Faces
Dream come true—with 64 years at organ E
dith Roe can remember look- ing across agricultural fields through the window of her high school at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Cordova, Md., and hoping one day she could play organ there. That wish became a reality—and remained a dream ful- filled for more than 60 years.
Beginning as a vaca-
tion substitute and tak- ing over full time nine years later, Roe, now 81, is coming to the end of her 64-year journey as St. Paul’s organist. She has served with 11 pastors and played music and settings from five different hymnals. “I’m a little country girl,” Roe said. “I took piano lessons, but nobody taught me to play organ. I taught myself by ear. The first organ St. Paul had was a manual organ like a lot of people had in their homes, with two pedals. There was a mouse that used to come out and sit on his hind legs, looking around, listening. Of course, even with it there, I had to keep playing.”
Roe planned to retire in 1987 but
relented to the continued requests for her services. “Her music is an uplifting experi- ence,” said Gwen Smith, a member since 1978. “The church truly appre-
100 plus birthdays
One of greatest challenges Edith Roe met as an organist was accompanying services in German: “I don’t speak German. So I would always have to tell the pastor to turn and nod when I was supposed to play since I couldn’t follow along.”
ciates her. We will miss her talent.” Scott Weidler, ELCA pro- gram director for worship and music, said it’s important to not only appreciate the work of Roe and others but to work toward finding people to take their place. “Many congrega- tions have been faithfully served
for decades by musicians like Edith Roe,” he said. “But in most places today we can’t count on servants like this being available. Congregations need to be intentional about raising up and supporting musicians to lead the song of God’s people, a vital part of Christian worship, especially for Lutherans.” The Leadership Program for Musicians (
www.lpm-online.org), supported
by the ELCA and the Episcopal Church, can provide valuable training for congregational musicians, he added. (To start a program in your area, contact Weidler at 773-380-2554 or
scott.weidler@elca.org.) A driving force for Roe is knowing the impact music can make on worship- ers. “Even if you don’t get something from the sermon, you can get something from the words you’re singing,” she said. “I have trouble quoting Scripture because I’m terrible at memorizing things, but the words from hymns have meaning and I remember those.” In her decades of service Roe has learned new hymns to keep St. Paul in communion with the wider church. For her, playing the organ has always been an offering to God and the community. She finds joy in her music but also in providing it for others. “I’ve loved playing the organ and hate to give it up, but my body won’t do what I want it to do anymore,” Roe said. After 64 years, she is finally ready to retire and looks forward to letting her body rest.
Casey Cep
Cep, a writer from Maryland, is studying at Yale Divinity School, New Haven, Conn., seeking ordi- nation in the ELCA. Jeff Favre, The Lutheran’s contributing editor, contributed to this article.
108: Ida Steiner, St. John, Hicksville, Ohio. 104: Marguerite Smith, Paradise, Treasure Island, Fla.; Louise Streedain, Trin- ity, Galesburg, Ill.; Frances Whitney, Trinity, Loveland, Colo. 103: Lena Michael, Bethlehem, Encinitas, Calif. 102: Elinor Christianson, Our Savior, Muskegon, Mich. 100: Alfred Amundson, Trinity, Moorhead, Minn.; Christine Faulstich, Our Sav- ior, Highmore, S.D.; Alois Geisler, Christ our Emmanuel, Chatham, N.Y.; Anna Holst, Our Savior, Lyle, Minn.; Faye Hunt, Redeemer, Brook Park, Ohio; Mildred Myers, Messiah, Railroad, Pa.; Helen Hilleson Olson, Ascension, Thousand Oaks, Calif.; Dolores Pumphrey, Nativity, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.; Erna Rathmann, Resurrection, Huntington Beach, Calif.; Ethel Reuter, Lord of Life, Schaumburg, Ill.; Virginia Simpson, Macedonia, Burlington, N.C.; Evelyn Wilson, Zion, Frederic, Wis.
December 2013 43
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