Good morning, neighbor.
It was a long spring, and summer has seemed even longer, at least for me. We’ve all had to endure an unprecedented pandemic, and though many have reopened their businesses, not everyone feels comfortable venturing too far for too long.
Many of us have used this time to check items off of our to-do list. That’s just what the First Congregational Church in Ashfield did in June. The church has finished restoring its tracker organ.
My former colleague and close friend Diane Broncaccio reported in July 2018 that the organ had departed for restoration and was going to take at least 18 months. It took a little longer, but it was worth the wait, I understand.
William Czelusniak and a team of workers from his firm Czelusniak et Dugal Inc. in Northampton used their expertise to complete the two-year project. The organ was built by George W. Reed in 1903 in West Boylston for Holy Trinity Church in Greenfield. It was sold to the Ashfield church in 1932, and it is one of two George Reed tracker organs in Franklin County. The other, I’m told, is housed in Our Lady of Czestochowa in Turners Falls.
It was in 2015 that the church began considering the restoration, and though it was played during weekly service and sounded good to parishioners, Czleusniak, who had maintained and tuned it for years, reported it needed serious repairs.
The church created its Organ Committee to study options and in 2016 it recommended restoration. By the end of that year, plans were underway to launch a capital campaign to provide funding for the project. The congregation began the Make a Joyful Noise campaign and between January and June, $300,000 was secured through donations from church members, friends and the community. Volunteers spent many hours working on the campaign, according to church Choir Master Margery Heins, and the Organ Historical Society awarded the musical instrument the prestigious Historic Pine Organ Award.
The Facade Pipe Study Group developed a design similar to those used by Reed in the early 1900s, and over the past couple years, Heins said, restored organ components were delivered to the church one or a few at a time. Much of the organ was rebuilt on site. Facade pipes were decorated by artisans within the church.
Unfortunately, she said, the congregation and public cannot see or hear the organ because the church is closed to gatherings. But, church organist Amy Roberts-Crawford is getting reacquainted with it and enjoying every moment. When the church reopens, Sunday services with the organ will resume.
It sounds like the First Congregational Church of Ashfield has it all figured out, and has some pretty special events planned once the pandemic is over. Please stay tuned and stay well.
Senior Reporter Anita Fritz grew up in Franklin County after moving from Spokane, Wash., when she was just a few weeks old. She covers Greenfield and does regional and COVID-19 reporting for the Greenfield Recorder.