Regulations for the Ringing of Tower Bells

Regulation for the Ringing of a Single Bell.

On the Eve of a Greater Festival or Day

The bell is to be rung on the Eve of the following Festvals or Days to announce the coming of the Day:

The bell shall be rung seven times at 6:00 o'clock P.M., 6:30, and 7:00 on the Eve of the Festival or Day, the only exception being the Eve of the Circumcision when the bell shall be rung at midnight. The ringing of the bell at 6:00 P.M. shall follow the ringing of the daily evening prayer bell.

On Greater Festivals or Sundays

The bell shall be rung seven times on the morning of a Greater Festival of Sunday to herald in the day, at 6:00 o'clock A.M. in Summer, and at 7:00 A.M. in Winter. This shall follow the ringing of the daily morning prayer bell.

The bell shall be rung seven times one-half hour before, one-quarter of an hour before, and at the hour of, Divine Service, whether morning or evening.

After the ringing of the bell at the hour of Divine Service, a brief pause shall follow, and then the bell shall be struck in single notes three times, announcing the immediate beginning of Divine Worship.

Weekday Services

The bell shall be rung seven times one hour before, one-half hour before, and at the hour of, Divine Service.

After the ringing of the bell at the hour of Divine Service, a brief pause shall follow, and then the bell shall be struck in single notes three times to announce the immediate beginning of Divine Worship.

Daily

The bell shall be rung at the following hours daily:

At 6:00 A.M., at 12:00 noon, and at 6:00 P.M. in Summer.

At 7:00 A.M., at 12:00 noon, and at 6:00 P.M. in Winter.

These are the ancient hours of daily adoration and praise.

The bell shall be rung at each of these hours in the following manner: It shall be struck in single notes three times, thrice, with a brief pause between each set of three notes, and then it shall be rung in single notes seven times.

At the Lord's Prayer

The bell shall be rung throughout the praying of the Lord's Prayer in Divine Worship at whatever place in the Liturgy or Orders it may be said, Whether morning or evening, Sunday or weekday.

At a Marriage

The bell may be rung in single notes seven times at the hour of a marriage; throughout the praying of the Lord's Prayer in the Order; and when the bridal party leaves the church.

At a Funeral

The bell may be tolled at intervals of three to seven seconds to announce the passing of a member of the church; but the total number of strokes shall not be less than seven, nor more than the age of the deceased if this be more than seven.

The bell may be tolled while the funeral cortege approaches the church and until the casket has been carried within the church doors.

The bell may be tolled as the casket is carried from the church, but not after the cortege has started away from the church.

If committal is made in an adjacent Church Yard, the bell may be tolled while the casket is carried to the grave; but it shall not be tolled during the committal or thereafter.

On the Eve of a Greater Festival or Day

The full peal shall be rung until the largest bell shall have been rung seven times, at 6:00 P.M., 6:30 P.M., and 7:00 P.M., on the Eve of the Festival or Day. The only exception being the Eve of the Circumcision when the peal shall be rung at midnight after the hour of twelve has been struck in single notes upon the big bell.

On Greater Festivals or Sundays

On the morning of a Greater Festival or Sunday, the full peal shall be rung until the largest bell shall have been rung seven times, at 6:00 A.M. in Summer, and at 7:00 A.M. in Winter.

One-half hour before the hour of Divine Service, the smallest bell shall be rung seven times.

One-quarter hour before the hour of Divine Service, the smallest and the second bells of the peal shall be rung until the larger bell shall have been rung seven times.

At the hour of Divine Service, the full peal shall be rung until the largest bell shall have been rung seven times.

After the ringing of the peal at the hour of Divine Service, a brief pause shall follow. Then the largest bell shall be struck in single notes three times, announcing the immediate beginning of Divine Worship.

Weekday Services

The second bell of the peal shall be rung seven times one hour before, one-half hour before, and at the hour of, Divine Service.

After the ringing of the bell at the hour of Divine Service, a brief pause shall follow. Then the largest bell of the peal shall be rung seven times to announce the immediate beginning of Divine Worship.

Daily

The smallest bell of the peal shall be rung at the following hours daily:

At 6:00 A.M., at 12:00 noon, and at 6:00 P.M. in Summer.

At 7:00 A.M., at 12:00 noon, and at 6:00 P.M. in Winter.

These are the ancient hours of adoration and praise.

The bell shall be rung at each of these hours in the following manner:

It shall be struck in single notes three times, thrice, with a brief pause between each set of three notes; and then it shall be struck seven times.

At the Lord's Prayer

The Prayer Bell (smallest) of the peal shall be rung throughout the praying of the Lord's Prayer in Divine Worship at whatever place in the Liturgy or Orders it may be said, whether morning or evening, Sunday or weekday.

At a Marriage

The full peal may be rung until the largest bell shall have been rung seven times at the hour of marriage.

The Prayer Bell shall be rung throughout the praying of the Lord's Prayer in the Order.

The full peal may be rung when the bridal party leaves the church.

At a Funeral

The largest bell of the peal is the tolling bell. The bell may be tolled at intervals of three to seven seconds to announce the passing of a member of the church; but the total number of strokes shall not be less than seven, nor more than the age of the deceased if this be more than seven.

The bell may be tolled while the funeral cortege approaches the church and until the casket has been carried within the church doors.

The bell may be tolled as the casket is carried from the church, but not after the cortege has started away from the church.

If committal is made in an adjacent Church Yard, the bell may be tolled while the casket is carried to the grave; but it shall not be tolled during the committal or thereafter.

On the Eve of a Greater Festival or Day

The full chime shall be rung on the Eve of a Greater Festival or Day at 6:00 P.M., in the following manner:

The lowest bell of the scale is struck first, then the octave or highest bell of the scale, then all the bells are struck in rotation until the scale (descending) shall have been rung thrice from the highest to the lowest bells. Thereafter, the largest bell is struck as if it were being rung (unless this bell is hung free and may be rung) seven times. This may be followed by the playing of a hymn tune appropriate to the Festival or Day.

The ringing of the chime at this hour shall follow the ringing of the daily evening prayer bell.

At 6:30 P.M. the peal of the chime shall be rung until the largest bell shall have been struck seven times.

At 7:00 P.M. the full chime shall be rung as directed above.

On Greater Festivals and Sundays

The full chime shall be rung on the morning of a greater Festival or Sunday in the manner appointed above, at 6:00 A.M. in the Summer, and at 7:00 A.M. in the Winter.

The full chime shall be rung one half hour before the hour of Divine Service in the manner appointed above.

The peal of the chime shall be rung one-quarter hour before the hour of Divine Service.

At the hour of Divine Service, the full peal shall be rung as appointed in the rubric for the ringing of a peal on greater Festivals or Sundays.

On Weekdays

he full chime may be rung one hour before the hour of Divine Service as appointed in the first rubric for the ringing of a chime. This may be followed by the playing of appropriate hymn tunes or other musical numbers.

Daily

After the ringing of the daily prayer bell in the morning, at noon, and in the evening, an appropriate hymn tune or other musical selection may be played on the chime.

At the Lord's Prayer

The prayer bell of the peal shall be rung throughout the praying of the Lord's Prayer in Divine Worship at whatever place in the Liturgy or Orders it may be said, Whether morning or evening, Sunday or weekday.

At a Marriage

The full chime may be rung in the manner appointed in the rubric above, at the hour of the marriage, and again when the bridal party leaves the church.

At a Funeral

The chime is not rung under any circumstance at a funeral.

The lowest bell of the scale is the tolling bell, and the regulations governing the use of this bell will be found under the regulations for the ringing of a single bell.

These rubrics were included in a pocket edition of the Occasional Services of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, published by the Augsburg Publishing Company. This volume predates the book of Occasional Services published as a companion to the Service Book and Hymnal.

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