We have all been given a special and profound gift in our Holy Week & Easter liturgies and its music. It is a gift that will change us. It is a gift that will help us to know God’s love more fully and spread that love throughout the world. I hope you and your loved ones will take advantage of this gift – all of it – so that we might give thanks to our God and allow ourselves to truly experience the profound love that is made present in our time of worship together during this incredible, beautiful, and most holy week.
In this Lent, we seek to reconnect with God and deepen our faith through self-examination and intentional reading of scripture and prayer. At Saint George’s, our music of Lent also allows us to reconnect with the ancient music of the church through plainsong, or plainchant.
During penitential times, such as the season of Lent, we often pray the Kyrie in place of a hymn of praise (Gloria). The Kyrie is a prayer not just for ourselves, but for the church and the whole world. It is more than just a plea for God’s mercy, it is a call for God’s favor and an expression of praise to a merciful God who loves and cares for all things.
“Dear, Ben. The time has come.” These were the first few words of the latest email I received from our organ builder, Martin Pasi. Indeed, the time has come! Construction has begun on our new organ, Opus 28, or “The Arlington Organ” as it is referred to in Martin’s shop. Over the next 16 months, Martin’s team of five artisans will fashion and shape raw materials into the thousands of individual parts which make up an organ. Metals
I am so excited for our parish, the greater community and for what the commissioning of Pasi, Opus 28, means for ministry at Saint George's and outreach to the community around us. When I arrived in at Saint George's in the late spring of 2009 for my interview, it became immediately apparent that Saint George's valued its music ministry, recognized music's importance in our faith lives and worship, and that there was a very strong desire to grow this ministry in dynamic and meaningful ways. As our choirs have grown and blossomed these past years - both in numbers and musically - we have increasingly become aware of how inadequate our instrument is in supporting the beautiful music that these ensembles make. As I lead you all in congregational song each week, I have become intimately aware of both the technical challenges and tonal limitations of our instrument for leading your glorious hymns of praise and prayer.
Our new instrument (known as Opus 28) will be the 28th instrument built by Martin Pasi and company in their shop at the foot of Mount Rainier in Roy, Washington. When it arrives in the Fall of 2020, our nave will be graced not only by a beautiful new instrument, but by a work of art lovingly handmade for our community and nave using time-tested practices. It is designed with our ministries and worship in mind both today and into the future and it will be one that inspires our grandchildren's grandchildren as it continues to lead the church's song in this place. Opus 28 will be an instrument that inspires and leads congregational singing with clarity and sheer beauty, and one that fully supports our choir's work and becomes and equal partner in these proclamations. It will not only be an instrument that leads our holy praises and prayer and inspires us to a deeper faith, but a gift to our community, inviting them, and us, into the holy mysteries of God.
Opus 28, will take 14 months to be built. Martin's shop will begin construction in June of 2019. All 1,866 pipes will be handmade, as well as all of the organ's other parts. The building of an organ is a fascinating and beautiful thing, combining a variety of trades and fine craftsmanship. I encourage you to check out Martin Pasi's website to not only see his beautiful instruments, but to watch the many videos which show his team making pipes and building an instrument. It truly is an exciting and amazing thing to watch these instruments be fashioned from raw materials. You can find out more information on Opus. 28 and Martin Pasi on our organ project page.
I look forward to this journey with you as we watch Opus. 28 come to life and become a part of this community's generous work to love God, serve others, and change the world.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Ben Keseley, Minister of Music
