Meet Rev. Mindy Bell
What is your favourite hymn - and why?
I like both old and new hymns. Of the traditional ones, I like O for a Thousand
Tongues to Sing. However, I like it best to the American tune, which is never one of
the tunes used here. I used to think of it as describing a great crowd of people praising God, but have more recently discovered that Charles Wesley meant that if he had 1,000 tongues he would use them all to praise God. Of the newer church songs, I like the Hymn of Promise, from the United Methodist Hymnal because of how it speaks of resurrection. Since I am sure it is unfamiliar, let me share a bit of the first verse with you.
In the bulb there is a flower, in the seed
an apple tree; in cocoons a hidden
promise; butterflies will soon be free! ...
unrevealed until its season, something
God alone can see."
Who, other than God and Jesus, is your favourite person from the Bible - and why?
I don't have a favourite, but someone whose story has stuck with me recently is
Esther. She was challenged to see that she had come into her position in the
King's house "for such a time as this" (Esther 4:14) so that she might save her
people. This story speaks to me of the importance of using what and who we are
in our ministry in the world. We all have a role to play in sharing God's love
wherever we find ourselves.
What is your favourite Christian festival - and why?
Besides Christmas & Easter, I have two other favourites (which are at less busy
times of year, allowing me more space to reflect on and enjoy them). The first is
Pentecost, which remembers the gift of the Holy Spirit. It is often called the
birthday of the Church and I appreciate that it reminds us that we are gifted and
empowered to get on with the work the church is called to do as Christ's Body.
My other favourite is All Saints Day. I appreciate the reminder of the long line of
faithful people from whom we inherited the faith tradition in which we stand and
the opportunity to think of how we want to pass it on to those who come after us.
When did you become ordained?
I was ordained on the 6th of July 2008 in Driffield. For me it was a very joyous
occasion that marked the end of 12 years in various stages of the candidacy
process in two different Methodist systems in two different countries. It was
important to me to have received the church's recognition of my calling and
giftedness for the Ordained Presbyterial Ministry.
What is your favourite holiday destination - and why?
I have been lots of great places, but when planning a trip I generally like to go
someplace I have never been before. There is so much of the world to explore!
That being said, while living in the UK I find my annual trip to The States
important because it allows me to reconnect with family and friends whom I miss.
On shorter holiday trips, I have enjoyed the opportunity to explore other parts of
Europe. If I was living in the American West, the geography would inspire me to
travel in Central America (where I spent 8 weeks in 2004 in a Spanish Language
Immersion course) or Southeast Asia.
What are your favourite foods?
Favourites... Oh, too many to name! I have been influenced by growing up in Los
Angeles, a city with huge immigrant communities, that I greatly enjoy eating food
from around the world.
What are your hobbies?
I enjoy creative pursuits that I can get my hands dirty with. In my free time I like
to cook, knit, and engage in other craft projects. For cooking, I am inspired by
Ready, Steady, Cook to see what I can do with the random contents of our fridge
and cupboard. I enjoy knitting and how it keeps my hands active. However, I
don't like having to pay attention to a pattern, so I am quite prolific in creation of
scarves (they are easy to make as they are long and straight). I also like to read
and watch comedies.
What is your favourite season of the year?
I love the Spring. I especially love the vibrant new growth green colour of plants
in the spring. There is nothing that can compare to the vibrancy of that
vulnerable new plant life emerging from the dull shades of winter.
Do you have a favourite Church? Tell me a little about it.
I grew up at First United Methodist Church of La Puente (in the Greater Los
Angeles area of California, USA). It isn't a big church (about 60-80 in worship on
Sundays), but it has personal significance as it is the church where my
grandparents, my parents, & Ted and I were married. It is the family of faith that
nurtured and loved me as I was growing up and for that I am grateful.
When do you feel closest to God?
Whenever I walk on the beach, the water, the power of the waves, the enormity of
the ocean, and my awe at it all inspires me to sing hymns. I love walking on the
beach mixing and matching verses I remember and singing loudly, confident that
the sound of the waves makes my singing a private prayer to God.
What is your favourite book, other than the Bible?
I don't like rereading things and don't have a favourite book. One book I have
reread and enjoyed is A Room with a View by E.M. Forster. I like both the book
and movie. I enjoy reading novels, especially historical fiction.