Organ music has been an integral element of worship at Holy Trinity Church since the very beginning when in the late 1800’s Mrs. B. F. Cook was “its faithful and efficient organist for many years.”
Our organ matches the beautiful singing of the parish choir and fills an essential role in the musical and liturgical life of the church.
Announcing the 2025 Organ Project
Dear Holy Trinity community,
I’d like to share an exciting and important update from the music ministry, and invite you to be part of something meaningful for our church.
As many of you know, Holy Trinity is home to the St. Cecilia Music Guild, which supports our music program. The Guild helps fund musical events, guest musicians, and the care of our instruments. Today, we are officially launching a new project under the Guild’s direction: the 2025 Organ Project.
Our pipe organ is not just an instrument. It’s a living part of our worship. It leads our hymns, supports our choir, and provides music at our most sacred moments: baptisms, weddings, funerals, and feast days. Like any finely crafted mechanical system, though, it requires long-term care.
Over the past few years, the organ’s internal components, especially the leatherwork in the windchests, have begun to fail. These components are now decades old and are reaching the end of their life. If left unaddressed, we’ll continue to see more dead notes, and eventually the organ could fall silent.
What Needs To Be Done
To address this, we’ve brought in our organ technician and former music director, Sean O’Neal, to assess the situation and prepare a renovation plan. His proposal includes:
Re-leathering the Great and Swell windchests (with nearly 1,050 individual actions),
Repairing the original wind reservoir,
And restoring the instrument to full, reliable function, without changing its historic character.
The total cost for this work is $19,000. This type of restoration lasts 30 to 40 years. If you think of it like a capital improvement, such as a new roof, it breaks down to less than $1,000 per year over its lifetime. It’s a deeply cost-effective investment in the heart of our worship.
How You Can Help
This project will only move forward with your support. Whether you’re a longtime member or new to Holy Trinity, I invite you to consider giving toward the 2025 Organ Project. Contributions of any amount, either one-time or as part of ongoing support to the St. Cecilia Music Guild, are deeply appreciated.
In the coming weeks, you’ll hear reflections from fellow parishioners about the power of music and the role the organ has played in their spiritual lives. These stories will remind us that this project is not just about repairs, it’s about preserving something that lifts hearts and honors God.
If you’re interested in learning more or would like to contribute, please speak with me after the service. We’ll also have information in the narthex and online, including how to give directly to the project fund.
Thank you for being part of this beautiful community, and for supporting a future filled with vibrant, soul-stirring music.
Warmly,
Garrett Law
Director of Music
Holy Trinity Episcopal Church