Campus belltower to ring 26 times on one-week anniversary
Belmont University is joining campuses and houses of worship around the country tomorrow morning in a movement to honor the 26 victims of the recent Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Conn.
At a press conference Monday, Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy asked churches, temples, mosques and other buildings throughout the state to ring 26 bells Friday morning to remember the victims of the Newtown shooting: “I’m asking that Friday, Dec. 21, at 9:30 a.m., exactly one week after the horror began to unfold in Newtown, that the entire state observe a moment of silence. And I’d like to ask those houses of worship or other buildings that have the ability to play bells to do so as well — 26 bells for the beautiful children and six wonderful adults who were killed at school that day.”
Since his request, numerous colleges, universities and houses of worship across the country have announced their plans to also pay tribute to those lost in last week’s tragic events. Belmont will join this movement tomorrow morning with a brief service at the campus Belltower. All campus and community members are invited to attend. The service will begin promptly at 8:30 a.m. Central (9:30 a.m. Eastern) with a tolling of 26 bells and a reading of each victim’s name. Following the bells, Vice President for Spiritual Development Todd Lake will lead those gathered in a brief scripture reading and prayer time. The service will conclude at 8:45 a.m. with a hymn played on the Belltower carillon.
