On July 24, Gilroy’s Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd held
an important event during the 9:30am worship service.
On July 24, Gilroy’s Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd held an important event during the 9:30am worship service. Congregation members and guests celebrated the dedication of new pipes for their beloved church organ, marking a major upgrade on the church’s Laukhuff five-rank organ that was built in 1962 but installed at Good Shepherd in 1990.
Some of the pipes in this organ, the ones controlled by foot pedals, were made of zinc and painted to resemble copper (to match the “principals” they surrounded). They needed replacing because they didn’t sound as good as they should and tended to hesitate briefly when played.
Through the past few years memorial donations had been accumulating, and the Church Council recently decided to put this money toward something tangible and lasting in memory of these deceased members. Because of the congregation’s tradition of appreciating fine music, upgrading the organ seemed an appropriate project.
This fund provided about half the money needed, and members were offered the opportunity to complete the task by contributing toward the cost of a pipe and choosing a dedication for it.
The new wooden facade pipes are constructed of solid, rift-sawn eastern white oak by William Visscher of Hupalo and Repasky Pipe Organs. They provide a much better sound and are more responsive to the pedals than the metal pipes they replaced.
At the dedication service, the Rev. Ronald Koch, Good Shepherd’s pastor, read the dedication for each pipe, followed immediately by the playing of that pipe’s sound by Zita Weyland, the church musician.
The first piece played for the occasion, “Prelude, Fugue, and Chaconne” by Dietrich Buxtehude, was particularly fitting because it began with an extensive pedal solo.
The dedication program gave an interesting background behind each dedication. For example:
nThe C-sharp pipe is in memory of Bill Lindsteadt, given by friends and family members. He was head of the Gilroy Economic Development Corporation and did much to develop Gilroy’s business enterprise. Bill sang bass in the church choir until dying in January after a short illness; his death initiated the fund drive for these 12 replacement pipes.
nThe D pipe is in memory of Harry Hammelev, a member of Good Shepherd since 1984, who died in 2002. A deputy sheriff, he loved the children of the parish and called them his “little angels.” He considered the church’s music program the best in the county and was always supportive of it.
nPipe organs are an ancient tradition in Christian worship. By the end of the Middle Ages, they were used almost universally to accompany liturgy, but in England they ran into trouble at the time of the Commonwealth. In 1644, the Puritan-dominated Parliament decreed their destruction, and few really old organs remain in the United Kingdom.
nToday many churches use electronic digital organs which produce sounds through speakers via electrical oscillations. To hear the beauty of a traditional pipe organ in its proper setting, plan to attend Good Shepherd’s annual Hymn Festival in October. For more information call (408) 842-2713.
