We were left using our Technic keyboard with Eric, our bereft organist doing a brilliant job in making it sound (almost) like an organ.
The first church in which I served, Kettering –where I’ll be preaching in a few weeks time – has an enormous three manual organ which was rebuilt in the summer just before I arrived. I had the privilege of organising the opening recital with the organist of Peterborough Cathedral as our guest musician.
My second church decided we couldn’t afford a rebuild so voted for the installation of a digital instrument which has served them well. The congregation found a hundred and one imaginative uses for the old pipes!
At AFC, after consulting various specialist bodies, we took the decision last year to have our Willis organ rebuilt – and this has been made possible by many generous donations by the congregation.
Music is such a powerful, yet subjective medium and a distinctive about any church will be the type of music it uses in worship. The ‘Organ vs Music Group’ is by now a rather too well rehearsed debate.
At the moment (because most things in church life are provisional) our style at AFC is predominantly ‘hymnic’ and our organ (especially with the skill and sensitivity of our current organist) suits that well. Yet it’s also a great joy to hear drums, guitar, flutes and strings take part Sunday by Sunday – and in our case the organ joins in with the music group too.
A website service I often tune into each week is from Washington Cathedral and it’s all filmed beautifully. Interestingly throughout the service there are regular shots not just of the priests, readers and congregation but also the organist, acknowledging, I think, the immense contribution musicians bring to our worship.
So I’m grateful for all the musicians at Amersham Free Church because I really do believe that ‘Those who sing – pray twice’!
Best wishes,
Ian
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