Carolyn began her love for handbells in 1993 when she got hooked while ringing at her hometown church in Libtertyville. She continued ringing bells through high school and while in college at Purdue University. After graduating with a degree in Civil Engineering, Carolyn moved to Boston and rang with the Back Bay Ringers and the Merrimack Valley Ringers. She recently relocated back to the Chicagoland area and works in project management for a large General Contractor. Carolyn also enjoys exploring new places, dabbling in photography, and doing anything crafty in her spare time!

Sarah started ringing bells in 1987 at First United Methodist Church in Hammond, IN.  Sarah has a bachelor of science degree in marketing from Northern Illinois University and is employed at The Johnsson Group in Chicago.  She enjoys traveling (especially visiting her sister overseas), reading, music, movies, and, of course, spending time with her friends and family.

Darren has been ringing handbells since 1979, ever since his mom made him join the church choir (way to go, Mom!). In addition to ringing, he loves to travel—the Philippines, Korea, Ireland, Mexico, Costa Rica, Canada, Russia, Switzerland, China, Germany, England, Italy, Puerto Rico...and counting! Darren recently finished his MBA at Kellogg and is presently the Director of Operations Improvement at Advocate South Suburban Hospital.

Debbie earned degrees in Mathematics from Purdue University and has worked as a high school math and computer science teacher, as an educational technology manager, and currently teaches at a community college. She began ringing handbells in 1986 in Indianapolis. Debbie loves the constant musical challenge, the opportunity to play in beautiful venues, and the unique experience of meeting and working with handbell composers and arrangers through Agape events. She and her husband, Greg, play in the Altar Bells at Gary UMC in Wheaton, where she also plays piano for the Celebration Singers and the Men’s Chorus. For fun, Debbie loves gardening, quilting, and playing games.

Linda has been ringing handbells since 1998, when she learned under the direction of fellow Agape member, Kim Ahlgrim. She is the Handbell Director at Bethel UCC in Elmhurst, where she directs the youth and adult ensembles. In addition, she also teaches preschool music classes at Bethel Learning Center. Linda has a degree in computer science and worked for IBM, where she met her husband, Jack. They have two middle school children, Eric and Emily. In her free time, Linda can be found attending children’s soccer and basketball games and various children’s instrumental and vocal concerts. She enjoys reading, listening to music, movies, and spending time with her family and friends.

Andrew started his journey with handbells in 2003, playing with the choirs at Western Springs Baptist Church. During his undergraduate studies at Baylor University (2004–2009), he played with Council Oak Bells of First United Methodist Church of Round Rock, TX (2007–2009), and also as a charter member of the Baylor Bronze. Andrew is currently a PhD student in Molecular Biology at Loyola University Medical Center, doing work in retroviruses and cancer.

Karen started ringing bells while in elementary school in New Jersey. She rang through college at Bucknell University and in several church and community groups in the northeast, including being a charter member of the Back Bay Quartet in Boston. After completing her PhD in Virology at Harvard Medical School Karen moved to Evanston for a post-doctoral fellowship at Northwestern University, where she studies the influenza virus. In her free time, Karen enjoys running, riding her horse, and rooting for the Boston sports teams.

Sharon holds degrees in chemical engineering and worked for BP–Amoco in a past life. A ringer since the ’70s, she directs Altar Bells at Gary UMC in Wheaton.  Her company, Bronze Ringing Resources, offers handbell lessons, workshops, and sweat-equity maintenance service. She serves on the Illinois State Board for AGEHR, and is beginning a three–year term as chair of the AGEHR national event Distinctly Bronze. Her husband, Gerry, supports her bell habit by cheerfully scheduling their vacations (including scuba diving) around concerts and events.

A charter member of Agape, Kim has been ringing since 1986…in ensembles and as 1/4 of the quartet “Quadrille.” She is currently “back in the classroom” to become a physical therapist assistant after many years in education, so she is juggling work, clinicals, study, and…bells. Kim’s daughter, Allison, a recent graduate of NYU, is currently teaching in France and her son, Nathan, is a senior in high school.

KC, a charter member of Agape, has been ringing handbells since 1978 and directing since she was seventeen. She is currently the Handbell Director for St. Matthew UCC in Wheaton and for First Congregational Church of Western Springs. Besides directing, KC also teaches piano. She is married to a lumberjack who fells trees, while she dodges them. At present, KC is the only member of The Agape Ringers to own a purple hot rod with pink seats.

Kristin is the Library Director at Hubble Middle School in Wheaton, IL, and has been ringing handbells since 1988.  She is originally from Coeur d’Alene, ID, and came to the Midwest to attend Wheaton College.  In addition to ringing, Kristin plays flute, piano, and Irish whistle, reads voraciously, and enjoys chocolate in all of its many forms! She is also the proud parent of a rescued dog, Penny, a yellow Lab mix.

Kristin has been ringing since 1990, having started out at Santa Maria in Mundelein.  In college, she performed with the Purdue Bell Choir and pursued a civil engineering degree in her free time. Kristin currently designs roads as a Senior Project Engineer at Civiltech Engineering in Itasca and directs Glory Ringers at Gary Church in Wheaton. She also serves as the Illinois State Chair for AGEHR Area VIII and recently discovered the joys of home ownership in the brand new home she and her husband, Joe, had built.

Karl currently serves the First Congregational UCC in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, as Organist and Director of Handbell Choirs. He started ringing in 1974, and has been conducting handbell groups since 1980. Karl has led handbell classes and workshops held at various local and regional events during recent years in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Wisconsin. He is a published composer of handbell music and considers bass-bell ringing his specialty, for which he is most happy to make the 240–mile round trip trek to each Monday night rehearsal with Agape. Karl and his wife, the Reverend Joan, have one son, Nathan

David L. Weck is founder and director of The Agape Ringers, and now in his 18th year with this organization. He is also full–time music editor with Agape/Hope Publishing Company of Carol Stream, Illinois, where he is responsible for the handbell catalog consisting of more than 800 titles. David is in demand as clinician throughout the year and has been director of numerous local and national handbell events, including the 2004 International Handbell Symposium in Toronto, the 2008 International Symposium in Orlando, Florida. and most recently, the 2010 International Symposium in Osaka, Japan. In 2005, he served as guest conductor for the Summer Workshop of The Handbell Ringers of Japan. It was a special honor for David to serve as a guest conductor at the 2009 Distinctly Bronze, held in New Bern, NC. David has served on the national board of the AGEHR and was given the Midwest States’ Area VIII Outstanding Service Award from the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers. For 40 years, David has been involved in choral music through music education, church music, and as assistant director of the Chicago Community Renewal Chorus. He and his wife, Jane Holstein, reside in Wheaton, Illinois, where they enjoy spending their spare time with grandchildren, Becky and Jack.