More than 100 church bells are expected to ring across the Twin Cities on Saturday, calling for togetherness in a time when Minnesotans navigate tension with immigration actions in the state and mourn the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, two community members who were killed by federal immigration agents.
“Bells signal our oneness as a people,” organizer Rebecca Jorgenson-Sundquist said. “They remind us of our capacity to be united. They stir our hearts to redouble our commitment to American ideals of freedom and justice for all. We believe that the bells sound messages of hope that one day our community will be whole.”
Jorgenson-Sundquist started City of Bells, an organization whose goal is to “celebrate the many bronze bell installations in the Twin Cities through discovery, education and promotion,” 11 years ago. Typically, the group coordinates churches, state buildings and other bell-bearing entities in ringing their bells in unison on the Fourth of July, Juneteenth and Veterans Day. But at noon Saturday, a day with no particular name, bells will ring during a time where words fail, Jorgenson-Sundquist said.
“With all of the chaos and heartbreak going on, I think all of us are asking ourselves, ‘What can we do? What can we do to make a difference?’ And I thought, ringing the bells is perfect, because to me, when I hear a big bell ringing, it’s like God is saying, ‘Be not afraid. I am with you,’ ” Jorgenson-Sundquist said.
The bells will be heard far and wide, Jorgenson-Sundquist said, as she’s reached out to over 200 churches and buildings with bells to participate in the initiative.
“I think that any bell that is in good working order will be joining us in ringing,” Jorgenson-Sundquist said.
The bells, which ring for all, she said, will provide people with an opportunity to step outside, pause, listen and contemplate. She said there is no political agenda behind the ringing of the bells, but the bells are delivering a message.
“We just really want the bells to be used as a force for good,” Jorgenson-Sundquist said. “We know that everybody’s hearts are aching, no matter what side of the political spectrum we’re on; it’s just an awful thing for our cities to experience, and it takes a long time to recover, and we want to be a part of the recovery.”
Jorgenson-Sundquist said she’s working to see if prominent leaders or politicians in Minnesota would speak and offer an opportunity for community members to gather on Saturday, possibly at the Liberty Bell on the state Capitol grounds in St. Paul. She said any of the leaders or their representatives who signed a letter calling for “immediate de-escalation of tensions” in the state are also invited to join.
Some of the churches expected to ring their bells on Saturday include House of Hope Presbyterian in St. Paul, Central Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, St. Mark’s Cathedral in Minneapolis and Westminster Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis.
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