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About MCC San Francisco

The Newton Organ

The Role of Music in Church

Music is an important part of the church's worship life, adding beauty to the services and bringing an uplifting spirit to the gathered community. Its power to heal and transform is vital to our mission as a church. Like the other parts of worship and the worship space itself, the music ought to be the best that we are able to provide.

Organ Music at MCCSF

The Metropolitan Community Church of San Francisco has always valued music as a central element in its worship life. When the congregation bought and moved into its own building in 1979, the church purchased a used Allen electronic home organ and installed it in time for the first worship service.

In the summer of 1987 an Organ Committee was formed in response to signs of old age in the church's electronic organ and an offer to sell a used pipe organ to the church. The Organ Committee considered that particular organ and others as it investigated the best type of instrument for the building, the possible structural requirements related to an organ's installation, and the means of financing such a purchase.

The result of these investigations was the recommendation to the Board of Directors that the church purchase the present Newton four rank pipe organ. The Board authorized the purchase and approved the Committee's fundraising plan in April 1988.

Installed in September 1988, the organ is used for worship services of the church, ceremonies of commitment, memorial services, recitals, community musical events, and ecumenical worship services.

The Organ Committee

Serving on the original organ committee were:

• Lanny Dykes, M. D.
• Earline Leppert
• Harry Harkness
• Paul Frances
• Karen Hagberg
• Dennis Edelman
• Benjamin Carrillo
• Vance Martin
• Henry Hopkins
• Bruce Fetherolf
• Bob Crocker
• Dwayne Best
• The Rev. Jack St. John
• Marc Minardi
• Linton Stables
• Carl Lawrence
• Andrew Chrystall
• Don Bradley

The Organ Builder

This instrument is the first constructed by the Newton Pipe Organ Company of San Jose, California, founded by Robert Newton in 1968. The firm, owned since 1986 by Stephen Leslie and Roger Inkpen, repairs and maintains pipe organs throughout the state. The proprietors are also church organists.

The Newton Pipe Organ

The Newton Pipe Organ Company Opus 1 was built in 1987. Its four ranks of pipes are fit into a single unenclosed freestanding oak case. The organ can be dismantled and reinstalled when the church moves into new facilities.

The flute and principal pipes are from the 1889 Schoenstein organ at Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church, Washington Square, San Francisco. The principal pipes in the facade have been refinished in copper lacquer. Other parts of the organ are from various Bay area pipe organs. The flame-treated copper Krummhorn pipes are newly crafted by the Schantz Organ Company.

Specification

Be an Angel

If you would like to support the ongoing maintenance of our organ, please contact:

Stephanie Smith
Music Director
Phone: 415/865.2745
Email: wfrey@mccsf.org or ssmith@mcsf.org

Wendell Frey
Music Administrator
Email: wfrey@mccsf.org