Music

The original organ at Christ United Methodist Church was built and installed by the former Delaware Organ Company of North Tonawanda, NY in 1962. Due to budgetary constraints it was a relatively small instrument consisting of two manuals, and 26 ranks of pipes and 1515 pipes total, all installed in the north (left) chamber. In procuring this instrument, Christ Church made a significant statement regarding the quality of worship and the importance of music in the life of the church.

In 1993, Christ Church became aware of a Schlicker organ that had been the original pipe organ of the Orchard Park Presbyterian Church. When the Presbyterians enlarged their facility, they donated the organ to the Brethren in Christ Church in Clarence Center. The Brethren Church never had it installed, but stored the instrument in their church. When contacted by Christ United Methodist Church, the members of the Brethren Church graciously decided to donate the organ if Christ Church would remove it from the site. In November 1994 the organ was removed to Christ UMC and stored in the south (right) pipe chamber.

The Schlicker organ had its own history. Installed in the Presbyterian church in the 1940s, the majority of pipes came from an organ built for St. James Episcopal Church in Buffalo by Wm. Johnson & Sons of Westfield, MA in 1888. Johnson was among the preeminent organ builders in New England.  The pipes of this organ remain in virtually unaltered condition, exhibiting all of the tonal quality of Johnson’s best work.

In early 2006, Niagara Organ Works was awarded the contract to combine the two instruments. The final tonal design includes stops that neither organ possessed, but which are important and necessary in a well-balanced instrument.  Niagara Organ Works organ builders Paul Staley and Dr. David Bond completed construction and installation of the organ in early 2008. The Arrison Organ contains 3 manuals, 49 ranks and a total of 2783 pipes, embracing the work of organ builders from three centuries. (Design notes edited from the dedicatory program article written by Paul Staley.)