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# Magnificat
- URL: https://bachtalk.ghost.io/magnificat/
- Published: 2022-11-28T17:42:59.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-15T21:00:04.000Z
- Description: On the St. Thomas Renovation and new Fritts Organ
- Author: Carlton Monroe
- Tags: #Migrated-1789505908714, #Import 2026-09-15 20:59

*The following was an article published in the December 2023 edition of* **Tidings** *, the seasonal magazine published by St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Terrace Park, Ohio.*

Eight years ago, as part of the Faith, Family, Future Initiative, the Vestry of St. Thomas made the momentous and laudable decision to embark on a necessary renovation of the church's chancel and to commission a new organ for St. Thomas. On the recommendation of a committee formed for the purposes of evaluating the existing organ, the Vestry chose a new instrument, rather than a refurbishment, based on the economics of the situation. Beyond money, though, the decision was also a nod to *posterity*. 

We are respectful that we are not the first to have embarked on a project like this. The worship space at St. Thomas has been renovated on several occasions, sometimes dramatically. Built in 1907, the church saw renovations in 1946, 1952, 1957, 1976, 1982, and 1988, and a major addition in 2002\. The current organ was installed in 1967\. Each time the congregation of St. Thomas looked to the future and chose not to cling to the current.

At the heart of all things sacred is a sense of timelessness. Put another way, our spiritual lives are rooted in the idea of eternity. While our daily, secular lives are filled with reminders of our mortality (see: war, Covid, aging), our sacred lives look for timeless stories to be passed from one generation to the next. We could think of our faith not as a key to heaven, but as a legacy that we pass to those who follow. 

In this spirit, the upcoming physical renovation of the church–following Easter 2023–is the start of our gift to the future generations of worshippers at St. Thomas. There are several practical benefits to this endeavor:

- We will make communion more accessible (and safer)
- The new mechanical-action organ – having no electrically dependent action and no internal leather components (both life-limited parts) – should last for well over 100+ yrs w/o needing expensive refurbishment, rather than the 45-50 yrs typical of an electric-action organ
- Our seating for the choir and altar party will be more beautiful and more flexible
- We will preserve the timelessness of our space by the adaptive reuse of our most beautiful objects (the altar, the altar rail, the eagle lectern, the pulpit, and the baptismal font).

What is more significant than these benefits is the *renewal of a spirit of giving* to the future. By making the choice to renew *now*, we are doing what we can to pass on our faith to our children. 

It is worth noting that the mechanism for this renovation was our successful Faith, Family, and Future Initiative. This strategic plan and the eventual capital campaign raised all the funds needed for the purchase of the organ and the chancel renovation. These dedicated funds are over and above our annual operating budget and are managed separately from our endowment and other invested funds, strictly for this purpose. It was an enormous statement of faith from our congregation, and that generosity makes this special work possible. It is with sadness that I note that some of the donors from that initiative are no longer with us. The beautiful new organ and renovated chancel will be in part a monument to their memory and generosity. Even though we began this work eight years ago, there are ways that you and your family can become involved and support the project in fun and meaningful ways. The day the organ arrives will be a monumental one for the church. Every member of our community, from our youngest to oldest, will be able to help welcome the new instrument and dedicate our improved worship space.

So, what should you expect in 2023? It will be a remarkable time. Following Easter services, we will move worship to our Parish Hall, which will be dedicated to that purpose for several months. The existing organ will be removed, and the chancel will be renovated. The renovation is based on the recommendations of Terry Byrd Eason, a nationally recognized liturgical architect and designer, who the church commissioned to work with our whole congregation in 2015 for this purpose. We will purchase new, beautiful, stained oak seating for the choir and clergy. (Chair sponsorships will continue to be available for individuals/families in 2023 – contact the parish office for information) Our chancel is being renovated with a deep respect for historic preservation and the beauty that is our worship space. This means that we are employing adaptive reuse for all the significant liturgical elements. The altar and altar rail will be moved forward, closer to the congregation, the pulpit and lectern will be refurbished, and the Baptismal font will be part of a new floor to be installed. The audio equipment (microphones and speakers) will all be upgraded, as will the lighting and wiring in all areas of the nave. 

This work will take most of the summer. Sometime in early fall, the renovation will be complete, and we will welcome the delivery of the new organ from Paul Fritts & Co. Every member of the parish can literally help carry the instrument in, pipe by pipe. The organ will be installed quickly and partially usable in a relatively short time, with final tuning and adjustments to follow. In the meantime, you can follow updates and the progress of the organ itself being built by following a link through our website at: [www.stthomasepiscopal.org](http://www.stthomasepiscopal.org/?ref=bachtalk.ghost.io) and clicking on the heading “Renovation & New Organ 2023”

And then, what next? We will continue to keep our doors wide open to the community. We will celebrate our beautiful new space and instrument each Sunday, and with special events throughout the year. The renovation of the chancel and welcoming of our new organ will be an amazing act of renewal for the community of St. Thomas and will enrich the lives of generations to come. 

The Magnificat, that beautiful song of Mary, begins with the line "My soul doth magnify the Lord." That word "magnify" rumbles around my mind like a troubling thought: I am not just to *reflect* the Lord, or *echo* the Lord, but *magnify* the Lord. We at St. Thomas are called to magnify the greatness of God and the beauty of His world. We do this first and foremost through our worship, our primary act of praise, the central hub from which the spokes of Christian acts are anchored. Through these actions and commitments we share, and the work of artisans, we pledge to magnify God to each other and out into our community for generations to come.