April 11th, 2016

With this final organ project update, I want to share with you the financial standing of the organ project as of last Monday, April 11. The total cost for the project, including the electrical upgrade of $5,855.24, was $202,422.46. With no significant bills remaining, we have a positive balance of $3,614.30. It is anticipated that this fund will now become an Organ Maintenance Fund.

As we marvel at the response to this project, we can only say “To God Be the Glory!” On behalf of the Organ Committee, we extend our sincere and heartfelt thanks to all, both members and non-members, who contributed in some way to this project. We especially want to thank those families who chose the Organ Fund as a memorial for their loved one, the Ox Roast, Ladies Aid, and other groups for their generous donations, and all those who physically had a hand on this project, whether lifting a pipe or putting together a program booklet.

While this may appear to be the end, perhaps it is just the beginning. It is my prayer that the blessing of the music of our new organ will remind us each week of the unending blessing of our risen Savior, and the glorious task that we at St. John’s have been charged with to share that blessing through our church and school to those who have not yet heard. May God empower us to that end…and indeed, To God Be the Glory!

April 2nd, 2016

In November of 2013, our congregation took a look forward and signed the contract with Muller Pipe Organ Co. After looking back at the instrument that served us so well for so many years with so many organists, we realized it was time to start another chapter.

Today, we can look back at a glorious day last Sunday, Sunday April 3rd 2016, when we dedicated our new organ. In addition to all the musicians, we recognize the efforts of all those who made that day special, not only those on the organ committee, but all of our members who rolled out the welcome mat to our community. Thank you so much for providing the hospitality that truly exemplifies our servanthood and love for Christ. A special thank you to those who recorded the event, the reception team, our ushers, elders and acolyte, and those who provided the unique displays and put together the DVD with hundreds of photos of our project for all to enjoy. Our heartfelt appreciation to so many from the Muller team for joining our celebration and allowing us to say “well done”. We also want to thank the North Union Music Department, the Marysville Journal Tribune, the Columbus Dispatch, and Copy Source for putting the “icing on the cake” in their own special way. Last but not least, to Pastor Heino for joining our hearts together in dedication of this instrument to God’s glory.

It is time for another chapter. By God’s grace, may our worship and praise to our risen Savior ring out in music and song, not only each week, but each day!

March 29th, 2016

ORGAN PROJECT UPDATE A special welcome today to the Confirmation Anniversary classes! We pray that you are blessed in worship today, and are happy to have you join us for the Organ Dedication and Recital this afternoon.

By the grace of God, the offerings to the organ fund as of Easter Sunday put us over the top, and the organ project is now paid in full! As donations continue to flow in, we will likely start an Organ Maintenance Fund to cover the semi-annual tuning expenses. This entire project has been blessed from the very beginning with dedicated volunteers, the skilled staff of Muller Pipe Organ Company, financial contributions from members, non-members, memorials and fund raisers, and your prayers.

Our prayer from this point on remains that God alone be glorified in our worship, and may this blessing enable us to be a blessing to others. Thank you!

March 21st, 2016

The organ is now a finished product, and what better day to celebrate than Easter Sunday! The Hope of the World has become a reality and our risen Savior is cause for worship! The music of the organ, the handbells, the Praise Band, the choir and the instrumentalists are all intended to inspire our worship and raise our hearts and voices to His glory. Worship is not a performance, nor a spectator sport, but rather the heartbeat that empowers us as Christians.

The Dedication and Recital coming up next Sunday at 1:30 p.m. will provide an opportunity for both worship and performance. We will be singing several great hymns of our faith, as well as listening to some classic compositions by well-known composers who were inspired by their own faith in God. Our guest organist will be Paul Scheiderer, a former member of St. John’s and now the Director of Church and School Music at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Seymour, Indiana.

It is our prayer that you will be uplifted by the mastery of the music as expressed in the versatility and power of the Schlicker organ, and that in both worship and performance, God will alone be glorified!

March 14th, 2016

The organ is now fully functional, with one last visit from the Muller Company this Tuesday for final tuning and troubleshooting. In the next few weeks, we will be constructing a new enclosure over the ductwork and the new electrical panel on the bell tower side, as well as the service door on the south side. For safety purposes, the balcony will remain closed until this construction is finished.

Financially, we continue to be blessed with your contributions. The amount needed to complete this project is now less than $7,500! How great it would be if we could raise the balance by Sunday, April 3, when the new organ will be dedicated! We encourage your contributions – large or small – as you are so moved, and only beyond your normal tithes and offerings. Please mark your donations to the Organ Fund and don’t forget to include your envelope number.

As the plans are made for the dedication service, we are ever mindful that God alone is the center of our worship. We ask for your prayers in our planning that this splendid instrument will serve to shine an even greater light on the Light of the World – our Savior Jesus Christ!

March 9th, 2016

Plans are being made for a formal dedication service for the organ on the Sunday after Easter, April 3 at 1:30 p.m. This is also the day where we will recognize the Confirmation anniversary classes during the 9:00 a.m. service that morning. We hope this will be a nice addition to the day, especially for those who are coming from quite a distance to their class reunion. Please help us communicate this to your friends and via your social media contacts. More details will be coming!

We are also looking at some special events throughout the year where we could “welcome” the organ to our church and community. If you have any ideas or suggestions, please contact Pastor Heino, Kevin Vollrath, Roger Nicol, Nina Boerger, Jim Vandre or Dale Scheiderer.

In addition to all of that, the Board of Properties is looking for ways to creatively repurpose or sell the parts of the old organ that were removed. If you have any suggestions in this area, please contact Ray Geiger.

More tuning has been completed this week, and we are very close to a finished product. The anticipation level for the new organ has been very high, but it pales to the anticipation that we have during this Lenten season for the Victory that awaits us on Easter Sunday.

Thanks be to God!

March 2nd, 2016

We are blessed to have over half of the pipes in the organ in service for today!! Although our settings are still somewhat limited, you can begin to hear the unique character of the Schlicker organ come to life. John Muller and Luke Tegtmeier have been meticulously tuning and voicing each pipe for three days this week to monitor pitch, tone, and volume. Forrest Gump once said that “shrimp’n is tough”, but I would have to say that tuning an organ is “tougher”! According to John, the most difficult ranks, the mixtures, are yet to come, as there are three to four pipes to tune FOR EACH KEY! Praise God for their remarkable gifts and professionalism as organ builders.

As you pass by our church in the evening, take special notice of the large stained glass window above our center entrance doors. Because of the organ, the window cannot be seen from inside the sanctuary. Thanks to the guidance of the Board of Properties, this beautiful window has been illuminated with some accent lighting with special emphasis on the lamb in the center of the window.

What a great reminder for all of us during this Lenten season to focus our hearts on the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.

February 23rd, 2016

As of this past Tuesday, all of the wiring and programming of the organ have been completed. We are down to the final tuning, voicing, and placing of the last two ranks of pipes, which will take a few days. Some of you have taken a peek upstairs to see a beautiful finished product that has indeed met and even exceeded our expectations.

With all of the smiles that this project has produced, a little humor might be in order. When Stan, the Muller electrician, finished his work on Monday, he said we could try it out, realizing that the tuning was not finished yet. Although he was right about the tuning, I found some settings that were not too hurtful and played a few hymns on Monday evening. As I was deep in thought trying to understand our new pipe settings, I heard some commotion in the sanctuary behind me. The sound of the new organ had made its way to the basement of the church and enticed the quilters to put down their needles and come to the balcony! More smiles!!

From this “maiden voyage”, there are two comments to share. First of all, we indeed have a well-designed, versatile, and powerful instrument that can lead us in worship for many, many years. Secondly, we as organists ask your patience as we become acquainted with the new organ and its combinations of sounds.

Smiles are certainly the order of the day, and we pray that God also is smiling as He alone is glorified in the music that is to come!

February 16th, 2016

The progress on the organ project over the last 10 days has been astounding! As of this past Tuesday, the physical installation and wiring is 99% complete. The remaining work involves the intricate process of final tuning and voicing. We expect this to happen soon, although the Muller team is also trying to finish several other projects, as well as begin another tear-out and replacement in the Toledo area. We were promised a completion date of Palm Sunday, March 20, but I would not be surprised if they are finished well before that.

As wonderful as the Muller crew has been to work with, we were also blessed with well over a dozen of our members who showed up in a big way to do some heavy lifting. The tear-out process, which should have taken nearly two days, was completed in one, and the big move-in day involving hoisting huge parts over the balcony, went like clockwork. As promised, the Muller Company recognized our efforts and credited our account $2,400 for volunteer labor. Thanks to all of you who willingly gave us a hand!

This is indeed a historical project for our congregation, and several of our members have done a fantastic job of capturing the process with hundreds of pictures.

To God be the Glory – great things He has done!

February 9th, 2016

To follow up a bit on last week’s update relating the history of our organ and its roots in Chicago, an interesting connection was discovered. Timothy Lutheran Church, the first home of our instrument, was the last of 26 daughter congregations of 1st St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Chicago. It so happens that 1st St. Paul’s was the founding site of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod in 1847. John Adam Ernst, our first resident pastor, made the 5-day trip by horse and buggy along with others to this church in Chicago as St. John’s became one of the twelve charter congregations of the LC-MS on April 26, 1847. Who would have thought that 169 years later, there would be a connection!

As the physical organ begins to take shape in our balcony, one might look at it and ask, “I thought this was a used organ?” Actually, the only parts that qualify as “used” are the pipes themselves, and they have been through a complete restoration in the Muller organ shop bringing them to new condition. The entire air system that powers the pipes, from the blower in the basement to the reservoirs, chests, and all of the mechanisms that control the air to the pipes, are all brand new. Those of you who toured the Muller factory got a glimpse of what needs to happen when a note is played – amazing!!

We marvel at what the hands of man can do, but praise be to God who can “make all things new”. Rev. 21:5

February 2nd, 2016

The refurbished organ that will be installed in our sanctuary in the next few weeks was originally built by the Schlicker Organ Company of Buffalo, New York. Henry Schlicker was a premier organ builder in the early 20th century, with instruments in very predominant churches and universities throughout the country. Resurrection Chapel at Valparaiso University and Kramer Chapel at Concordia Seminary in Fort Wayne are two such examples. You can find a wealth of information and learn more about the distinct sound characterized by a Schlicker organ by searching www.schlickerorgans.com.

As you recall, our instrument was acquired from Bethel Lutheran Church in Grove City, who had purchased it from Timothy Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chicago, which was scheduled to be demolished. Bethel had the organ dismantled, moved, and stored with intentions of installing it in their church. As their plans changed, Muller Organ Co. made us aware of this instrument, and the rest is history. Mr. Muller was also able to pass along a priceless folder of information that contained all of the correspondence, specs, and congregational actions from Timothy Lutheran Church as they made the decision to purchase this organ in 1960 for a total cost of $26,319. As you might expect, in good Lutheran fashion, there was much discussion and, of course, a Voters Meeting!

We give thanks to God for His guiding hand that has allowed this organ to be preserved and that its music will continue to bring Him praise for many years to come.

January 25th, 2016

We received word this week from Jack Muller that the full installation is tentatively set to begin on February 8. It appears that they are on pace to complete our project as promised by Palm Sunday, which is March 20. Again, our thanks to all of you for your patience during this process.

As we begin to envision the finished product, this is also a good time for a financial update. Since we began saving up for this monumental endeavor nearly 2 ½ years ago, your generosity toward this project has been fantastic! Since December 1, we have received over $2,100 in member donations and $3200 in memorials. Just last Sunday, our Ladies Aid voted to contribute $5,000 from their Christmas Bazaar proceeds to the Organ Fund! Thank you all for finding ways to support!

We still need your financial gifts! Our long overdue electrical upgrade added to our projected cost, but we are still hopeful that we are within $14,000 of having everything paid for. As you have been blessed, please consider a contribution over and above your weekly tithes and offerings.

Most of all, may God alone be glorified in all that we do!

January 20th, 2016

Did you know that the blower that powers our pipes is in the church basement? It is located in a very secured enclosure inside our nursery – no danger to our little ones! As part of our project, we will be getting a new blower which will be installed in the same location. The old blower motor has a patent date of 1916, so hopefully the new one will last as long as the old one! We also discovered that the electrical service for the organ components in the balcony was coming from the light switch box in the main church hallway, and could have resulted in a future overload situation. This past week, a new power cable was run from the main power supply in the basement to a new panel box in the balcony, which will be a safe solution for current and future needs.

A big thank you to Ray Geiger for coating the floor inside the organ chamber this week, and to Jeff and Carol Reinhard for facilitating a great trip to Croton, Ohio to see our organ take shape.

To God be the glory in all that we do!

January13th, 2016

Things have quieted down this past week, but much is happening behind the scenes. The electrical upgrade for the new organ is nearly complete, providing some long needed improvements to the electrical service in the balcony. The shop at Muller Pipe Organ is moving full steam ahead in preparing our new instrument for installation. If you have visited the Muller Pipe Organ Facebook page, you will see many pictures of the sub-assembly taking place. The coating of the floor inside our organ chamber will be finished next week.

We deeply appreciate your patience during this project. We thank the handbell choir and the Praise Band who have gone out of their way to relocate during this process. Our musical limitations for traditional worship are dictating that we “keep it simple” for the time being. However, the worship of our Lord and Savior has no limitations!

May God alone always be glorified in our worship!

January 6th, 2016

This past Tuesday, seven technicians from Muller Pipe Organ Company arrived, and with the help of six of our members, the organ was completely dismantled! Many parts were packed and taken back to their shop for refurbishing. Over the next month, they will be putting the finishing touches on everything in their shop before they come back for the installation. Until that time, the balcony will remain closed because of safety concerns. Lots and lots of pictures were taken, so feel free to check out the Muller Pipe Organ and St. John’s Facebook pages, as well as the link to the organ project on our church website.

Our financial gifts continue to grow, as our needs to complete this project are now under $20,000. Thank you so much for your giving hearts, and especially as of late to the families who have chosen the Organ Fund as a memorial option. Continue to prayerfully consider future opportunities for your support of this effort.

Thanks to everyone who has helped in any way up to this point! Aside from minor clean up, painting, and electrical work, we will most likely be needing manpower again in about a month when the new organ components arrive. Until then, keep this project in your prayers, as God remains glorified in our worship!!

January 3rd, 2016

2016 has arrived, and that means our organ replacement project is ready to begin! Muller Pipe Organ Companyof Croton, Ohio will begin their on-site work on Tuesday, January 5, with a completion date of Palm Sunday, which is March 20. They have been very busy in their shop over the past few months refurbishing the pipes and preparing for our installation. If you are a Facebook fan, you can follow them at Muller Pipe Organ Company and see some of the work they have done on our project.

As this major project unfolds, some patience will be required on our part. First of all, the balcony will be closed for worship for a period of time. Also, the music for our traditional services will be led by the keyboard, piano, or CD accompaniment provided with our Lutheran Service Builder materials.

Financially, we have been very blessed with contributions up to this point. About 90% of our needs have been raised, leaving us with around $20,000 more needed to complete the project. Thank you so much for your gifts, and we ask that you prayerfully consider future opportunities to support this effort.

January will be a very busy, exciting, and interesting month for our church as we watch a part of history unfold. As opportunities for all of us to “pitch in” and help come up, we will keep you posted on the website and Facebook. We will be at the direction of the organ builders, so some of these opportunities will have very short notice.

Thank you all for your support and prayers for this project!