Holy Trinity Lutheran Church
4118 Avenue R + Brooklyn, NY 11234 + (718)
375-8184
The Rev. Dr. Kipp W. Zimmermann, Pastor
Living the Joy! Proclaiming the Gospel of the Risen Christ!
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Living the Joy! Proclaiming the Gospel of the Risen Christ!
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Adult On-Line Bible Study & Wednesday Evening Bible Study Basketball at Flea Market Vendor Application
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In July of 2003, church bells began to ring once again from Holy Trinity Lutheran Church of Flatbush. The church had a carillon system for many years that was damaged in a storm. In 2003 a new system was donated by the James Woods family to the church in thanksgiving for the recovery of their 2 year old granddaughter Nicole. The child recovered from a malignant brain tumor and has been restored to good health. The church bells have been met with the disapproval of a hand full of people while we have also received the gratitude of far more who are glad of the return of the bells to the community. Why do churches ring bells? The sounding of bells goes back in time to the very establishment of churches in communities. They act as a sounding of the public ministry of the church. In all of its denominations, the Christian Church has understood its commission by its founder, Jesus the Christ, as the vehicle by which the presence of God is made concrete in the world after his ascension into heaven. The Church is the sign of God’s presence in the community and churches ring bells to call people to prayer and remembrance of the divine presence. The public proclamation of that message is what the Church is in the world to proclaim. At Holy Trinity the public ministry does not stop with bells but extends to with a ministry for children kindergarten through grade 8, a ministry to community elderly twice per month, a youth basketball league that reaches out to the young people of this community from age 3 to young adult. Holy Trinity sponsors a Boy Scout Troop, Cub Scout Troop, a Girl Scout troop all serving this community. We are home to the Laura Steward Garden Club who has long taken on the responsibility for beautifying Marine Park. We host two meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous every week. In the flu crisis several years ago, Holy Trinity provided space for the NYC Department of Health to administer flu shots. The bells that ring at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church proclaim to this community that God is at work here meeting the needs of people. Whether the sound is coming from Church bells, the horn announcing the beginning of Sabbath, or the Islamic call to prayer, these tones are the public proclamation that there is One who is greater to whom we owe our prayer and recognition. History has shown many who have tried to stop that public proclamation. Our democracy has guaranteed protection to the Church and other communities of faith against the assaults of those who try. Our New York Administrative Code is no exception. The City code states: §24-217 “Exceptions: The provisions of this code shall not apply to the operation or use of any organ, bell, chimes, or other similar instrument by any church, synagogue, mosque, or school.” Based on this exemption, the two violations that were given to the Holy Trinity by Department of Environmental Protection were dismissed. Under the same ordinance, Administrative Law Judge, Gerald A. Denaro dismissed the summons in 2003 rendered to the Yeshiva in Midwood regarding the blowing of the Sabbath horn. Bells ring in our communities. In Marine Park Brooklyn, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, St. Thomas Aquinas Roman Catholic, St. Columba Roman Catholic Church, and Good Shepherd Roman Catholic Church ring out the message of God’s presence in this community as well as to ring out the call to prayer. In our greater Metropolitan area, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, The Cathedral of St. John the Divine, Riverside Church, and many others ring their bells to proclaim God’s presence and publicly call people to prayer. Church Bells ring as part of the public ministry to which Jesus Christ has called all Christians, a voice that our great democracy has fought to guarantee will not be silenced.
Rev. Dr. Kipp W. Zimmermann, Pastor Friday, June 22, 2007 |
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Musical Selection is provided from the
Lutheran Book of Worship
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