A row of Las Vegans stand at the front of the First United Presbyterian altar prior to Sunday service, smarty dressed in white dress shirts and black cotton gloves. They wait, each holding the handle of a gilded bell.
Conductor Karyl Lyne raises her arms, pointing at one ringer, then another, coaxing tones into the sanctuary. A cascade of clear chimes fills the space. The music is gentle, familiar, reminiscent of Christmas, of old-fashioned weddings. The ringers concentrate, lifting each bell and thrusting it with precision.