“It’s not going well with the Beekse clock.” Thus begins the contribution of the treasurer of the parish of Saint Mary Magdalene in Prinsenbeek to the digital newsletter. The clock in the church tower hadn’t moved with the times in the last few months of last year. It was ten to nine for the Bekenaren all day long.
Repair of the timepiece would be very expensive. The necessary 25,000 euros were collected in the village via the ‘offering bowl’ and the timepiece was then repaired. With the renewal of the timepiece, the electronic ringing of the clocks, LED lighting on the dials and the gilding of the dial, the collected amount was already well spent.
“Three hundred donors who gave money for nothing through the repair. That would have been very embarrassing.”
The work was completed this summer vacation, but disaster struck again one week after the repair. On one side of the tower, the clock stopped again. This time at half past seven.
Sweat beaded on the treasurer’s forehead. Research showed that the drive motor on the side of the Market had a defect. Fortunately, malfunctions are covered by the warranty. Within a few weeks the clock should work again from all sides.
Much to the relief of the treasurer. He had been spared asking forgiveness from the entire parish. “The whole village had been involved in fundraising campaigns. About three hundred donors would have donated money for nothing to fix the watch. That would have been very embarrassing.”