Just in time for Christmas
BY REV. CHUCK HORTON
Early morning on the Monday after Thanksgiving, three organ experts from Church Organ Solutions in McKinney, Texas arrived at First United Methodist Church in Weatherford, Oklahoma and began unloading a new organ console and many cardboard boxes and spools of electric cables. The delivery marked the final phase of a yearlong project to upgrade the pipe organ of the church.
The new console, built by the Rodgers Organ Company, is a three manual unit which will interface with and upgrade the pipe organ at the church. Hundreds of wiring connections will be made as the new console is integrated with the existing pipes and new speakers and sound controls. The console will utilize digital features that will vastly expand the quality and range of sounds the organ will make.
A couple men of the Weatherford church ran new conduit for antiphonal speakers to be installed in the back of the sanctuary to can have some music coming from behind the congregation as well as from the pipes in the front.
A circle gets completed: years ago, Bill Bane, was an organ student at Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford, which is right across the street from the church. Bill performed his two major student recitals on the organ at the church. Now the church organist in Longview, Texas, he also works for Church Organ Solutions. When Pastor Chuck Horton called him to make initial inquiries, Bill surprised the pastor as he began to church and he began to make suggestions as to what the organ needed. Then Bill told him that he had played on the FUMC organ many hours for practice. Today, the circle is completed and Bill is helping do the hands on work of the installation. Taking a break from his work on the installation, he told Pastor Horton, “When we designed this new organ, I wanted the church to get the kind of organ that I would have loved for my recital!”
To shepherd the project, the church assembled a team representing the Worship Team, the Trustees, the Church Council, musicians, organists, and the pastor and Assistant Pastor Rev. Torrey Curtis.
An anonymous donor from the church provided more than half of the funding, and other members of the church have contributed or pledged the rest so that all costs for the project have been underwritten. The work is expected to be completed in time for the special worship services Christmas Eve.