Pipe organ wisdom Congregations share experience of replacing a beloved instrument By Mark K. Brewer


Photo: Hybben Photography Music is central to Lutheran worship. For


centuries the pipe organ has been the instrument of choice to lead choirs and congregations in praising God through music. How does the pipe organ endure over such alter-


natives as electronic instruments? Sound quality and longevity are the two principal factors. When faced with the challenge of replacing their pipe organ in a sustainable manner, the following congregations also found doing so was surprisingly affordable.


Recycle, upcycle: Buying used Community of Christ Lutheran, Whitehouse, Ohio, had a 25-year-old Rodgers electronic organ that needed speaker upgrades to keep up with congregational growth. Eventually plans to build a larger sanctuary


included replacing the Rodgers. Pam Davis, the congregation’s music director, considered a variety of pipe organs, electronic organs and electronic hybrids with wind-driven pipes in the bass to complement digitally sampled sounds. In the end,


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Davis said they “settled on a pipe organ mainly for longevity. If you maintain it, a pipe organ will last an incredibly long time.” The Reuter Organ Co., Lawrence, Kan.,


suggested a used instrument. That option ended up being the right choice for Community of Christ. Members purchased a 1985 18-rank Reuter pipe organ from a Baptist congregation in Oklahoma, which Reuter moved to Ohio and reinstalled in the new sanctuary, with some modifications. Davis said there was concern in the congregation


over cost, but the final price of the upcycled Reuter, which cost $219,000 to move, reinstall and upgrade in 2008, was half of what a new pipe organ of the same size would have been. They financed the organ by adding it to their building loan. “The bank looked upon that favorably as collateral,” Davis said. Once they heard how the organ enhanced


congregational singing, some skeptics were appeased, Davis said. “I’ve had people say that it’s so much easier to sing to this instrument,” she added. “It makes the choir sound much better. It enhances everything we do.”


CONGREGATIONAL LIFE


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