something must have happened to the timer. But upon inspection of the tower, the timer was fine, but the bulb the lights the tower was shattered and several medium size rocks were found in the tower around the broken bulb. It appears that someone was either trying to ring the bell or put out our light. Of course it was disappointing to think anyone would cause such vandalism.
On Saturday the last, the bulb was replaced and wiring placed in the tower to partially shield the bulb from any “falling rocks.” If anyone in the community knows of people wishing to practice their pitching arm on the Methodist Bell Tower light, please encourage them to get a scholarship, go to college and try out for the Giants or A”s. However, if anyone wishes to ring our 114-year-old bell, please contact me on Sunday mornings before 11 a.m. and it can be arranged.
Most sincerely with Christian love …
Pastor Voris Brumfield
Middletown
