Church to dedicate refurbished organ

Traveling down U.S. 522 toward Sperryville, one comes to Slate Mills Road just before the Boston Store.

Upon turning onto Slate Mills, the road twists and winds alongside pasture settings and small farmettes until one comes across a little white church in a picturesque setting in Rappahannock County, not far from both Madison and Culpeper county lines.

The church is F.T. Baptist and at 2 p.m. on Sunday pipes will resound through the pastures. It is the music sounding from the pipes of the church’s newly acquired Moller pipe organ.

Karl Burke grew up in Rappahannock County and was a member of F.T. Baptist Church. He was a gifted organist and floral designer.

As an organist, Burke played for many other churches, and on some occasions, he shared his talents with F.T. Baptist as well.

Always searching and exploring different opportunities, Burke discovered a pipe organ, more than three years ago, at a Lutheran church in Ohio. The church had constructed another building and was relocating.  The old building became a Montessori school, which did not want to keep the organ. 

Last month, at 55 years of age, Burke passed away due to complications from diabetes, but not before he saw the organ’s arrival at F.T. Baptist and had the opportunity to play it.  He had talked the church into considering the purchase of the organ, amidst much controversy, and drove to Ohio to get it.

Burke donated his time and effort and the church bought the organ. Burke was in the midst of installing it when he became too ill to continue.  Members of the church put parts, carpentry and the necessary work into it getting it to where it is today.

Demaris Miller, deacon at F.T. Baptist, tells how this organ brought the congregation closer in many respects, “Many members of F.T. Baptist were involved in the installation of the new organ. Everyone did something.”

Local carpenter Scott McBride, of Mustard Seed Master Builders, built the organ cabinet that houses more than 300 pipes and is situated behind the organ.

The console is an old Allen organ. Everything inside has been rebuilt. The refurbishment is all digital and was done by Fred Berger of Organ Technologies in Richmond.

Dennis Stephens and Denise Symonds, of Rappahannock Pipe Organs, installed the pipes and will provide a final tuning this week prior to the dedication ceremony on Sunday.

The pipe organ, which is at least 70 years old, was made in Hagerstown, Md. by Moller Company.

The dedication ceremony is being held on Sunday at 2 p.m. In addition to a performance by the choir and Ginny Pegelow, the church organist, several guest organists will perform.

There will be music by such classical composers as Bach and Handel and contemporary worship music as well. Selections have been chosen to demonstrate some of the special features of the new organ including the electronics, particularly highlighting the speakers in the balcony.

Light refreshments will be available following the ceremony.

The closest church with a pipe organ is Hebron Lutheran Church in Madison. As far as anyone knows, F.T. Baptist is the first church in Rappahannock County to have a pipe organ.

F.T. Baptist Church is on Slate Mill Road (Route 707), one mile east of Route 231 (F.T. Valley Road) in Rappahannock County. Its services are Sundays at 11 a.m. with Sunday School beginning at 10 a.m.

The youth group has a contemporary service on Sunday evenings at 7 p.m. For further information contact Pastor Dan Yowell at 540-635-5364 or e-mail .

Amy Wagner covers church news for the Star Exponent. Have a story idea? E-mail her at .