2010 - Year of the Organ Building

2010 is the year we're supposed to complete the building of the church and the Organ Project can actually get underway as well. This should be an exciting and busy time approaching. Soon I'll be able to post a sketch of the proposed facade.

I've had discussions with the organ builder and they'll be able to get started right after Easter which means early April. In the meantime, we need to get the work crew organized and do some orientation in terms of what is involved in a pipe organ. We're also pursuing getting some pipes to use for the facade. We don't have any suitable pipes in the organ that would lend themselves to being part of the facade and still be functional as well.

If you're reading this and are a member of our congregation (or even if you're not) and you'd like to help with this project, please let me know.

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Organ project update - October

Time for another update to the blog. It's 2009 and the building of our new church is proceeding well (check out our church's website for pictures). This means that the time for thinking and planning more seriously for the installation of the organ is here. We'll soon have a meeting with the architect to discuss some ideas for the facade. We've also been talking to various people locally to see if they'd be willing to help with the eventual installation. A work crew needs to be assembled and organized for the time we're ready to move the pieces out of storage and getting them ready for installation.

In the meantime, we're still looking for donations to help pay for the organ purchase as well as possibly for the installation (although an amount has been set aside for that on the budget). If you'd like to help support this project, please check out the details of the Adopt a Pipe fundraiser on this page.

At this time I'd also like to congratulate the American Reformed Church in Lynden, WA which recently acquired a restored pipe organ in their church when they did their recent renovations. I hope to hear it and perhaps play on it one of these days.

Time for an Update

It's hard to believe it's been this long since the last posting. Not a lot has happened since then, but I thought it would be good to update the blog, even if just for recording purposes. The major thing that has occurred during the past year is an "organ transplant". This refers to the fact that we needed to move all of the organ components from its initial facility to a new one due to the owners needing the space. This has occurred on July 12th and all the pieces are now securely stored in one area, waiting for the final transfer to the new church building once we reach that stage (in 2009).

In the meantime, I've also had one meeting with Northern Organs in Ontario when I was there on personal business in June of this year. We reviewed the questions asked by the architect of the church building and discussed timing of the installation and facade requirements as well.

A meeting of the committee is scheduled next week and we hope to get some more concrete plans in place on the installation and some fundraising ideas as well.

If you're visiting this blog and reading this message, please consider a donation to this project before the end of the year so you can benefit from a tax receipt.

Let us know if you have any questions or wish to volunteer to help out with the installation project when the time comes.

We also want to congratulate the Langley Canadian Reformed Church on the completion of the installation of their new organ this year. A wonderful addition to the rank of church organs in the Fraser Valley. May it serve to promote the love of music and the worship of the Lord for many generations to come.

Christmas Praise Evening

The Aldergrove Church is having its Christmas Praise Evening this Sunday, December 9, 2007 at 7:30 p.m. in the United Church facility where we currently meet in Aldergrove. We invite you to join us for praise and fellowship. There will be another opportunity to help to build up our Organ Fund and/or Music Fund (towards the purchase of a piano for the new church). If you are in the area, please consider joining us.

Update

Who built the organ?

The organ we acquired was built by the late Mr. Hugo Pilon (he passed away about a year ago on Novermber 30th) of Toronto. He was a long-time organist in the Bethel Canadian Reformed Church and took a leading role over the years in installing and maintaining the pipe organ in that church. At the same time, as a hobby project purely for his own enjoyment and use, he built the organ in his home during the 70's and 80's. Over time, it grew into a "large two manual instrument of some 34 ranks and over 2000 pipes, divided over Great, Swell and Pedal." (quoting from a report on the organ). Because the instrument is going to be installed in a church, some modifications and adjustments will have to be made to suit the new environment. We're going to try to maintain the integrity of the tonal design of the organ as much as possible though.

Northern Organs - we have been using the services of Northern Organs based in Hamilton, ON to consult with us on the removal of the organ as well as consultations on the re-installation in the new church building. This company is the same one that was involved with the installation of the organ in the new Bethel Church in Toronto and they also knew this organ as well as the builder; hence our desire to work with them on a consulting basis.

If you have more questions or comments, please don't hesitate to write or call.

Church News

A note about this project was published in the Church News in the Fraser Valley, BC this past Sunday to publicize and solicit financial support for it. Some comments have been received and answers to some of your questions will be posted later in the week. I don't have time to respond to each single comment. I welcome further questions and comments though and hope that you'll feel inspired to pass on this address to others to check out.

Organ concert

If you're interested in hearing good music and you live in the Vancouver area, there's an excellent opportunity to do so this Friday.
There will be a concert for saxophone and organ (second half of the concert) at the Holy Rosary Cathedral in Vancouver at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, November 9, 2007 featuring Denis Bedard (organist at HRC) and Julia Nolan (saxophonist). Tickets are $20.00/Students and Seniors $12). Check out further details at hrc.rcav.org.