The Organ Forum

alright, you read the title, so what are you, and who do you play for?

 P.s. if you so desire, you are more than encouraged to respond with an actual post, besides just answering the poll

n.b. this isn't the Grease Pit, so save the slander for that particular part of the forum, and nota melior (note better) I consider myself Christian Scientiist/episcopal/agnostic 

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Once you can tie your arms into a pretzel and your legs into a knot, you've got it under control

im an anglican mostly, often quite high church though. thats how i was brought up. my dads an atheist though, but i do believe so im quite happy being a christian! hey austin, what denomonation are you. This may just be me, and i dont knoiw as i have no prior experience, but id find it a lot more uncomfotable playing in a church, and mixing in if i didnt believe! might just be me though!!

Kind regards,

TT

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You know you're probably playing too loud when you press the Tutti button, and decide it's not quite loud enough...

www.myspace.com/dickyd123

My Youtube Channel - http://www.youtube.com/DickyD123

I, personally am some kind of Christian Scientist/Episcopalian/agnostic.To me its funny, I was a "better" Christian before I was confirmed in May of 2006, or at least I was less fed up with the church, mI listened to a bunch of Carlin and started going, hey, this guy's right about a lot of religion. What I can't stand are the people who are so consumed by their faith, that they are blind to the ways in which the church wastes its money (i.e. mother's church has a Steinway grand, donated, and it hasn't been tuned in two, three years, despite my constant pestering. I was told "the pastoral care we provide is so much more important [than maintaining our own property]. Now, I know this kinda belongs in the grease pit but I'm going to go on anyway. Bullshit! Jesus said you gotta get the 2x4 out of your own eye before you go taking the splinters out of everyone else's, and form a logical perspective, you take care of your own properties or problems before you go strt helping others (yes, yes it is a church but still, people come on. Are you honestly that religious that you could be led like lambs to the slaughter (sorry about that imagery)and blindly, and blissfully ignore the rules of logic and common sense?!!! So now I will kindly take off the church bashing get-up, and go sit calmly for a while. and it is largely just my mother's church I have that problem with, I really have no problem with the christian scientists, nor with many of the other Episcopal churches in the area (especially St. Paul's Cleveland Heights, with their one million dollar discressionary fund, that and it is higher church than mom's Good Shepherd.

Sorry, my post became really long and dense, but, when I get going ranting about my problems with religion I have a hard time shutting up. 

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Once you can tie your arms into a pretzel and your legs into a knot, you've got it under control

Born and raised a southern Baptist.  Played a 27/3 Moller at a First Baptist church for several years and finally got my belly full of the endless Baptist judging everyone but themselves.  Stayed out of church for about 10 years and several years after moving to Atlanta, Ga. found the United Methodist Church and have been a member at the same church since 1993.

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"The Organ is in truth the grandest, the most daring,
the most magnificent of all instruments invented by human genius."

Like Don, I'm born and raised a Southern Baptist (accent on the "Southern"). I'm weary as h-e-double-hockey-sticks of the bickering and judging that goes on among many Baptists today. Guess I'm just able to distance myself, tune it out, departmentalize, or something, better than some people can, and haven't dropped out (yet).

So, even though I'm a thorough-going liberal Democrat and believe that most Republi-Baptists and other Evangelicals are far too concerned about other peoples' private lives, I'm still hanging in there with my denomination of birth.

Fortunately there is a subset of Southern Baptists known as the "Cooperative Baptist Fellowship" who have come together within the denomination, who share many if not most of my values. My pastor and I, and many of our close fellow ministers are associated with this group. We are the "loyal opposition" who are keeping the SBC from going completely off the deep end. As a group CBF folks are open minded, thoughtful, and realistic. We are not pawns of the religious/political right. We are less enamored of MegaChurch Showtime Religion, more like to maintain traditional worship services, or at least quality music.

In the past year, we may have seen the pendulum swing as far "right" as it's going to in the SBC, and maybe starting in the other direction with the election of more moderate (or at least less rabid) officers in the annual convention. So, Don, one of these days we may all begin to feel more comfortable back in the SBC. Not that I see any drastic changes coming in the near future, but there may be a ray of hope. . . . 

If I ever change churches, though, I'm going Episcopalian. Hopefully that would get me completely away from the right-wingers for good.

But, I guess I'm staying here because it's familiar and, overlooking the radical lunatic element, still a viable and effective denomination. Also, I've been playing at the same church for 14 years, and finally have the organ I've been wanting -- can't leave that behind without a mighty good reason!

John

 

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Rodgers 890 at church.
Baldwin D422 at home.
Scads of old organs in the shop! H E L P !!!

Lutheran - ELCA

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www.nycfarmboy.com
www.reuter822.com

Pentecostal- Assembly of God.

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First they came for the ABC consoles, then they came for the older consoles. When they finally got to the spinets, they were all gone.

so..you mean.. you don't want your cousin Yvonna..playing at your services, jbird

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Once you can tie your arms into a pretzel and your legs into a knot, you've got it under control

Austin,

Yvonna's mother is my dear Mom's sister, God bless her, and I respect them both and love them as family. But we part company somewhat on religion and musical taste.

You know, I'm kinda philosophical when it comes to other people playing in my church, tolerating other folks' music, etc. God uses all kinds of people, talented in different ways, to accomplish all His work. I guess I'd have a hard time dealing with Yvonna-style playing every Sunday, but I'd let her sub for me sometime, in a pinch, I think.

I suppose some people get more of a spiritual lift from Aunt Minnie and Yvonna than they would from my playing. As I said in another context, Twin Creeks Baptist does not take kindly to high church music. Here in my little congregation though, many of us feel otherwise. They say to-may-to, we say to-mah-to.

John

 

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Rodgers 890 at church.
Baldwin D422 at home.
Scads of old organs in the shop! H E L P !!!

jbird604:

Like Don, I'm born and raised a Southern Baptist (accent on the "Southern"). I'm weary as h-e-double-hockey-sticks of the bickering and judging that goes on among many Baptists today. Guess I'm just able to distance myself, tune it out, departmentalize, or something, better than some people can, and haven't dropped out (yet).

So, even though I'm a thorough-going liberal Democrat and believe that most Republi-Baptists and other Evangelicals are far too concerned about other peoples' private lives, I'm still hanging in there with my denomination of birth.

Fortunately there is a subset of Southern Baptists known as the "Cooperative Baptist Fellowship" who have come together within the denomination, who share many if not most of my values. My pastor and I, and many of our close fellow ministers are associated with this group. We are the "loyal opposition" who are keeping the SBC from going completely off the deep end. As a group CBF folks are open minded, thoughtful, and realistic. We are not pawns of the religious/political right. We are less enamored of MegaChurch Showtime Religion, more like to maintain traditional worship services, or at least quality music.

In the past year, we may have seen the pendulum swing as far "right" as it's going to in the SBC, and maybe starting in the other direction with the election of more moderate (or at least less rabid) officers in the annual convention. So, Don, one of these days we may all begin to feel more comfortable back in the SBC. Not that I see any drastic changes coming in the near future, but there may be a ray of hope. . . . 

If I ever change churches, though, I'm going Episcopalian. Hopefully that would get me completely away from the right-wingers for good.

But, I guess I'm staying here because it's familiar and, overlooking the radical lunatic element, still a viable and effective denomination. Also, I've been playing at the same church for 14 years, and finally have the organ I've been wanting -- can't leave that behind without a mighty good reason!

John

 

John,

I understand what you are saying.  It's funny that you mentioned the "Cooperative Baptist Fellowship"......just today it was announced that Decatur First Baptist church named a FEMALE as their pastor. (Decatur is really still in Atlanta).  They are also affiliated with the CBF and the largest Southern Baptist to name a female pastor..  Maybe you Baptist are making a little headway on loving instead of judging!!!   My favorite pastor is a women.  Can't we all just get along!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  We're praying for ya.....

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"The Organ is in truth the grandest, the most daring,
the most magnificent of all instruments invented by human genius."

I was raised Assembly of God, but we've stopped going to Assembly of God Churches. In my lifetime we've been members of around 5 or 6 churches. The first one we left we had gone to since before I was born. The pastor (married) was messing around with other women. The church had three months to pay off the building the were in, and the pastor decided to refinance, against the wishes of the board of deacons (for which my father was a member), another church we left simply because things were tight and it was too far away and we needed to conserve gas (nothing wrong with the church itself). The most recent church we left because the pastor placed a man in a position who was not qualified for such a position (it was a bad case of the honor's system) then that man along with the pastor went up to my father and told him that God had told them that my father would lie and mislead many people. We all knew this was a blatant lie used as a pawn in a fight over power control. The whole family was infuriated and I wanted to bonk some heads, but cooler heads prevailed and we just left. Members of that congregation were secretly disappearing before that point, anyway.  

Now we go to an independent church that isn't affiliated with Assmebly of God, but carried Assembly of God belief.

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First they came for the ABC consoles, then they came for the older consoles. When they finally got to the spinets, they were all gone.

Like Tutti_Toccata, I'm basically high church Anglican, though never high enough for Rome.  Let's not go there.

I lived for a bit in the States as a young teen, and I attended St. Mark's Cathedral in Seattle- I rather enjoyed it.  I've never had a problem with the US Episcopal Church.  Certainly plenty of money there for terrific music. 

These days, due to a fulltime job in the "City", I seldom substitute anymore.  I'll generally agree to an Anglican request if the church is not too far away from London.  Also -as I have reported before- my grandmother is a Christian Scientist, and through her I've had several substitute jobs.  Because of her enthusiastic recommendations, I'll be willing to travel (even as far as Brighton- which I recently did) if the pay is decent.

 

Don Furr:

Maybe you Baptist are making a little headway on loving instead of judging!!!   My favorite pastor is a women.  Can't we all just get along!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  We're praying for ya.....

Don, I really understand where you're coming from here.  I've never had a problem with female priests.  (I simply disagree with the backward RC stance on this.  Their reasons no longer make any sense, IMO.)

I'll never forget it: some years back, I had spent a day at the Imperial War Museum in London.  For anyone who has experienced the Holocaust exhibit, it is absolutely devastating.  (And people that so blissfully equate George W with Hitler?  How quickly they forget.)   After fleeing the museum -and shaking all over-  I headed to nearby Southwark Cathedral for Evensong.  A female presided.  Just the way she spoke and led our prayers... truly magisterial.    

Jason E:

Don Furr:

Maybe you Baptist are making a little headway on loving instead of judging!!!   My favorite pastor is a women.  Can't we all just get along!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  We're praying for ya.....

Don, I really understand where you're coming from here.  I've never had a problem with female priests.  (I simply disagree with the backward RC stance on this.  Their reasons no longer make any sense, IMO.)

I'll never forget it: some years back, I had spent a day at the Imperial War Museum in London.  For anyone who has experienced the Holocaust exhibit, it is absolutely devastating.  (And people that so blissfully equate George W with Hitler?  How quickly they forget.)   After fleeing the museum -and shaking all over-  I headed to nearby Southwark Cathedral for Evensong.  A female presided.  Just the way she spoke and led our prayers... truly magisterial.    

Jason, 

Some of my closest friends belong to the Episcopal faith here in Atlanta.  Although their services might be just a little "high" church for me I do believe if I left the church I've been a member for years, I would most likely find a home at St Lukes Episcopal, Atlanta.

It's good to hear from you.  I had concerns after that "scare" in your city a week ago.  Glad you are o.k. 

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"The Organ is in truth the grandest, the most daring,
the most magnificent of all instruments invented by human genius."

Well, my two cents worth will be my disgust with the churches.  I never ever thought I would be like my Dad and say the damn church.  I do love God and the things of God, but I do not go to church anymore except via TV with the local Methodist church where my good friend is the main organist.  I also listen to a good Presbyterian Church also that is not in my city.  I do recall some very good things about most of the churches I played as well as worshipped in, but for the most part I would have been better off to never have learned to play.  That was my heart's desire, and the church I grew up in rejected me when I was in high school because I was not into "money" although many said I played the organ much better than either of the ladies who seemed to have owned the church organ.  How young and tender hearted I was about all matters, and now as a Sr. citizen I realize just how things were back when.  Gosh, hindsight is such a good teacher.

 I have really had a very tough time playing the organ for churches mostly as a volunteer that it would take a book for me to explain it all.  I just don't need that kind of bind in my life right now, and I can play at home all I want on several kinds of organs. 

 

I might add more later since experiences are a learning tool.