Saint James Episcopal Church's New Organ Dedication
Our church community came together to celebrate something pretty special - our brand new Rodgers organ! It was a big day for us, made possible by some incredibly generous members of our congregation and a shared love for how music brings our worship to life.
A New Chapter in Our Church's Music
When our old organ finally gave out, we wondered what would come next for our music program. Music isn't just background noise in Episcopal church services - it's a huge part of our worship services.
"Since our old organ died, it's good to have a wonderful new one," one of our administration team members said. And they weren't kidding!
What Makes Our New Organ Special
What makes this particular organ unique is truly remarkable. According to our music director, Dr. David Friddle, this isn't just any organ - it's essentially four organs housed in one console, representing different historical periods:
17th-century German
19th-century French
Early 20th-century British
Mid-20th-century American
With this new organ, our Sunday services can feature music from just about any time period. Need something celebratory for Christmas or something solemn for Good Friday? This organ can do it all - it's basically four centuries of music history in one instrument!
The Organ Dedication Concert
The dedication was more of a concert than a formal ceremony, showing off just what this impressive instrument can do. Dr. Friddle played works by Bach, Tchaikovsky, and Liszt – pieces he's performed throughout his 40-year career.
When asked about his favorite piece from the concert, Dr. Friddle mentioned Bach's chorale prelude "By the waters of Babylon." He explained why it means so much to him: "It shows a father in his twenties displaying sadness and loss that typifies both the text from Psalm 137 as well as the death of his third and fourth children who died hours after birth." That's the thing about great music in church - it can express emotions that sometimes words alone can't touch.
The Tchaikovsky "Romanze" was another standout moment in the performance, which Dr. Friddle described as "especially notable."
How Our Church Family Made This Happen
This new organ wouldn't have happened without the amazing support of our congregation. One anonymous donor got the ball rolling with a whopping $100,000 donation - about half the total cost. That kind of generosity really shows how much our community values music in worship.
The selection process wasn't taken lightly. "Both the Senior Warden and I examined the competing proposals and determined that Rodgers was far and away the best choice," Dr. Friddle explained. Once they decided, things moved quickly - the installation took just three days from start to finish.
What This Means for Our Sunday Worship
So what difference will this organ make in our worship at Saint James? Its many settings and voices bring new dimensions to our Sunday church services. When people heard it for the first time, reactions were mixed - some immediately noticed something different, while others found it familiar. What matters most is that this instrument will be with us for years to come, accompanying us through communion, special events, and our regular Sunday worship.
We're still finding the sweet spot for volume during congregational singing (as with any new gadget, there's always a learning curve!). Still, there's no doubt that this organ represents a significant investment in our church's future and our commitment to meaningful worship.
Join Us for Future Music Events
Dr. Friddle mentioned that future concerts featuring the new organ are being planned, so stay tuned and we'll let you know when! If you're in the Charleston area, we'd love for you to join us for a Sunday service to hear this amazing instrument in person.
For those asking how to support music programs at Saint James Episcopal Church, our music director's answer was refreshingly simple: "Attend." Just showing up and being part of our services and concerts is the best way to support what we're doing.
We feel incredibly blessed to have this new addition to our church, and we're excited about the beautiful music that will fill our space for years to come. Come worship with us at Saint James Episcopal Church on James Island, where music and faith come together every Sunday at 8am and 10am.
All are welcome. We can't wait to see you!
Thank you, Ann with Principle Photography for these absolutely STUNNING pics of the event. To see all the images from this amazing event, click here to be taken to our image gallery!
