New Pipe Organ Enchants McLean Baptist Church

McLean Baptist Church in downtown McLean has been planning for its new organ for 15 years. Sunday morning, the new organ filled the church with the joy of music.

"Some 15 years ago we began to prepare for the installation of our new organ, although most of us had no idea when the initial discussions were held that we would be blessed with the wonderful instrument we now have!" Raymond White, minister of music, told the congregation in a newsletter about Sunday's dedication service.

"Several bequests plus memorial gifts, budgeted funds, and individual gifts to the organ fund have made possible the installation of 1,566 pipes — which represents just about the maximum number of pipes that would fit into our not-very-large organ chambers. To God be the Glory!" White wrote.

The new organ, created by Austin Organs Inc., has 1,580 pipes built into the church. The organ was built specifically for McLean Baptist Church and consists of three manuals, or keyboards, and has three reed stops within the organ, which allows it to have the voices of the trumpet, oboe, and clarinet.

To the untrained eye, it would look as if the organ was a piano since there were no visible pipes. Pastor Michael Catlett described the goal of the installation was to look as “if nothing has been done to the church.”

The previous Allen Organ the church used had stopped working and was replaced by a temporary electronic instrument until the new organ was properly installed and could be used. The cost of the organ was in excess of $300,000 and was paid for by an organ fund created by church members over 15 years ago.

Church organist Dr. Sooyoung Jung, who recently completed her doctorate in music at the University of Maryland, called  the organ as “perfectly matching with the church” and that she “is learning to really enjoy playing this organ.”

“It's a magnificent addition to a wonderful congregation!” parishioner Bob Wallace said.

The congregation sang from new hymnals. "I’ll admit that I have thought for some years that we needed a new hymnal. However, I didn’t take any concrete action until last summer when Ed Olson attended a meeting of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and brought back a copy of the new Celebrating Grace Hymnal that CBF had just published. I was very favorably impressed and discussed it with the Music Committee. Further discussions with the Pastor and the worship council resulted in our recommendation and CLC’s approval that we acquire copies for use in our worship services. Memorial funds were made available and the hymnals have been purchased," White wrote.

"I like to think that McLean Baptist Church regards this instruction seriously. Music takes a prominent role in our worship together — singing by the congregation as well as the choir and soloists, and music played on the organ, the piano, handbells, and a variety of other instruments, White wrote.