As you may be aware, our pipe organ is currently out of commission. We are blessed to have an organ that is a combination of pipes and digital technology, so we are still able to use the instrument each Sunday. To give you an idea of what needs to be fixed to make the organ fully functional again:

Due to a leak, water got into the blower room. This moisture was then blown into the wind chests of the organ. Over time, this excess moisture built up in the wind chest, condensed and dripped from the roof of the chamber. There is evidence of water in the pipes and that water permeated the walls of one of the digital speakers. This moisture also corroded the valves which control when a pipe speaks and stops speaking. This resulted in a cipher, when the pipe continues to play and the organist has to climb into the organ chamber above the chancel and remove the pipe to make it stop playing.

As a result, all the pipes of the Swell division need to be removed, the wind chest flipped over, all the bottom boards removed and the damaged valves replaced. The pipes which were directly under the water source need to be removed, taken to the pipe shop, cleaned and refinished to avoid future corrosion and the need to replace. The Walker tone panel (part of the digital voices) should also be repaired or replaced.

It is also recommended that the leathers in the chest be replaced at the same time. This would result in one labor charge for the work. If we don't do the leathers now, in a short time they will begin to leak and an additional labor charge would be incurred to do this work separately.

In all, the grand total of the repair work needed is around $15,000.00. An organ fund has been established to begin the process of making these repairs happen. All contributions to be directed to this fund should be clearly marked “organ fund.” If you would like additional details on the repairs needed, please feel free to speak with me or Bill Paulic.

Dana Self, Director of Music Ministries