Our crew has just completed the restoration of the pipe organ at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Malcolm, NE.  The organ was built in 1905 by the Vogelpohl & Späth company of New Ulm, Minnesota and was originally installed at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Minneapolis.  That congregation built a new sanctuary in 1920 and traded this organ in for a new and larger instrument from the same firm.  When St. Paul completed their church building in 1921, this organ was available and ready to deliver.  It was installed in July of that year. 

In the 1960s, it was decided that the elaborately stenciled pipes were a distraction from worship so they were painted black.  Plywood paneling, also painted black, was installed to cover the oak case.  In the 1980s, they realized this was a mistake and the facade pipes were repainted as you see them today.  The oak casework was also revealed and refinished.

In celebration of their 100th anniversary, the congregation decided to have the organ restored.  New stained glass windows were also commissioned to replace the old, colored plexiglass panels.  The organ restoration work was comprehensive.  The Swell was nearly unplayable due to numerous cracks in the wind chest table.  The Great was not much better.  Notes would "bleed through" between one another.  Wind loss was so great that all stops sounded muted and colorless.  It was nearly impossible to tune.  A new wind chest table of marine-grade mahogany plywood will give many decades of trouble free service.  The leaking wind reservoir was releathered and gaskets were replaced throughout the organ.  The entire key action was cleaned, re-bushed, and regulated.  Stopped wooden pipes were releathered and all the pipe work was cleaned and dents were removed.  Other components were repaired or replicated as necessary. 

The action is now light and responsive.  There is no longer the constant hiss of wind leaks.  Most importantly, the pipes all speak with clarity and richness that hasn't been heard in decades.  Everyone on the Bedient crew is delighted to know that this organ will be faithfully serving this congregation for generations to come!  More information and a stop list can be found on the Organ Historical Society Website:  https://www.pipeorgandatabase.org/organ/69161

A dedication recital will be scheduled at a later date.