I like to listen to pipe organs, and I’d like to tell you about three church pipe organ experiences that I’ve had.

My most recent memory is from this past summer, when Paulette and I celebrated our fiftieth wedding anniversary (I married a child bride) by taking a European river cruise. One of our stops was in Passau, Germany, and while there we went to an organ concert in the Passau Cathedral. This organ is one of the largest in the world and the concert music was very moving. One passage was so powerful it felt like my heart was vibrating. I involuntarily put my hand to my chest, and indeed I really could feel the music. Wow!

My second memory occurred at the church Paulette and I attended in North Carolina. It had worshipped in its colonial built building, called the Gemeinhaus, from 1788 to 1953, when it built its present building. The Gemeinhaus has been completely restored and is now part of a park, but the congregation still uses it for its yearly Maundy Thursday service. The meeting room (Saal) has two-foot thick plastered stone walls and a plastered slightly curved ceiling. It is a relatively small room that seats about 75 people on hard backless benches. There is a small tracker organ on a small balcony that overlooks the room. I have heard it played many times, both during services and during concerts held by the park, and I don’t think I could ever get tired of listening to it. The organ is small, but it fills the Saal with wonderful music. You see, although none of the pipes are large enough to have a deep bass note, the hard walls and ceiling of the Saal make it seem like you have an organ with you in your shower. If the organist is playing a song, you just can’t help singing along.

My last memory also occurred at our church in North Carolina. It was a special service to celebrate the 260th anniversary of our congregation, which was founded on November 17, 1753. There were many people there that night, including a guest choir from Central Moravian Church in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and it was a great, music filled, service. Afterwards people were slow in leaving, because they were visiting and sharing their joyful experiences, both in the sanctuary and in the narthex. The organist then started playing Widor’s Toccata. It was a very dynamic, awe inspiring piece that literally stopped everyone in their tracks; they returned to their seats, sat, and intently listened for its ten minute duration. I really liked the way part of the melody was carried by the strong deep bass pipes, but then I’m always happy when the bass has the melody. I encourage you to listen to the piece on YouTube, but please realize that it doesn’t come close to hearing it live. It was a marvelous way to end a celebration.

Church organs, as in each of these examples, can be important instruments in the service of God, but they are only objects. We, as members of His Church, are God’s ultimate instruments. This is emphasized in the prayer that we know as the prayer of St. Francis; it starts out, “Lord, make me an instrument.” It goes on to say that we are to bring love, truth, faith, hope, and joy. We are to share the music of God’s unconditional love.

Jim