Pipe Dreams
Madison
First Baptist Church’s
rare pipe organ to be restored
Members
seek fundraising
to help with the project
By
Konnie McCollum
Staff Writer
(May 2010) – More than 100 years ago in 1900,
a small group of women decided their church needed an organ. They worked
hard to raise $1,000 and, along with a $1,000 grant, were able to purchase
a hand-crafted Felgemaker Tracker Pipe Organ. In 1901, that organ was
carefully shipped from Pennsylvania and painstakingly installed in Madison,
Ind.’s First Baptist Church.
 |
|
Photo
courtesy of Stephanie Hellman of Nice Shots Photography Madison
First Baptist Church’s |
Today, the 700-pipes organ is one of four still remaining
east of the Mississippi River, but it needs extensive maintenance, which
is going to be costly. Madison First Baptist Church, 416 Vine St., has
been working to raise the more than $85,000 that is needed to return
the rare treasure as close to its original condition as possible. At
this point, through auctions, dinners, and donations, the church has
raised $35,000, according to church member Sara Minor. Her company,
Minor Auctions, has helped with the efforts.
“We have planned luncheons, another auction in the fall, hymn sings
and other events to raise the money we need,” said Minor. Recently,
former community members Ray and Martha Thomas donated the proceeds
from an auction of furniture they did not need to help with the fundraising.
More than $678 was raised by their generosity, said Minor.
A Knoxville, Tenn.-based company, Bradley Rule and Co, plans to spend
a week in Madison in May to carefully label and dismantle the organ
to take back to its workshop. The track organ specialists will then
spend up to six months tediously cleaning and restoring the organ, said
church member Ken Goins, who has also been working on the project.
 |
“It is a very involved process that not many companies
are able to do,” he said. “Much of the interior pipes still
involve a wood action, while modern organs have switched to electronic
components. We found that only a few companies are able to do the complicated
restoration.”
The church is paying the restoration company in installments for the
work on its precious organ. Members hope to raise all of the money by
the time the company returns it to them.
“We welcome any and all contributions,” said Goins.
• To donate to the Organ Restoration Fund at Madison First Baptist Church, visit www.madisonfbc.org or send checks to Organ Restoration Fund, Madison First Baptist Church, 416 Vine St., Madison, IN, 47250.