St. Luke’s United Methodist Church

Links to Carillon Inventories
GCNA	Tower Bells	Bok Tower Gardens

The family of Oklahoma City businessman Vernon V. Harris donated a 42-bell carillon cast by Petit and Fritsen in his memory. The carillon was dedicated September 16, 1956 by Robert Donnell.

The instrument was renovated in 2017.

References
1954 Vernon Vineyard Harris Sr. (16 Dec 1881 - 23 Apr 1954) grave

1956 "Fourteen Bells From Holland," The Daily Oklahoman, June 8, 1956, Page 24.

1956 "St. Luke's Carillon to be Dedicated Sunday at 4:00 P.M.," Oklahoma City Star, September 14, 1956, Page 13.
St. Luke's 42-bell, 15,000 pound carillon will be dedicated Sunday, September 16, by Robert Donnell, from Ottawa, Canada, when he presents a concert from the bell tower.
The carillon was a gift to the church by the family of the late Mr. Vernon V. Harris, to honor his memory.

2017 "Heading For Home" Renovations In Full Swing, February 15, 2017
The bells, which were shipped from Rotterdam, Netherlands, in 1956, were a gift to St. Luke’s from the family of the late Vernon V. Harris, a 42-year church member. The Harris Family Foundation initiated a major gift two years ago to spur the renovation of the Carillon. Their matching grant of $250,000 is making this work possible.
60 years of Oklahoma weather took its toll on the 185-foot Carillon, hindering its recent operation – but this restoration project will bring the bells into the 21st century. When they return later this year, they will be played manually or automatically with a new electronic device.

The St. Luke's Carillon | Carillon |
The St. Luke’s bells were a gift in the mid-1950’s from the late Vernon V. Harris and his family, as their part in construction of the Sanctuary. A lifetime St. Luke’s member, Mr. Harris died before the carillon’s dedication on September 16, 1956, and the bells are his memorial.
The St. Luke’s Carillon was dedicated on Sunday, September 16, 1956 with special guest carillonneur Robert Dunnell. Over the years the bells have been used to call people to worship and for such joyful occasions as weddings and concerts, the St. Luke’s carillon has also sounded for solemn events. At the request of the Governor, the carillon was rung on April 20, 1995, honoring all those killed in the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building the previous day.