Category: News

A Month Long Celebration

Febuary is African-American History Month. Many significant events in African-American history occurred in the month of February. Each week of this month we will share historical information for each date. The source for this information is here.

On February 23:
Feb. 23, 1965 – Constance Baker Motley elected Manhattan Borough president, the highest elective office held by a black woman in a major American city.

On February 24:
Feb. 24, 1864 – Rebecca Lee became the first black woman to receive an M.D. degree.

On February 25:
Feb. 25, 1870 – Hirman R. Revels of Mississippi was sworn in as first black U.S. Senator and first black Representative in Congress.
Feb. 25, 1948 – Martin Luther King was ordained as a Baptist minister.
Feb. 25, 1971 – President Nixon met with members of the Congressional Black Caucus and appointed a White House panel to study a list of recommendations made by the group.

On February 26:
Feb. 26, 1869 – Fifteenth Amendment guaranteeing the right to vote sent to the states for ratification.
Feb. 26, 1926 – Carter G. Woodson started Negro History Week. This week would later become Black History Month.

On February 27:
Feb. 27, 1869 – John W. Menard spoke in Congress in defense of his claim to a contested seat in Louisiana’s Second Congressional District. Congress decided against both claimants. Congressman James A. Garfield of the examining committee said “it was too early to admit a Negro to the U.S. Congress.” Menard was the first black
to make a speech in Congress.
Feb. 27, 1988 – Figure skater Debi Thomas becomes the first African American to win a medal (bronze) at the winter Olympic Games.

On February 28:
Feb. 28, 1859 – Arkansas legislature required free blacks to choose between exile and enslavement.
Feb. 28, 1932 – Richard Spikes invented/patented the automatic gear shift.

Pipe organs are known to function for hundreds, and in some cases thousands, of years. But they do not survive that long without regular maintenance and, at times, major renovation and rebuilding. A pipe organ is, after all, a mechanical instrument as well as a musical instrument.

The First English pipe organ is a product of the Wicks Organ Company, Highland, Illinois. It is 85 years old, installed in 1939 with the completion of our sanctuary. It was a gift of the Ed Mollenhauer family, parents of Mrs. Alfreda Mollenhauer Bohls who was their only child. Because of Mrs. Bohls’ great devotion to this church, and because of her love of music, her parents made this gift to her memory and to the glory of God whose praise she sang. Alfreda Bohls was a baptismal sponsor of Lois Albers Holck, current and long-time member of First English.

Over the years several moderate updates have been accomplished due to the expertise of organ builder Otto Hoffmann. Periodic minor maintenance has been carried out on our organ. Wind chests, ductwork, consoles, electrical switches instead of trackers to actuate openings, all wear out. Even the organ bench gets more wear than pew seats. In recent years it became obvious that major restoration and upkeep were necessary in order for the 80+ year old instrument to remain functional and a vital part of our worship and music life. That work began in several stages as part of our 2016 capital campaign.

Last April, issues with the organ console (the box where the keyboard is located) caused it to become unworkable, making the organ unusable. We had known there was console work that needed to be done, and now it has become critical.

Bryan Rust, Bob Karli, and LeRoy Haverlah form a pipe organ committee under the umbrella of the Worship Ministry Team of the Congregation Council. On behalf of the committee Bryan has been gathering proposals and options for a staged and complete restoration of the instrument. This has been a tedious process.

We now are gathering final proposals to be explored in earnest and then presented to the Council for consideration. We expect several layers to this important project, including significant fundraising.

Everyone who experiences this instrument, in our congregation, in our community, and online, experiences something of the glory of God. There is good reason that the pipe organ has been called “The King of Instruments.”

The committee asks that you be ready to answer the call to share our abundance so that we and generations to come can receive the music of God and of God’s people through this instrument. The organ is a conduit of God’s faithfulness and love, and we are excited to share it with one another, the Austin community, and with the world. Thank you! 

– Bryan Rust, Bob Karli, LeRoy Haverlah

rjkarli45@gmail.com