A church in Santo Domingo may be the first congregation in the Dominican Republic with a chime choir, thanks to the missions efforts of musicians from a South Carolina church.
David Flores, minister of music at Iglesia de Convertidos a Cristo, leads the newly formed chime choir during the church’s recent 30th-anniversary celebration.In June, 12 members of the Joyful Noise handbell choir from Lexington Baptist Church traveled to Santo Domingo for the purpose of training ringers, as well as donating and delivering a three-octave set of Schulmerick tone chimes to the Iglesia de Convertidos a Cristo (Church of the Converted to Christ).
David Flores is minister of music at the church and was formally trained in handbells in Venezuela under Larry Rice, who was a missionary there and is now minister of music at Six Mile Baptist Church. Jos? R. Mall?n Malla is pastor of Iglesia de Convertidos a Cristo, which he began in 1981.
The Lexington mission team demonstrated how the chimes could be used not only within their church facility for worship, but also in ministry outside the church, said Dan Williams, Lexington’s minister of music. The Lexington team played at an orphanage, a nursing home and a shopping mall, and gave two days of training to the beginner choir.
At the closing concert on a Sunday night, the Santo Domingo chime choir played two selections. “After they played for the first time, their congregation rose in a standing ovation,” Williams said.
Lexington Baptist Church ringers instruct members of a Santo Domingo church in the techniques of playing tone chimes.The newly trained chime choir also played recently at the church’s 30th anniversary celebration.
“To see that this new chime choir is well established – is such a cause for praise,” Williams said. “To our knowledge, this is the only chime choir in the Dominican Republic.”
In an e-mail message to the Santo Domingo ringers, Williams wrote: “We here at Lexington Baptist are so very proud of you and we love you all dearly. Please keep making beautiful music unto our Lord with the gifts God has bestowed upon you!”
Williams said he looks forward to visiting the church again next April when the South Carolina Baptist Singing Churchmen travel there.