Hooker Memorial Church restores historical bell tower after 7 years

GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) - When was the last time you woke up to bells ringing from a tower? It’s probably been a while with all the technology around.

However, one church in Greenville brought back a bell tower in the East along with its memories and significance.

The Hooker Memorial Church celebrated their new and improved 60-year-old bell tower after almost 7 years of restoration.

Church members told WITN that the bell tower used to bring life to many special occasions and now the community gets to enjoy the beautiful sounds again.

The restoration was bittersweet as it took years to get the bell tower back in the shape it once was after the impacts of weather and time.

Reverend Paul Elliott, the Hooker Memorial Church Pastor said, “Age has a way of taking its toll, and the electronics appeared, and some other things happened so the tower went silent for years...over 20 years.”

The bell is used for celebrations, solace, and worship. For those who come to Hooker Memorial Church, hearing the bells ring again is a special time for them.

Richard Law, the Hooker Memorial Church Board Chair shared, “Growing up hearing carol lines in churches was always part of the religious experience and when they disappeared in the 70s, it was lost and to be able to bring it back to the community and share it with others who have shown their appreciation. It makes me really happy. That’s the best way to describe it.”

Even for those who never heard the bells before, the sound resonates with its deep history and spirituality as the bell tower gives them hope to welcome more fellow worshippers.

Kelly Morris, a Hooker Memorial Church attendee told WITN, “You know Covid kind of downed the attendance of a lot of churches including our own. We got a new sign out front and now we got the bells ringing again so just letting people know hey, we’re here, we’re open, you’re welcome to worship.”

The tower has been used for three weeks thanks to community members, donors, and volunteers who supported the restoration.

The bells will ring at 9a.m., 12p.m., and 6p.m. to play at least one or two appropriate hymns and chimes.

The Hooker Memorial Church will be open on Sundays at 10:30a.m. for worship.

The tower was donated as a memorial from the Clayton Gray family back in 1963 and the restoration process was done with a lot of research and modern mechanisms to revive the original magnificence.

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