Hook and Hastings Organ Update: FAQs
Why are we raising money for a "free" organ anyway? The organ was in fact generously donated to us by the good people of Christ Church, South Barre and the Diocese. But deconstructing, moving, restoring, and rebuilding the organ will cost us $55,600. Even so, this cost is less than a brand new electronic instrument would have cost us.
This is a lot of money: couldn't it have been used elsewhere? It is a lot of money. And, as with our home budgets, we are always making choices about our priorities. St. Francis gives away a lot of money, and always there is more that could be done. But outreach is not the whole of our "mission." We are a community that is called to worship and praise God; organ music is one of the ways that we do that. The company that serviced our old instrument has been trying to sell us a new one for several years now; and telling us that it was on borrowed time. So as the vestry weighed this decision, it was not between spending nothing or $55,000, but about being reactive or proactive. This seemed like an opportune time.
Who is doing this work? We have contracted with The Organ Clearing House in Charlestown, Massachusetts to do this work for us. They came highly recommended and so far have met and exceeded our expectations in doing this specialized work.
How close are we to reaching our goal? As of June 19, 2012, 87 households have contributed $34,250 toward our goal. Along with the $1900 that remained in the Capital Campaign Fund, and an additional $1450 pledged but not yet received, this leaves us with an additional $18,000 left to raise. The response so far has truly been amazing.
How much have we paid to date? As agreed to in our contract with Organ Clearinghouse, we paid them $22,800 in May and then made a second payment of $22,800 at the beginning of June when the organ was delivered; a total of $45,600. Since we have not yet raised quite that much money, we are currently running a deficit, but we have not needed to take out any loans for this. (We have, essentially, loaned the money to ourselves.) The final balance of $10,000 will be due when the project is completed.
When will the organ be ready to play? As you may have noticed, deconstructing and moving have already taken place. The Organ Company is waiting on a few replacement parts before returning in July to finish restoration and rebuilding. Our hope is to be hearing the instrument played in worship in August, possibly as early as the weekend of August 4/5. Our plan is to have a more formal celebration and dedication of the organ sometime in September or October, on a date that has not yet been set.
Why are we getting a hundred-year old organ rather than a brand new electronic one anyway? First, a pipe organ is a unique instrument with a unique sound that can only be approximated electronically, not duplicated. But secondly, if well-cared for (as this instrument has already been well-cared for, for nearly 100 years) this instrument will last for generations. A new electronic instrument would have roughly the same life-span that the old one did; about twenty-five years. The saying "they don't make 'em like they used to" holds true here.
How much will it cost to maintain this organ? The Hook and Hastings Opus 2344, from a technological point of view, is a relatively simple organ to maintain. The Organ Company will continue to tune and maintain it for the foreseeable future and estimate that the costs of doing so will be roughly the same as what we have been paying for the past twenty-five years on our electronic instrument. (About $1000/year.)
What about the cross? The pipes for the new organ will be in front of where the cross has hung since the 1980s. (That cross is not original to the 1950s building, in which a much smaller cross was up front.) Originally our plan was to suspend the cross somewhere in front of the new pipes. Once we got the cross down, however, we realized it was not really made for that purpose. It is very light, and the back is flat and unfinished. For now, at least, it has been hung on the back wall of the church in place of the San Damiano Cross. We want to wait and see what it all looks like once the organ is fully installed and re-evaluate then. Many of us feel the cross needs to be a central icon for our worship, but it is not yet clear whether or not this particular cross will fulfill that purpose. It may be that if we do wish to suspend a cross over the altar that a new cross will be needed. Or, it may seem best to simply use the cross we all love and know by refinishing the back and finding a way to suspend it that will work for us. No final decisions have been made and the clergy and vestry are committed to remaining open to your feedback and guidance along the way. In return we ask for patience as we figure this out together.
How much should I give? How can I give? Any donation to this cause, of any size, is greatly appreciated. Gifts given to date have ranged from $25 to $5000. Our primary hope is that every family at St. Francis will find a way to participate in this endeavor. Donation forms can be found at the back of the Church or online here. Gifts can be placed in the offering baskets during worship or mailed to the church office at 70 Highland Street, Holden, MA 01520
