Historic Möller Organ Set to Receive First Repairs

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“Can you imagine soon attending First (Evangelical) Lutheran for a Sunday service, funeral, or wedding and not hearing the familiar sound of our church organ?” So began the heartfelt letter our congregation received in October outlining the need for repair to our organ. Knowing the strong history of great music within the walls of our church and not being able to comprehend the great loss of such a historical treasure, we voted to repair and restore this monumental instrument. And, with great pride, we also began researching some interesting historical facts about it.

Church historian Helen Aase wrote in our 125th anniversary book that our church first celebrated its 60th anniversary in 1951 with a special $23,500 offering toward a new organ that was installed under the leadership of pastor V.T. Foss. The 650 members of First Lutheran, at that time, joined together to pool their resources for the sake of providing music to their church as well as the wider community. And, they did their research to be sure they were making a lasting investment.

The organ was built and installed by the M.P. Möller company, based in Hagerstown, Maryland. An original contract for the organ’s construction discovered in the church office was dated 1953. Möller's newest development for the age in organ building was an electro-pneumatic valve for its organs that would deliver a faster response than the older tubular-pneumatic action. No doubt, this was the biggest draw and selling point for our members. Within 6 months after purchase, a Möller Opus 8545 with 2 manuals and 32 registers was installed.

The company eventually became best known for building the immense and unique organs at West Point, the U.S. Naval Academy, and the Air Force Academy. Each organ lends itself to the unique design of these chapel spaces, just as ours has done here at First Lutheran for the past 71 years. The company would grow to become the largest organ building company in the world. With its motto of “An organ a day,” eventually, they built more pipe organs than any other organ company in history.

The process to restore the organ involves many steps. After receiving estimates, our congregation signed a contract for restoration to begin early in Summer 2025. Organ repair companies were amazed that no major repair work had been done since the organ’s original installation. To modernize and restore the organ to its full capacity, all organ pipes will be cleaned and replaced, new electric-mechanical pipe valves and new pipe wiring will be installed, and the organ’s main console will be rebuilt. Additional repair needs involve reframing and insulating the outside walls of the pipe chamber to best protect the instrument from temperature fluctuations for years to come. The total estimated cost for repair and restoration is around $85,000, which is much more reasonable perhaps to some, than purchasing a brand new organ of the exact same size and quality that would have cost easily 5 times the amount.

Throughout all this time, First Lutheran Church has served as a gathering place that has been central for many people in our Kenyon and Wanamingo communities. Beyond Sunday worship, our sanctuary has hosted weddings, funerals, concerts, and significant community events over the years. Look for a future article as we share memories from organists and other members who have blessed Kenyon with their musical talents.

While the restoration work is planned and begun, it is the work of diligent committee members to begin the task of helping fund this important project. We invite the community to join us for our Hymn Sing and Supper on Sunday, January 19 at 4 pm. Join us for favorite hymns such as How Great Thou Art, Amazing Grace, and a few numbers from local musicians, with time for some of your hymn requests. Freewill offering will go toward restoration of this historical gem.

If you are moved by this article or have been impacted by the years of music that have come from the First Lutheran Church organ, please stop in to share a memory of that time. We also would welcome your financial support to help make this long term investment a reality. We look forward to our organ continuing to bless the Kenyon community for years to come upon completion of this project. To make a donation, write a check to First Ev. Lutheran Church with “Organ Fund” in the memo and drop it off or mail it to 309 Forest Street, Kenyon, MN 55946.