Chapel Organ
Möller organ
In 2012, leaders from St. Peter Community Church of Northbrook generously offered their Möller organ to Northfield Community Church. Originally installed at St. Peter in 1978, the instrument was designed by Henry Beard of the Möller Organ Company of Hagerstown, Maryland. It was installed by Gustave Fabry and Sons. John Oliver, organist at St. Peter, served as organ consultant. The majority of the original $48,000 cost of the organ was provided through a donation by Edna Borchardt with additional funds provided by the congregation.
In 2011, the organ was removed from the St. Peter sanctuary by the Walter Bradford Organ Company and stored at its Chicago facility. In early 2014, St. Peter member Gary Eberlein invited leaders of St. Peter and NCC to consider installing the organ in the NCC Chapel loft. A generous donation from the Eberlein family served as the catalyst in making the dream into a reality.
After the Chapel loft was enlarged, Bradford Organ began work in June 2014 and completed the installation in mid-September. Many thanks to St. Peter Community Church, Gary and Linda Eberlein, Charlie and Susie Shabica, and the NCC Board of Trustees for their vision and generosity. Thanks to Stanley Smith, William Jesse,and Jim and Cathy Theorell for their many hours of hands-on work, renovation and repairs to the loft and organ. Thanks also to James Smith for his tireless effort to ensure the organ rediscovered its full voice and color. The Möller Pipe Organ is in a new place with renewed purpose, as worshipers are inspired to listen, to sing, to pray and to praise God through beautiful, inspiring music.
ABOUT THE INSTRUMENT
The organ has eleven ranks or rows of pipes which total 780 in number and range in length from half an inch to 11 feet. A set of chimes is also included. There are two keyboards for the hands and one for the feet, each controlling a separate section of the instrument, and all uniting into the full organ ensemble.
The pipework of the great and pedal organs forms the basic tonal foundation for the instrument and stand unenclosed and largely visible. Some pipes are made of wood, others are metal; each carefully designed and scaled.
The swell organ is within the wooden enclosure fitted with a series of swell shades which provide the organist with expressive control of the pipes. The swell contains the soft flute, string colors and the Trompette. More than 40 registers in the console allow the organist flexibility in combining and contrasting tones.
