Church Seeks Funds to Preserve Historic Organ
“Music has always been a significant part of our worship services and throughout the growing years of our church right up until today.”
– “A History of Our Saviour Lutheran Church” (1964)
Our Saviour Lutheran Church in Stone Harbor is engaged in a project to keep its historic organ playing long into the future.
The church traces its roots back to 1910 when Anna Salvesen invited eight of her son Oscar’s friends to come back to their home on Sunday to play games and learn about Jesus together. The “Sunday School” continued each week, and the group grew to 28.
Ground was broken for the church that stands on Third Avenue in July 1916 and it was dedicated a year later. It would be about 20 years before a pipe organ was added to the church to enhance the worship services. One can only assume that the mention in the church’s history dated 1964 must account back to at least 1937, perhaps even earlier.
Our marine environment here on the Seven Mile Beach is a blessing in so many ways, but it can also be a detriment to mechanical devices. For that reason, the congregation of Our Saviour has constantly reinvested in its organ to preserve and enhance its features.
When Howard Eismann, a retired teacher from Philadelphia and former tenor with the Cosmopolitan Opera Company passed away at the age of 61 in June 1955, he willed the sum of $5,000 to the church in memory of his mother Sarah, one of the pioneers of the church. That would be the equivalent of about $53,000 in 2022. The money was used to purchase a new organ, which was dedicated to Mrs. Sarah Eismann in August 1957. It was reported to be one of the finest church organs available at the time that it was purchased.
Maintenance and updates were carried out regularly on this important piece of the congregation’s worship. A major update was undertaken in 1973, followed by the 1978 addition of a wooden cover placed around the working mechanisms. The bottom of the cover is glass enclosed and has been sealed to slow the moisture from deteriorating the leathers and mechanisms of the organ.
Experts in the field have taken notice of the organ at Our Saviour and have remarked about its historic value. The organ utilizes European leathers, which are very rare in today’s world. The only other organ in working condition known to be like the Our Saviour gem is located in Toronto. It is indeed rare.
Which brings us to 2022. The Church Council recently established a fund that is intended to keep the organ working to its full capacity and available for worship services. At the time that the organ was constructed, the baroque style of music was popular in churches. It has a brassy, sharp and loud sound. This new update will “dampen,” or soften, the sound, making it more appropriate for services in today’s world.
The church is accepting donations that will be dedicated exclusively to the updates and maintenance of this historic instrument.
If you’d like to contribute, donations can be mailed to:
Our Saviour Church Organ Fund, 9212 Third Ave., Stone Harbor, NJ 08247
Contributions are also accepted via Venmo at Our Saviour Stone Harbor; please note organ fund contribution.