Music

We become unified as a body when we sing shoulder-to-shoulder and side-by-side. We remember our mission as we hum songs of faith in our cars, our homes, and our places of business. We become better followers of God as we humble ourselves in service though worship. Music matters.

Adult Choir & Handbells

If you are interested in singing in choir or playing in the Adult Handbells Ensemble, please email our Minister of Music, Don Papenbrock, or call the church office at  706.884.4635.

Our Organ’s History

In its 192-year history, First United Methodist of LaGrange has occupied five houses of worship, each standing on the same piece of land at the corner of Trinity and Broad Streets. Being Wesleyans, we strongly believe that music, in its many and varied forms, is an essential and important element of our worship experience.  That is true to this day, and we exercise that belief each and every Sunday morning.

For the last century, in the last two of these structures, we have been blessed to have four pipe organs to assist and enhance our worship services.   The first, called the Dunson organ, was installed in the previous sanctuary in 1918, and was manufactured by the M.P. Moller Co. of Hagerstown, MD. 

This organ was enlarged and enhanced by the Moller Company in 1954. When that sanctuary was demolished in 1963, the organ was removed and stored, and then reinstalled in the new/current sanctuary in 1965.

In 1981, there was another renovation and expansion of the instrument by the Schantz Organ Company of Orrville, Ohio, which is most famous for being the home of Smuckers Jelly.  This instrument contained thirty-two ranks of pipes.  (A “rank” is a group of pipes with the same sound, with a pipe for each note.  For the hand-played manuals each rank is 61 pipes; for the foot-played manual, a rank is 32 pipes.)  Generally speaking, pipes do not wear out, but the mechanisms that produce and control the compressed air, and the valves that open and close the air flow to the pipes certainly do.

The last and current renovation was completed in September of 2005, and the Schantz Company again did the work.  The size of the organ was increased by more than 50%, from 32 ranks to 49 ranks.  The total number of pipes was increased from 1,867 to 2,794, of which 614 are visible in the two cantilevered boxes, over each side of the choir loft.   The other 2,180 are contained in two choir chambers, one directly behind each group of visible pipes.

This instrument contains some number of pipes from each of its predecessors. The smallest pipe is the size of a pencil, and the largest is 16’ long and more than a foot in diameter.  To duplicate this instrument from scratch would today cost about $1,200,000.

This particular organ contains several unique features.  First, the console is mobile and can be moved to the center of the choir loft for concerts, so that the organist can be observed while playing.  

Second, while most of today’s church organs have at least some sounds that are produced electronically, this instrument has none—every sound that you hear comes from a pipe.

Thirdly, while the Swell Division contains a traditional rank with a trumpet sound, this organ also has a rank designated the Festival Trumpet.  This rank emulates the sound of herald trumpets and is a great tool for fanfares and other such celebratory pieces.  To produce the sound, an air source of higher air pressure is required.  This rank can be played from any manual.

The organ was dedicated to the Glory of God in September of 2005 by Bishop Lindsey Davis of the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church.  Our congregation looks forward to many more years of this outstanding instrument to enhance our worship services, and we hope to continue to share its many wonderful sounds with the people of LaGrange and surrounding area.