St. Paul Lutheran Church
& Early Childhood Ministry
Bell Tower Installation
Describe your image
Describe your image
Progression of Chapel Rehabilitation
Removal of the Narthex
The Chapel Bell has been on display for several months in the gathering space. On May 10, 2022 it was taken over to The Verdin Company in Cincinnati, OH to be cleaned up. A new bell tower has been designed and is currently under construction to showcase the bell in front of St. Paul. The bell will be incorporated into regular use calling people to worship on Sunday mornings and at other designated services. We anticipate the dedication of the bell tower in the fall of 2023, just in time to celebrate the 175th anniversary of St. Paul Lutheran Church.
 Warren Scheidt is assisting with the removal of the bell from display inside St. Paul Lutheran Church. |  |  |
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 The bell is being taken to The Verdin Company to be restored. |  |  |
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 |  Our bell weighs 1,000 lb. not including the yoke. It has a bottom diameter of 38". We were told that our bell has a very beautiful patina, which is seldom seen. This means that our bell was well protected from the weather while in the Chapel bell tower. |  These are the church members (and wives) serving on the Planning Team for this exciting project. They traveled to Cincinnati to take a tour of the Verdin Company. |
 |  |  Verdin can cast new bells. They have a foundry and this is one of their molds. |
 The large box is what holds the mold for the bell. The circular tank behind it is what holds and heats the bronze to a temperature of 1600 degrees. It is tipped and poured into the mold. It must sit for 24-48 hours before the mold can be opened. |  Once removed from the mold, the bell comes out dirty and black. Once the ash is cleaned off, the design is carefully detailed and then polished. |  Here is an example of a bell with a beautiful pattern showing the design and wording. |
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 Once our bell is cleaned, it will look like this one - all bright and shiny. This will last several years before a new patina forms on the bell. |  |  |
 The Verdin Company makes clocks, too. They are very large clocks that sit outside on detailed painted aluminum poles or hang on buildings. |  |  |
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Historical Timeline
St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church
of Clifty and vicinity of Columbus, Indiana
1848 St. Paul founded with Rev. Carl Frinke of St. John's Lutheran Church at White Creek
serving as the first pastor.
1852 The congregation purchased fourteen acres for $100. A log church and a log cabin
parsonage were constructed. Rev. J. Rauschert was called as the first resident pastor.
1858 A frame church was erected and dedicated.
1887 Construction began on a brick church (the chapel) with dedication in 1888.
1928 Stained glass windows installed in the chapel, in commemoration of the congregation's
80th anniversary.
2009 Dedication of the present worship facility.
2022 Bell extraction and Chapel rehabilitation
2023 Bell installed in newly constructed bell tower.
Chapel circa 1900.
Chapel altar, pulpit, and baptismal font with the pulpit directly above the altar.