These are the best of chimes

Elise Gee

With his hearing aids turned down, Dave Lester can tolerate standing in

the cross hairs of the four loudspeakers that hang in the bell tower of

the First United Methodist Church.

The reverberating gongs coming from the landmark at 420 W. 19th Street

seem loud enough to crumble the 71-year-old stuccoed walls of the

historic church.

Out of service for more than two years, the bells at First Methodist are

ringing again.

“On some days when the air is dry, you can hear them for miles,” Lester

said. “But on a day like this, when the condensation is thick, you can

only hear them for one or two.”

Still, one or two miles is enough for the pealing bells to reach the ears

of thousands. In addition to the chimes that sound off every 15 minutes,

hymns are played on the hour, Lester said.

Rev. Richard Ewing said the bells are an invitation to the people of

Costa Mesa.

“It’s our ministry to the community to let them know we’re there with

open hearts and open doors,” Ewing said, adding that the church also just

completed a renovation of its sanctuary and exterior.

So far, it’s making a difference. More people are dropping by the church

and members have been hearing positive comments from the community.

For an aging congregation, this type of outreach is important. Some

church members have been coming since the 1930s, when they were small

children.

The church was built with a bell in its tower, but that bell was removed

long ago and now sits in front of the church to complement a sign there.

Before Bethel Towers was built in the 1960s, the church’s bell tower was

the tallest structure in the city.

Although many structures have long surpassed First Methodist in height,

members hope the chimes will give the church a distinction all its own.

Church members said they have extra appreciation for the bell tower

because it acts as a buffer to the busy intersections and strip malls

nearby. Having the chimes ring throughout the day gives the urban area a

small-town feel, said Betty Decker.

“You don’t hear that in many places anymore,” she said.