Dedication of the bell an new bell tower at Bethel Lutheran Church was performed on Aug. 17 by Pastor Phil Ebert.
The bell was originally placed in the “Over the Top” elementary school in the Sweet Home area in about 1917.
Bethel purchased the bell in 1962 for $75 paid by the Helen Maier Memorial Fund. It was then installed in the steeple. The bell was removed from the steeple in 2002 due to the roof leaking.
The bell tower was designed and constructed as part of Heath Belknap’s Eagle Scout project. With the help of his family, Ben Dahlenburg’s and Al Grove’s shop classes at Sweet Home School and Troop 362, it was completed in May. More than 220 hours and more than 30 persons were involved in the project.
Wes Marchbanks created the metal sculpture designed to represent the Missouri Synod Lutheran Church in Oregon.
Elizabeth Brandt, Katie Hinton and Pastor Rollin Schalegar memorials provided funds for the supplies