area3.handbellmusicians.orgArea 3 Handbell Musicians - Promoting the Art of Handbell Ringing

Representing handbell ringers from Delaware, Maryland, Washington, D.C., Virginia, and North Carolina and promoting the musical art of handbell ringing HOME About Blog Bell-O-Gram EVENTS EVENTS CALENDAR Event Submission Form Holiday Handbell Concerts Blast Off to Bells Area 3 Spring Festivals Area 3 Youth Festival Workshop Submissions SERVICES Bell Sub List CHIME Loan Program CHIME Grant Program Classifieds Composers Local Event Seed Money NetworkingMentoring Scholarships Meet the Board Contact Us Upcoming Events May 11 1:00 pm Dance is the Rhythm of Life – First State Ringers May 11 4:00 pm Songs Around the World – Wilmington Handbell Ensemble May 11 7:00 pm Concordia Handbells in Concert May 12 7:00 pm Concordia Handbells in Concert May 14 7:00 pm Dance is the Rhythm of Life – First State Ringers May 19 7:00 pm Virginia Bronze presents Through Time and Space” View Calendar Quick Links Holiday Handbell Concerts Event Calendar Classifieds Area 3 Spring Festivals Latest News Bells After School – a new way to look at handbells for kids! Bells After School – a new way to look at handbells for kids! by Neesa Hart, Programming Director of the Stafford Regional Handbell Society My advanced youth ensemble had their concert recently, and I happened to arrive at our rehearsal/performance studio just as the... read more WTOP Interviews Alan Payne Alan Payne was recently interviewed by WTOP (a local radio station) about the "Music To Free" handbell program in senior living facilities. You can read the full article and listen to the audio clip here: Handbells ring true in keeping seniors sharp, engaged and... read more Representing handbell ringers from Delaware, Maryland, Washington, D.C., Virginia, and North Carolina, and promoting the musical art of handbell ringing Popular Links Bell-O-Gram Classifieds Events Calendar NetworkingMentoring CHIME Loan Program CHIME Grant Program Online Resources Handbell Musicians of America Handbell-L on Facebook Handbell-L on Google Frustrated Friends of Finale Follow Follow © 2021 Handbell Musicians of America Kerry Johnston, Chair-Elect (2025) Kerry Johnston is Director of Music Ministry at First United Methodist Church in Cary, North Carolina. At First Methodist, he oversees a music ministry of 400 participants from kindergarten through adult, with a graded handbell program of over 80 participants. He served churches in Texas and Arkansas, before moving to North Carolina. Kerry holds a Bachelor of Music in organ performance from Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas, and a Master of Sacred Music jointly from Perkins School of Theology/Southern Methodist University in Dallas. Kerry has been involved with handbells since 1974, when he borrowed a 2-octave set of PetitFritsen bells to spur interest in the church he was serving. That started a long association with handbells and bell ringers. Kerry served previously on the AGEHR Area VI board as Arkansas State Chair, and on the HMA Area 3 board as North Carolina State Chair. He was the founding director of Ozark Bronze, an auditioned community ensemble in Northwest Arkansas. Kerry has conducted massed ringing at festivals and taught numerous classes at workshops. He is also a composer and arranger, with handbell pieces currently in print with Beckenhorst Press, Lorenz Publishing, and Choristers Guild. Karen Strausser, Treasurer (2025) Karen Strausser began ringing bells in 1982 when her church started a handbell group for youth and was hooked instantly. She remembers the first time they played in church, the run started in the bass and ended there as well – learned, don’t listen to your neighbors but watch the director! Karen tried all the bells from bass to treble and liked the challenge of ringing more than one bell at a time. She then branched out into solo and ensemble ringing and still does that as often as she can. Karen is the crazy ringer that only missed one rehearsal after the birth of her twins (her third daughter was born in the summer). Karen has rung with Charlotte Bronze Handbell Ensemble and subbed in various groups across NC. She currently directs at two churches in Winston Salem, NC, and also a handbell rotation in a summer music camp. The rest of Karen’s time has been spent working in office management in the private sector and finance for a non-profit as well as state and local government agencies. Karen is married to Dave (who prefers being a roadie to ringing) and they have three adult daughters (all bell ringers) and one son-in-law. Tammera Missel, Events Coordinator Tammera has been an active member of Virginia Handbell Consort since January 2015 and Handbell Musicians of America since June 2014. She started ringing handbells/handchimes in 1991 at FUMC Kerrville, Texas. Tammera started playing piano as a young girl and picked up the clarinet in the 6th grade (only because the band director would not let her start on oboe!). She finally switched to oboe in the 7th grade and continued through her junior year of college, while also playing baritone in marching band. After a break from music while serving our country in the U.S. Navy and having a child, she joined one of the handbell choirs at FUMC Round Rock, Texas and continued to grow as a musician. Tammera is the handbell director at Trinity UMC in Smithfield, and enjoys ringing at various churches in Hampton Roads as a solo ringer. She is always looking for ways to bring the art of handbell ringing to others and expanding the art of ringing. She enjoys thinking outside the box and problem solving and has a passion for the art of handbells! Tammera holds her Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice. When she’s not ringing handbells or directing, she enjoys being a Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant, spending time outdoors, spending time with family, and traveling! Laura Swafford, Board Member (2023) Bio coming soon! Dottie Tweedie, Board Member (2025) Bio coming soon! Debra LeBrun, Webmaster Debra LeBrun received her B. Mus. from Syracuse University and her M.M. in Organ Performance from the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign. In October 2010 she became the full-time Director of Music for Raleigh Court United Methodist Church in Roanoke, VA after serving for 24 years as the Minister of Music for the Congregational Church of Littleton, MA. She has been a professional musician for over 30 years, working as a church music director and organist, conductor, accompanist, director for musical theater and opera productions, teacher of piano and organ, and as a handbell clinician. Debra’s love affair with handbells began in college and handbells have played an important role in her life ever since. She is a past member of the New England Ringers and now performs regularly as a handbell soloist. Debra has served on the Handbell Musicians of America Area I Board as Secretary and Chair and the Area 3 Board as State Chair, Member-at-large, and Webmaster, as well as being involved in organizing and teaching at many handbell events throughout New England and in Virginia. She has attended six International Handbell Symposiums and was selected to be in the All-Star Choir representing the United States at the 2012 International Symposium in Liverpool, England. Neesa Hart, Board Member (2025) Neesa Hart began playing handbells in 4th grade at First Baptist Church in Richmond, VA. After six years of highly unsuccessful piano lessons, she persuaded her mother to let her make the switch. Thus began a life-long love of handbell musicianship and the relationships, experiences, and musical camaraderie that comes with ringing. She is the program manager for the Stafford Regional Handbell Society — a community ringing organization in the Fredericksburg, VA area. She is responsible for concert planning for the Society’s 9 ringing ensembles, inventory and maintenance of the equipment, and administration of the Society’s Bells After School program — a music instruction program for...