Texas churches mark SMU Centennial with celebratory pealing of bells

DALLAS (SMU) – Church bells at United Methodist churches across Texas rang at noon, Thursday, Sept. 24, in honor of Southern Methodist University's Centennial Commemoration. The bells rang 10 times, once for each decade of SMU's existence, followed by celebratory peals.

SMU is marking the centennial of its founding in 1911 and its opening in 1915, with a celebratory weekend of events Sept. 23-27. The University is highlighting its relationship with the founding Methodist Church, its surrounding community and 100 years of accomplishments by students, faculty and alumni. 

Thursday's commemoration ceremony began at 10 a.m. with a change ringing ceremony, a celebratory bell tradition that dates to the Middle Ages. In “change ringing,” the bells produce a series of mathematical patterns called “changes” rather than a conventional melody. Members of SMU's Carillon Guild will perform 100 mathematical sequences from the SMU carillon in the cupola atop Fondren Science Building.

The following 30 United Methodist churches participated in celebratory bell ringing.

• Chinn's Chapel UMC, Lewisville
• Custer Road UMC, Plano
• First UMC Celina
• First UMC Coppell
• First UMC Dallas
• First UMC Frisco
• First UMC Gainesville
• First UMC Grand Prairie
• First UMC Irving
• First UMC Lancaster
• First UMC Richardson
• First UMC Sherman
• First UMC Sulphur Springs
• First UMC Terrell
• First UMC Tom Bean
• First UMC Wichita Falls
• Forestburg UMC
• Grace UMC, Sherman
• Highland Park UMC
• Lovers Lane UMC
• New Covenant UMC, Mesquite
• Paradise UMC
• Pleasant Valley UMC, Sachse
• Plymouth Park UMC, Irving
• Poetry UMC, Terrell
• Ridgewood Park UMC, Irving
• Saint Jo UMC
• Whitewright/Marvin UMC

For more information about SMU Centennial visit smu.edu.

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