Dear Partner in Ministry,
I have the honor of presenting (for the first time) in Adult Ed this Sunday. I’ll confess it’s a bit daunting, given the line-up of noted authors and theological personalities that class enjoys, but I’ll do my best to be informative. I’m planning to share with the class some of my own stories of being an organist as a context for exploring the organ’s long story as an instrument, from its ancient beginnings as the “hydraulis” (a water-powered ancestor of the modern organ) to its rise as the dominant instrument of Christian worship for nearly a thousand years. There are technological questions: how does an organ actually work? What’s happening physically as wind becomes sound? Why do people place the organ in the technological lineage that lead to modern computing systems? But there is a more human connection. The organ exists to serve the voice. It was inspired by singing—by breath, resonance, and the shaping of tone—and at its best it strengthens the congregation’s most vital instrument: our own voices. Singing together isn’t easy. It requires courage, unity, and hope, qualities that aren’t always readily evident in the world around us. Not to give away the ending, but supporting that activity is the most important role the organ plays, and why its fundamental technology: wind through pipes has persisted, unimproved by technology. I’ll see many of you on Sunday. If you’re not able to make it, I’m happy to share my presentation with you.
Mark
