In this month’s article, I will share a thrilling experience that has now happened to me twice in my lifetime. 

It was June, 1956, I was 13 years old, my mother was elected as a delegate to the National Education Association Convention which was held in Portland, Oregon.  My father took off three weeks and we headed for what was a once in a lifetime vacation westward toward Portland.

Along the way we saw many of the great sights and beautiful countryside here in our great country.  We also stopped in Salt Lake City and went to hear a concert on the Mormon Tabernacle organ.  After the concert, I wanted a closer look at the organ’s console and went forward.  The organist at the time came back out and asked if I played?  I told him I was taking piano lessons and was going to soon start on the organ.  He had me sit at the organ and I played classical songs and hymns.  That was a great inspiration as a 13 year old and I went on, took lessons the following year and became a Church organist at 16.

We now fast forward to earlier this month.  After our move into our new facility was completed, my wife Kathy and I went to visit our son Jeff, his wife Amy and three of our grandchildren.  Jeff received a Post Doctoral position at the University of Utah and moved there this past summer.  It turns out that the Principle organist at the Tabernacle has a child attending the same school as my granddaughter.  My family set it up to go hear a concert at the Tabernacle and afterwards I was able to play the organ once again; 51 years later.  What a marvelous instrument with such thrilling sounds.  Then we went to play their new organ at their conference center.  It’s a slightly smaller organ, but more powerful than the Tabernacle organ.  Oh by the way, their convention center seats 21,000 people, roughly 7 times that of the tabernacle.  So for a couple of hours, I got to play two of the great organs in the world.  And oh yes, there’s a bonus.  The next day, I went to the Mormon Tabernacle choir rehearsal.  They have three full time organists, two part-time organists, and three choir directors.

Whenever you get a chance to expose your families to wonderful music, be sure to take advantage of it.  Music is not only inspirational in our worship, but it should be an inspiration in our daily lives.  Music is everywhere.  A wonderful gift from God!

And by the way, we need your talents in the wonderful music ministry of Christ Lutheran Church.  If you can ring bells, or sing whatever the age, come be a part of OUR music.

Rehearsals are every Wednesday, 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. for our Sanctuary Choir, and 7:30 – 8:30 p.m. for the Sanctuary Bell Choir.  Our youth rehearse on Sunday mornings with Suzanne Dunkelberg at the beginning of the Sunday school hour.

LET’S MAKE MUSIC TOGETHER !!!