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The Oklahoma United Methodist Contact
January 3, 2024
Late choir director inspired new leaders to crack the code of inter-generational collaboration BY JOAN CUNDIFF HUBBARD
I
n 1987, our choir director Jane Armstrong showed up at Perkins First UMC like Mary Poppins with multiple black suitcases and a smile on her face. She had purchased some handbells in honor of her mother, Catherine Bell, and decided to organize a handbell choir (Jane had formerly
been a director of the handbell choir at Stillwater First United Methodist Church). Jane began recruiting immediately and had a way of getting people to agree with just about anything. Before we knew it, we had a handbell choir consisting of about 10 people of various degrees of musical skills. Some of our original members were Dale Armstrong, Joan Hubbard, Paula
Focht, Dora Mercer, Ray Clark, Susan Blubaugh, George Hardin and Jerri Walters. Carletta Brown, a member of the First Baptist Church, would join us each week for practice. She would skip the services at her church to perform with us. Joining the adult choir later would be Deborah Allensworth, Velda Ewing, Becky Morton, and our pastor Susan Ross
The Perkins First UMC handbell choir has members ranging from 10 to 77, and works hard every year to bring a joyful noise each Christmas season with their lovely ringing. Submitted photo.
