8:00 am - Holy Eucharist, Rite I
9:30 am - Christian Education (Sept to June 2nd)
10:30 am - Holy Eucharist, Rite II
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Organ Restoration FAQs
What will we have for music this summer?
The answer is a bit of variety! We will use the piano, which is already in the church, with Dr. Kriewald up front and able to see the congregation singing as he plays. Other musicians will be helping occasionally with guitars. We will chant and even use times of silence. All of these are ways offer praise to God in our worship, in addition to singing.
Why not rent some type of organ?
The committee discussed this option. The committee hopes the absence of the sound of organ music will help the community remember what we are doing this summer and raise the congregation’s excitement to have the organ back in the fall. (Absence makes the heart grow fonder!) Also, the committee would like to keep financial resources going towards the renovation. While we are approaching our goal to cover the costs for the renovations, we are not there yet; so, the piano and other music help to save money.
Is there a deadline for returning our pledges?
There is no official deadline for the campaign, as we will always take a pledge. However, the Finance Committee is working on establishing amounts and timelines for payments while the pledges are paid. To help them with this work, if you could return the pledge cards as soon as you can, this would help the work of the Finance Committee.
Is there an opportunity to have one of the clergy or members of the Organ Committee or Vestry talk with people one on one to answer more specific questions?
Yes, of course. You can call or email the Church Office to set up a time with the clergy, Or, you are welcome to talk with or contact committee members directly (Bryan Gray, Tom Ellington, Harry Poling, Phil Sargent, Jim Kriewald). We know that people want to help with this campaign, and we want to be sure to answer all of your questions as best we can!
Will the organ be louder when it's finished?
The changes being made to the organ will not make it louder. The organ will have a wider variety of sounds and the tonal changes will give it a much warmer and richer sound. The very high sounding pipes, called mixtures, the trend at the time that the organ was installed, will be tempered and will be more pleasant to the ear.
Why were those high pitches on the original organ in the first place?
The organ was that was installed was referred to as a "Neo-Baroque" organ, a term used many ways, one being for instruments that were installed that copied the sounds of the organs of Bach's time, called the Baroque period. That type of organ building emphasized the mixtures (high pitches), and they did not have a great deal of middle or bottom sound to them. They were, and still are, terrific in interpreting much organ literature, especially that music written between 1685-1750.
How have organs changed over time?
In many ways, organs are like cars - both go through significant changes almost yearly. Over the last 35 years, the basic goals of the organ have not changed, but what people expect an organ to sound like has changed. Many present-day organs have moved away from the "Neo-Baroque" tradition, which was quite bright, with little "middle" to the sound and not much bottom, to a richer, fuller (but not louder), warmer English-type sound.
The new 16' swell to great coupler will allow the organist to interpret more literature (from that written hundreds of years ago to that written in the present day) more authentically, closer to how the composer intended it to sound. It will also bring considerable "breadth" to the sound, eliminating the need for so many higher sounding pitches. The new pedal notes (32' resultant) that will be added will give the organ much needed warmth, especially in very soft music, like that played during communion and in accompanying the choir during softer passages. it will be quite beautiful. The refurbished instrument, when it is installed and re-voiced, will fit our worship space beautifully. The congregation will immediately appreciate its beauty, its warmth and its luscious, rich new sound.