Martha
Lynn Thompson was the
Organist and Associate Director of Music at St. James
United Methodist Church in Little Rock, Arkansas from
1969 until her retirement in July 2002. Her husband,
Felix, was the Director of Music and jointly they directed
the handbell program. Under their leadership, the St.
James Music Ministry grew from 2 to 20 choirs, including
13 bell choirs. Prior to coming to St. James, Martha
Lynn taught junior high school choral music and, with
her husband, developed a graded choral and handbell program
at the Methodist Children's Home in Little Rock. In 1989
she was elected National Secretary of the American Guild
of English Handbell Ringers, Inc. and for two years served
on its Board of Directors. She served on the National
Board of Directors of Choristers Guild for six years,
serving as Secretary/Treasurer for the last three of
those years.
In
1995 the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers conferred
upon Martha Lynn the status of Master Instructor of Handbell
Notation.
In 2001 she was granted an Honorary Life Membership in the American Guild of
English Handbell Ringers. "This status, deemed to be the highest honor
which the AGEHR can bestow, is reserved for individuals of the highest caliber
who have made outstanding contributions to the art of handbell ringing."
Mrs. Thompson is a graduate of Henderson State University where she received
her Bachelor of Music Education degree with a major in organ and theory. She
has more than 230 published arrangements and transcriptions that range from
music for the beginning bell choir to music for the most advanced choirs. With
Frances Callahan she has written five series of music books for the beginning
handbell choirs. There are thirteen collections in the Begin to Ring, Ready
to Ring, Clapper Classics, Key Rings, and Classic Rings series.
Alone she has authored other collections for beginning and intermediate bell
choirs, Rhythm and Bells, three collections in the Time to Ring series,
two collections of Christmas music entitled Hear the Bells at Christmas,
and Hymns of Joy and Praise, Vol. II. She also has two published organ
transcriptions, is the author of a handbook for directors and ringers entitled Bell,
Book, and Ringer, and the author of a book for beginning directors and
choirs entitled Handbell Helper.
On the AGEHR National level, Martha Lynn has served on numerous committees
and currently she serves as Member-at-large on the Communications Committee.
In her retirement, as a volunteer she continues to direct two handbell choirs
at St. James UMC, to work behind the scenes with the St. James Alumni Ringers
which her husband directs, and to be active as an arranger of handbell music.
Handbell
music by Martha Lynn Thompson
Organ
music by Martha Lynn Thompson
