Page 39 - Presbyterian Connection, Spring 2020

Connection
NEWS
Organ Building Workshop for Children
presbyterian.ca
SPRING 2020
PRESBYTERIAN
39
By the Rev. Dr. Daniel Scott,
St. John’s Presbyterian Church in Bradford West Gwillimbury, Ont.
When 1st West Gwillimbury Pres- byterian Church split apart it was mostly over music. In the small town of West Gwillimbury, strong opinions on anything, including music, were common. The original Selkirk Set- tlers, who arrived in the area in 1819, felt that one should only praise God with the human voice (in Gaelic) and only sing from the Scottish Psalter. Some in the congregation, however, wanted to keep up with the times. Organs were all the rage in many other churches. An organ wasn’t going to be a part of 1st West Gwil- limbury Presbyterian Church and so 2nd West Gwillimbury Presbyterian Church was founded one line south. Both churches looked substantially the same. The only difference: one had an organ, the other did not.
St. John’s is the current congrega- tion in Bradford West Gwillimbury, Ont. (an amalgamation of 1st and 2nd West Gwillimbury, Bradford and Coulson Hill Presbyterian Churches), and as part of the 200th Anniversary celebration of Presbyterian Presence in the area, we decided to host a se- ries of organ workshops for children.
The Royal Canadian College of Organists (RCCO) has an initiative called Orgelkids (orgelkidscan.ca) to allow children to help build and then play a working pipe organ. Local schools, community groups and pi- ano studios were invited to come and assemble the wooden pipe organ that arrived in two containers by courier to the church. Retired schoolteach- ers Bob and Jean Low (Jean is one of the organists at St. John’s) led a variety of children over the space of seven days as they assembled the organ and then played it.
Groups of up to 60 children came
Workshop leader, Bob Low, taught every grade at Bradford Public School before retiring. In this picture, he is working the bellows while a Sunday School student plays the notes.
(Left to right) The Rev. Douglas Rollwage, Glynis Faith and John Barrett.
Ordination of the Rev. Glynis Faith
throughout the week. The groups were divided in to two sections. Jean took half the children into the sanctu- ary of the church to explain and dem- onstrate how an organ works. The children all had an opportunity to the play the organ. One home-schooling group was particularly excited to try out the new instrument. A child was heard leaving the church saying, “Mom, can we buy an organ?” And another said, “I wish our church had one of these as well.”
Bob took the other students into another area of the church and, with instructions provided online by Orgelkids, guided the children in the assembly of the pipe organ. The in- structions were detailed and clear.
After about forty-five minutes, the groups switched places and were given the other experience.
Bob was a bit nervous at first be- cause there were so many pieces to the organ kit. However, after a couple of groups had assembled the organ, including the operating bellows, it became clear that the kit was fairly straightforward. And then the chil- dren took turns making the pipe or- gan play—one worked the bellows and another used the keyboard to strike the notes.
The children had so much fun with the experience, and their enthusiasm was contagious. During the same week, there was a Seniors Christ- mas Carol Sing followed by coffee and desserts. A number of these “older children” couldn’t wait to try out the organ kit. After playing happy birthday to an octogenarian, a few of the seniors, following the detailed instructions, disassembled the organ kit and packed it back into the two suitcases in which the pieces had arrived.
The kit was dropped off for deliv- ery at the end of the week and sent on its way for other groups of chil- dren to have the same experience.
Our community has come a long way since the debates of 1st West Gwillimbury and 2nd West Gwillim- bury Presbyterian Churches.
After 200 years of Presbyterian presence in the community, we have learned, “If you let children build an organ, they will come.”
By John Barrett, Clerk of Session, Zion Presbyterian Church in Charlottetown, P.E.I.
On Sunday, Jan. 5, 2020, the Pres- bytery of Prince Edward Island gath- ered at Zion Presbyterian Church in Charlottetown to conduct the Service of Ordination for Glynis Faith. Zion’s connection with Glynis has been long- standing as she served there during her time in student ministry under the direction of Lead Minister, the Rev. Douglas Rollwage. In more recent years Glynis has been employed on a part-time basis at Zion as Christian Education Coordinator and Pastor to Seniors, while completing her course of study through Knox College. Hav- ing graduated in the spring of 2019, Glynis received a call in November from the Presbytery of Barrie, Ont., where she will be serving the congre- gations of Knox Church, Por t Carling
and Zion Church in Torrance.
The service and sermon were
conducted by the Rev. Douglas Roll- wage, while the Charge was present- ed by the Rev. Mark Buell. A large turnout of presbyters, Zion members and friends of Glynis gathered for this special time in her life of minis- try. Special music was provided by Zion’s Sanctuary Choir and guest so- loist Debbie Brady. Presbytery Clerk Nancy Harvey presented both the Edict of Ordination and the Narration of Steps, while Presbytery Moderator John Barrett presided over the vari- ous requirements of the Ordination process. A time of fellowship and farewell was held in Matheson Hall following the service.
Best wishes on the commence- ment of this phase of Glynis’s walk with Christ are extended on behalf of the presbytery of P.E.I. and the people of Zion Church.
Equipping for...
• Congregational life & leadership • Faith formation
• Evangelism & misison
• Worship
• Eldership
Visit the new “Equipping for...” web page for educational resources and ideas to support congregations in a variety of church-related areas.
presbyterian.ca/eq4
Jean Low, a popular retired teacher and one of the organists at St. John’s PC, lis- tening as her husband Bob gives instructions to a home-schooling group.