Pipe Organ
The Pipe Organ of Messiah Lutheran Church
Description
The organ has two manuals and one pedal keyboard, with 389 pipes
arrayed in 6 ranks. As a “unit organ” the ranks are
used at different pitch levels so that the organ sounds as if it
has 20 “stops”. The pipes range in length from over
8’ to less than one-half inch. We believe that most of the
organ was originally built by the Moeller Company in 1914. In addition,
some pipes were utilized from an organ that Pastor Walrath had taken
out of a church in Syracuse, New York. There is room for a 7th rank
intended for pipes of the ‘reed’ family which will someday
bring the total count to 450 pipes.
Composition
- Great
- Principal 8’
Rohrflote 8’
Salicional 8’
Principal 4’
Rohrflote 4’
SuperOctave 2’
Mixture II-IV 1-1/3’
Swell to Great 8’
- Swell
- Doppelflote 8’
Salicional 8’
Doppelflote 4’
Octave 4’
Nazard 2-2/3’
SuperOctave 2’
Rohrflote 2’
Zimbel II 1’
Reed 8’ (prepared)
- Pedal
- Subbass 16’
Octave 8’
Flote 8’
Quinte 5 1/3’
Choralbass 4’
Reed 8’ (prepared)
Great to Pedal 8’
Swell to Pedal 8’
The History of
Messiah's Pipe Organ
Approximately twenty years ago Dr. Waldemar Scholtes and his wife
Pieternella (Nellie) purchased a used pipe organ from Wheatley United
Church in Wheatley, Ontario. The organ had been in storage because
the Wheatley church had removed the instrument from their sanctuary
when they got a newer instrument. Wally and Nellie loaded the organ
parts and pipes into two full-sized vans and brought it to Kitchener.
The Scholtes family built a house specifically designed to house
the organ. It was set up in their living room where they enjoyed
it for many years.
When the members of Messiah were building their new building, Pastor
encouraged the committee to plan a place for a “future”
pipe organ. The committee heeded his advice and the holes above
the chancel were incorporated into the plan and left empty.
In 1994 the Scholtes family came to the conclusion that they wanted
a livable living room so the decision was made to donate the organ
to Messiah congregation in its newly-constructed building. A group
of our men went to their house, loaded up a truck with organ pipes
and parts, and brought them into our then-unfinished church basement.
It was set up in the “Matthew Room” and for the next
several years, Pastor tinkered with the organ revoicing pipes and
fixing "stuff".
In 2000 the decision was made to finish the “Matthew Room”
so the organ and pipes and stuff had to go!!! The organ was moved
upstairs by many, many willing hands and strong backs. It was set
up in the back of the church on the choir platform. It played -
it sounded OK - temporarily it sufficed.
In 2004 the congregation voted to go ahead and officially install
the organ in its proper location in the chancel. Now the serious
work began!
A steel frame had to be constructed to hold the organ pipes which
would cantilever out into the chancel. Electrical cable had to be
run through the cement floor of the sanctuary. Pipes had to be moved,
washed, scraped, painted. Lots and lots of woodworking was needed.
The people of Messiah rose to the occasion and now we celebrate
the labour of their hard work!
In addition, a contract with Keates-Geissler
Pipe Organs Ltd. of Guelph was signed for replacing key contacts
and installing solid state switching and a pedal chest. Mr. Dieter
Geissler with assistance from Pastor did the final tonal finishing.
He also patiently gave plenty of expert helpful advice when Pastor
needed it.
With ingenuity and skill, this collection of wood, metal, wires,
pipes, and wind becomes an instrument which through we are able
to return praise to our great God. Indeed, to God be the glory!
People
The following is (hopefully) a somewhat complete list of individuals
who helped with our organ project. In addition, there were many,
many congregational members who supported the project through special
gifts to the “Organ Fund”.
August 13, 1994
Move from the Scholtes’ house to the church basement
- Pastor and Paul Walrath
- Lloyd Bauman
- Brian King
- Dave Wagner
- David Levean
- Leonard Bisessar
For the move we used Lloyd’s work truck
Organ Committee Members
- Ginny Scarfino
- Donna Schultz
- Lloyd Bauman
- David Levean
- Carol Walrath
- Pastor Walrath
June 23, 2000
Move from Basement of Church into the Sanctuary
- Mohammed and Ameer Abdulla
- Al Galbraith
- Linda Long
- Lorie Feth
- Ken Vandenberg
- Jon Oberholzer
- Lorne & Donna Schultz
- Jonathan & Majorie Sutherland
- Rick DeVisser
- Pastor,Carol, Paul, Joel, & Mark
For the move we used Ken’s truck and Howard Weiberg’s
trailer.
Running Electrical Cable
- Bob Douglas
- Lloyd Bauman
- Paul Khedar
- David Levean
- Dave Kurt
- Howard Weiberg
- Lorne Schultz
- Wayne Johnson
- Bill Long
2004 Installation
Replacing of Magnets and Soldering
- Orville & Stella Levean
- Donna Schultz
Pipe Washing/Scraping
Painting Façade Pipes
Woodworking
- Lloyd Bauman
- Al Galbraith
- Lorne Schultz
- Bob Douglas
- Paul Khedar
Steel Frame
Wooden Lattice Work
Extra Helpers
- Al Galbraith
- Kevon Arjune
- Brian Haig
Organ Builder
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