Zion to rededicate refurbished organ

SANDUSKY — A Sandusky congregation is set to rededicate its organ after a three-year restoration later this month. Zion Lutheran Church will rededicate the organ with a special performance of the silent film "Phantom of the Opera" accompanied by renowned keyboardist Clark Wilson playing the organ. The pipe organ, built by the M.P. Moller company of Greencastle, Pennsylvania, was installed at the church in July 1954. M.P. Moller ceased operations in 1992 after crafting more than 12,000 instruments. The organ has 42 ranks, or groups of pipes. Throughout the years, the organ has received some refurbishments. In the 1980s and 90s, the organ's air reservoirs were releathered and the original electronic relays were replaced. The congregation decided to get a quote from the GT Organ Company of Frankfurt, Illinois. More than $100,000 was budgeted for the project. An exact final cost was not reported. The cost to install a new organ can be as much as $1.4 million, according to former church organist Cathy Nye. While the organ was at least partially usable at all times during the restoration process, nearly every component was disassembled and shipped back to GT Organ's Frankfurt workshop for refurbishment or reworking. This included all of the pipes, which had become damaged due to years of improper tuning. Over the organ's 70 years of service, the church has employed just three organists: Laura Stellhorn who was the organist for 62 years, Ron Borchardt who served for 11 years and Cathy Nye who served for 5 years. The church is currently searching for its next keyboardist. Want to go? What: Rededication of Zion Lutheran Church's pipe organ When: 7 p.m. on September 22 Where: Zion Lutheran Church, 503 Columbus Avenue, Sandusky