Organs:
A Natural Worship Leader

by Charity Plata

As a musical instrument with a rich and storied history dating all the way to the third century B.C. in Alexandria, organs are one of a few artistic creations that have stood the test of time. While the modes of operation have changed to incorporate today's digital technology, the aspect cherished most by churches is the classic sound an organ brings to their worship experience.

Form And Function

Borrowing from the Greek Syrinx and Pandean pipes, Ctesibus, a Greek inventor, fashioned an object of pipes capable of emitting varied booming and soft tones controlled by keys with levers and sliders. Water pressure in pipes combined with a wind supply helped to generate the sound output. Thus, the earliest embodiment of the organ was born circa 200 B.C. Now in 1998, organ makers have modern conveniences of electric tools and even computers to help construct a quality instrument. However, as Timothy Mann, director of marketing at Schantz Organ Co. in Orrville, Ohio, notes, for a pipe organ the root of its construction harkens back a few centuries.

"The actual practice of what is done in organ building has not changed a great deal since the 1600 and 1700s," he says. "Every pipe organ is built as a one-of-a-kind instrument that is custom designed for the musical and physical setting that will be the instrument's home. Literally, no two organs are alike, and although the physical specifications for them might be the same, the musical applications can be different because of the placement of the instrument in a particular church."

Pipe organs, contrary to popular belief, are not always large or require vast amounts of space within a facility. The instruments can be comprised of a single keyboard and a few ranks of pipes or can feature four or more consoles, numerous pedals and more than 100 sets of pipes. The Associated Pipe Organ Builders of America based in Chicago Ridge, Ill., notes that variables such as the number of choir members who sing accompaniments with the organ, the room's cubic air volume along with size, the acoustic quality of the room and the church's own music program all influence the size and space that a pipe organ will require. Additionally, pipes and other organ equipment can be manipulated within a space by vertical or horizontal mounting or by being cantilevered from walls.

"The best placement for the instrument is on a center axis of the entire building shooting down the length of the nave," says Jack Jenkins, director of international and domestic sales for the Highland, Ill.,-based Wicks Organ Co. "Normally, choirs are put on that same axis. The best placement is organist, choir and organ down the length of the nave.

"That is where we can get creative with the installation," he continues. "If we don't have height, we can combine electronic and pipe organs to utilize technology and still supply the needs."

Sometimes effective installation in a church is a challenge, especially in new buildings that characteristically are not created to house a classic pipe organ.

"The challenge we have is how to install successfully an organ in a 'living room with an altar'," says Jon C. Crum, president of Arizona Organ Associates in Mesa, Ariz. "In much of the West, everyone wants creature comforts, such as carpeting, padding and acoustic ceilings. Any church organ installation should be a successful marriage between an instrument and a room, and most people just want to discount that. They don't understand how you can install a pipe organ and have it sound awful, but it can happen, particularly in new buildings."

Older, very high buildings made with marble or concrete and lacking carpets or padding allow for up to three seconds of reverb making them ideal for pipe organ sound disbursement. Again, just because a church is not built in a perfect acoustic scheme does not mean that an organ is out of the question for the facility.

"Because a pipe organ is custom designed and built for a particular room, we can take care of all the tangible, physical issues through construction," Jenkins explains. "Many times, churches think they are going to incur a lot of expense by having to redesign and rebuild a room when we actually can construct a small building, a case for the instrument, and set, cantilever or hang it in a room."

Organ experts suggest that churches in the planning stages of a new building contemplate the feasibility of an organ in their sanctuaries. Getting a jump on their music ministry plans often makes future organ installations swift and less intrusive.

"We often work with architects and building construction committees to plan for an organ space, even if the church is not planning to purchase a pipe organ at that time," Mann notes. "There are a number of resources that will give architects and planners the basic parameters for an organ space and the conditions that need to be established for a good location. For Schantz, it is a real reward when a church that has planned ahead calls us years later prepared to buy an organ. Then, it simply is a matter of finishing the design work that began years before."

The Digital Age

The pipe organ has survived for centuries because of its tonal quality and its historic relevance in a church environment. However, for the past 30 years, much of the growth in church organs has come in areas of digital technology in both all-electronic and combination pipe-digital instruments. By incorporating musical instrument digital interface technology, or MIDI, the uses for an organ, even ones bearing pipes, often is limitless.

"If you have a good software program or any of the MIDI sound modules that have hymns on CD-ROM, the instrument will play it back through the pipe organ's system," notes Jenkins. "We even have designed some systems, when a church couldn't find an organist, to be on complete playback. If the church only has a pianist, we can do things with automatic pedals which allows people to play hymns as if on a piano. The lowest note drops down and plays the pedal note so it sounds as if a person is playing foot pedals. By keeping up with technology and still allowing the instrument to be a vital part of the worship experience, we make an organ more versatile."

As budget constraints continue to drive more churches away from the classic, hand-made pipe organs to more affordable digital technology, the acceptance of electronic organs in churches is growing daily. According to Duane Kuhn, president of the Baldwin, Wis.,-based Church Organ Systems, artistically, sometimes electronic organs can be a smart move for a church.

"Even in pipe-digital combination organs, we can hook up a sound module and add orchestral or non-organ sounds to an organ expanding its flexibility in worship, especially as it pertains to supporting more contemporary praise choruses and songs that feature organ sounds as well as orchestral sounds," he adds.

For churches that still demand the 'look' of pipes, but their sanctuary or budget cannot support it, Crum has a viable solution.

"We have had a couple of recent situations where we installed electronic organs, and we built an enclosure for the speakers," he explains. "In front of the enclosures are pipes that don't play, but people don't believe that. They think it is a pipe organ because they see pipes. The churches typically are thrilled with those situations because they satisfy everybody."

Purchase Power

Organ experts agree that churches must have a knowledgeable, somewhat malleable committee to help undertake the process of purchasing an organ. Most also agree that a smaller group of focused people, not necessarily limited to musicians, often is the most successful in terms of managing information and organizing it for dissemination amongst church administrators and/or the congregation. Another trend has churches employing a consultant to help them navigate through the purchase process.

The APOBA suggests that organ professors in local colleges or other trained personnel can provide another angle in terms of organ selection for a church, particularly because they lack the bias an in-house musician can bring.

"Musicians, including me, often make very subjective, rather than objective, decisions choosing what they prefer instead of what will be best for the church for decades to come," Crum notes. "With the passing of time, defense of emotional-based decisions will become harder to sustain than any objective decision."

Church Organ Systems' Kuhn agrees and adds: "Getting a well-known consultant who is an independent person with no affiliation to any music company is a good investment. When you build a new building, the architect and building committee will acquire the services of a professionally trained acoustician to make sure the sound is what they want. So, it would be ideal to get the services of a professionally trained organist to explain the things they should look for in terms of musical design and operation issues."

Most churches can take between two and five years to complete a pipe organ purchase from the time it initially is proposed to its installation in a sanctuary. Depending on the technology, digital organs can be purchased ready-made; however, no matter what condition the instrument is purchased, committees should be prepared to approach approximately six different organ companies in order to find the best 'fit' for their facility. Once they have signed a contract with a builder, churches typically increase the vigor of their fund-raising. Setting an appropriate budget often is a good first step.

"We see a lot of times, especially in new buildings, churches will spend $5 million on a building, but only want to allocate $10,000 for the organ," Wicks' Jenkins says. "With the organ being one of the main ingredients to lead worship, church leaders should consider budgeting 10 percent of the total building cost."

After setting the budget, starting a special collection or professional capital campaign to finance the purchase follows. One of the more popular fund-raising vehicles is composed of 'breaking down' the organ onto its composite parts and getting the congregation involved by selling memorial pipes or keys.

"We like to get the preschoolers all the way to the seniors involved, so a preschool child may be able to by one pipe for $1, or an adult can buy a memorial of chimes for $3,000," says Jenkins. "Once the entire congregation of a church can take ownership of the project, that is when it starts taking off."

To evaluate pipe organs properly, companies typically arrange for visitations at other churches featuring various installations. With digital instruments, churches and their committees often get the bonus convenience of having the instruments brought to and performed within their own facility.

"It is vitally important that the company bring in the actual model the church is interested in along with the appropriate amplification equipment," Kuhn warns. "Many times, I have seen where a church is interested in an organ in the $20,000 price range, and the company will bring in a $30,000 organ saying they sound the same. If they do try it out in the church, it is important they see what they want, so the committee can make an honest evaluation."

Upkeep And Renovation

One of the most misunderstood aspects, at least for pipe organs, is general maintenance. Many churches believe that the instrument requires a large budget for annual upkeep. As Schantz's Mann points out, a well-fashioned pipe organ is a work of art that should operate effectively for nearly 50 years before it needs any major repair or restoration.

"Another thing is many churches think the organ needs to be kept at a constant temperature, and that simply is not true," he adds. "Organs are subject to the temperature in the air around them because it affects the pitch the pipes play in. When air becomes warmer around the pipes, they tend to play sharp, and the organ goes out of tune. If the air is cooler, the organ sounds flat and goes out of tune. However, it doesn't hurt the organ to be warmer or cooler than the temperature it was tuned within normal ranges. As long as the organ is played at the temperature it was tuned or near it, it will be in tune."

Though they generally are not as long-lasting as their hand-crafted, pipe counterparts, as digital technology improves, all-electronic and combination organ builders are redefining ways to make general upkeep easier. Many companies are investigating the merits of touch-screen applications and upgrades via modem with a direct connection to the instrument. On older electronic organs, sometimes repair is impossible due to lack of adequate parts.

In the past 15 years, the market for church organ renovation has increased. Due to economics and sometimes simple loyalty, many churches are not willing to part with an instrument. Currently, there are a myriad of viable solutions out there for churches interested in extending the life of such an influencial worship tool.

"We can do authentic restoration of a historic instrument to restore its integrity," Jenkins explains. "If it needs wind chest work, we can put in new Wicks direct electric or retrofit the direct electric unit with a pneumatic system. As a custom builder, there virtually is no process we can't offer in restoration. In many situations, the instrument is worth keeping because it has an emotional attachment for the church family, and we can update the technology so that it is more versatile or adds sounds."

Schantz, meanwhile, has worked on several pipe organ restoration projects where resources from the older organ were retained and incorporated into the new instrument. Currently, the company is working on two notable restoration projects, the E.M. Skinner Organ at Severance Hall in Cleveland, Ohio, and its first international commission in Melbourne, Australia on the Melbourne Town Hall Organ.

"Organs have more emotional attachment and heritage issues to a church and value to the particular congregation," Mann adds. "In a way, purchasing a pipe organ isn't like going out and buying a piece of furniture. It is a one-of-a-kind process where a church literally commissions a work of art."

Our Heritage -- God's Music -- Our Vision

In late 1995, the administration council at Union Avenue United Methodist Church in Alliance, Ohio made a crucial decision. The church decided that its more than 90-year-old pipe organ was so beyond repair that only a new one could replace it. Thus, the council formed a committee whose goal was to examine organs, decide fund-raising and to make recommendations to both the administrators and a church conference. The following illustrates a time line of the process as dictated by the church Chairman of Trustees as well as the Pipe Organ Committee, Robert Brown:

July 23, 1996--The first meeting of the pipe organ committee was called, even though it was precipitated in 1995 when the church realized the pipe organ was getting a little more tired each time it was played.

"I had received a letter from the person, who literally was duct-taping our pipe organ. I am not exaggerating," Brown notes. "He wrote a letter saying he would not be responsible for our organ and that it was in such bad disrepair we had to have a new one. July 23rd was the day we really started our work. We followed the guidelines from the administration council. We went out and looked at five different pipe organs in the state of Ohio. We looked at three different electronic organs and, of course, talked and researched so that we would know the pluses and minuses of all types. We also made about 20 visitations to other churches."

Dec. 11, 1996--The pipe organ committee presented the information to the administration council suggesting a pipe organ would be an optimum choice for the church.

March 2, 1997--The pipe organ committee presented its information to the church conference.

"We had written to five companies with our specifications, and Schantz Organ Co. in Orrville, Ohio was one of three that replied," Brown says. "After looking over all of the information that the pipe organ companies sent--their drawings and specifications as to what we asked--we felt that Schantz, by far, did the best job."

Once the church conference agreed to contract with Schantz, Brown and the pipe organ committee presented their recommendations for a professional stewardship firm to handle the fund-raising effort for the organ project.

"The pipe organ committee talked to eight professional fund-raising companies, and decided to hire Cargill Associates in Fort Worth, Texas as a fund raiser, which the church conference also approved," Brown adds.

March 5, 1997--The pre-campaign survey, conducted by Cargill, was initiated. Union Ave. UMC sent out a survey to everyone in the church organization with the hope of raising $420,000, the projected cost to build the organ and to refurbish the existing chambers. The survey came back within three weeks, and the feasibility study from it indicated the church could raise between $300,000 and $450,000.

"At that point, we felt it was a good omen and that the people in the church were interested in having a new pipe organ," Brown explains. "Unbeknownst to anyone, we had one individual who had told the minister if people agreed to the pipe organ, he would give $100,000, which he did."

The donor also was the person who suggested the church hire a professional firm to handle the complicated fund-raising process.

"The congregation also felt strongly that we would be better served if we hired a professional who knew how to do things, and we are not sorry that we hired one," he adds. "Cargill always was right there to help us. As a result, it was a big success."

April 16, 1997--As a result of the survey and going through the capital funds arrangement, Brown signed the contract with the Schantz Organ Co. to build a new pipe organ for Union Ave. UMC.

May-June 1997--Using 'Equal Sacrifice' as an axiom, Cargill and Union Ave. UMC worked on the actual organ stewardship campaign.

Aug. 4, 1997--Rather than contract out the refurbishing and spending up to $80,000 which had been allotted in the organ budget, five church members, along with Brown, initiated the renovation of the chambers themselves.

Jan. 30, 1998--Union Ave. UMC completed the renovation of the chambers.

"By redoing it ourselves, we revamped the chambers, put in new walls, new floors, new studding, new drywall and painted it for less than $10,000," Brown says.

The savings allowed the church to include an additional five ranks on its organ order with Schantz.

Feb. 2, 1998--Schantz began installing the new organ in Union Ave.'s sanctuary.

March 22, 1998--Inaugural performance of the new organ in the Union Ave. UMC sanctuary.

"We figured it was going to take us five years, and we would have a three-year finance program raising funds with another year to get the specs, have the organ built and installed," he says. "Needless to say, in less than a year and a half from our first meeting, we have a new, 39-rank Schantz pipe organ."

Additionally, the church, in the first year of collecting, has 77 percent of a pledge totaling $460,000 collected as part of its capital campaign. The initial request from the church was only $420,000, and Brown expects that the actual cost, including installation and renovations, will come in under $400,000.

"The secret is to get as many people involved with it as you can and, of course, to have a couple of people who are very good leaders," notes Brown.

May 3, 1998--Organ dedication ceremony.

For the 11-member pipe organ committee, all of their effort and sacrifice of personal time has reaped a lasting reward for the entire congregation to enjoy for generations.

"We did our homework and that was the big thing," Brown says. "We didn't go into it saying the only thing we were going to do was a pipe organ. We looked at electronic organs and had information on everything. We didn't go in unprepared.

"It's been a wonderful journey for us and a successful one," he concludes.

UMCA church volunteer removes the pipes on Union Avenue United Methodist Church's old organ. The church debuted its new organ in March.