St. Thomas More in Norman opens organ restoration campaign

St. Thomas More parishioners are in the process of building a new church. The larger space requires a larger pipe organ than the model currently used.
 
The parish purchased an organ designed and built by the E.M. Skinner Company in 1923. Skinner was a pioneer in pipe organ development, and the organ is now part of a catalogue of  important and historic instruments in the United States.
 
The organ was originally in the First Presbyterian Church in Stamford, Conn., but when that church closed, a pastor from Delaware saved it from destruction by moving it to his church. Eventually his church closed as well and the pastor’s family intended to auction it off.
 
After hearing from St. Thomas More, the family sold the valuable organ to the Norman parish for much less than asking price. The organ requires considerable work before it can serve as the primary instrument for services. 
 
Restoring this organ will be a lengthy process that involves replacing hundreds of miles of cotton wrapped wiring, cleaning the pipework and repairing or replacing some of the pipes. There also is a lot of woodwork needed.
 
The parish has raised $90,000 of the $1 million estimated for repairs.
 
The goal is to have restoration complete before the organ’s 100 ^th anniversary in 2023. To give a gift of support for the organ restoration, contact Nolan Reilly at (405) 321-0990, Ext. 205, or at music@stm-ou.org.

Debi Wagner is a freelance writer for the Sooner Catholic.

Photo: The organ console. Photo provided.