The Mark Fischer Organ Company of Erie, PA, led the $300,000 project, modernizing the three-manual organ, which includes approximately 3,000 pipes, an Antiphonal Organ, Echo Organ, and Trumpet en Chamade. Additionally, twenty new ranks of Hauptwerk stops have been integrated to enhance the organ’s capabilities.

“We are thrilled to have such unwavering support from our congregation and friends in the community,” said Ruth Nelson, director of music at First Methodist Church,

The church will host a rededication organ recital on Sunday at 4 p.m. Guest organ recitalist Brian A. Bogey, organist and choirmaster at the First Lutheran Church in Jamestown, will perform his 29th dedicatory organ recital across New York and Pennsylvania. With 39 years of service at the Jamestown First Lutheran Church, Bogey also boasts a 45-year tenure teaching choral music in the Jamestown Public Schools and at Jamestown Community College, as well as instructing organ at SUNY Fredonia. He holds both Bachelor and Master of Music Education degrees in organ and music education from SUNY Fredonia. Bogey’s recital program will feature works by composers such as J.S. Bach, Johann Pachelbel, Sigfrid Karg-Elert, Frederick Swan, Walter Peltz, Searle Wright, Jehan Alain, and Louis Vierne.

The First Methodist Choir, directed by Nelson and accompanied by Micky Sandberg, will perform the offertory anthem during the event. A reception in the church’s Founders Hall will follow the recital. The public is invited to attend this free event; there will be no offertory, but an anthem will be sung.

Times Observer file photos Mark Fischer explains how the winchester in the pipe organ at First Methodist Church works. The 1927 organ is undergoing a substantial renovation project.

The restoration began last April and took 11 months to complete.

The organ’s renovation involved meticulous cleaning and maintenance, tasks that had not been undertaken since 1972. All 2,967 pipes, varying in size and material, were removed, cleaned, and adjusted to ensure optimal sound quality. The windchests were also cleaned, broken supports repaired, additional passage boards added for easier tuning and maintenance, and lighting updated. These efforts aim to restore the organ’s sound to its post-1970s quality, preserving the integrity of previous work while enhancing its functionality for future performances. They are hoping for around 100 or more people to attend this event.

“I’ve learned a lot just watching this come apart,” Nelson said before expressing amazement that there are still individuals in Warren capable of playing the instrument, “That’s just dying out.”