THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – Friday, November 15, 2019 Page 7 The music is back First Congregational Church will “unveil” restored pipe organ at a Thanksgiving concert SNOW BLOWER SALES, SERVICE & REPAIRS Pickup/Delivery Available 781-289-6466 AUTOTECH 1989 SINCE “THIS SHOULD BE A REAL TREAT!” Rebecca Harrold, the music director at First Congregational Church-UCC Saugus, says local music lovers can get to hear some great music generated by the church’s pipe organ, which was nearly lost in a 2017 fire. Famed theatre organist Ed Wawrzynowicz will be playing it at a special Thanksgiving concert set for 4 p.m. on Nov. 24. (Saugus Advocate photos by Mark E. Vogler) By Mark E. Vogler M usic Director Rebecca Harrold says members of the First Congregational Church-UCC Saugus call it “the organ that survived the fire.” But a two-alarm blaze that damaged the church on Dec. 8, 2017, did keep the church’s pipe organ out of commission for many months until this summer. “There was no fire damage, but the smoke damage made it unusable because of the soot that had built up,” Harrold said in an interview this week. “It was ready to go in May after we got it cleaned up. But there were some bugs that had to get worked out. And sometimes it was wildly out of tune because the flaps would get stuck,” she said. “We only used it slightly during the summer. It had to be played to get the dust out.” But members of the church will be counting their blessings this Thanksgiving because the organ will be the centerpiece of church worship and celebration again. “We’ll be hosting a Thanksgiving Organ concert to ‘unveil’ our newly cleaned organ after the devastating December fire of 2017,” Harrold said. “We weren’t able to have a Thanksgiving concert last year without the organ. But this year, we will,” she said. The special program – dubbed “Not Your Average Organ Concert” – is set for 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 24. The event is free and open to the public. It’s going to be a special treat for music lovers throughout the community because nationally and internationally known theatre organist Ed Wawrzynowicz will playing the newly repaired organ. It cost the church about $10,000 to have the organ repaired, according to Rev. Heike Werder, the interim minister at First Congregational Church. It also took some patient and painstaking work by Richard Nickerson of Pipe Organ Service in Melrose to clean up the organ and get it back into playing shape. “He’s actually a one-man industry. He goes all over the world to fix organs,” Harrold said. “Richard Nickerson took all the pipes out one by one and cleaned them up, then he brought them all back. It was quite a thing.” Get Your Vehicle Winter Ready! OIL CHANGE SPECIAL Up to 5 Quarts of Oil (Most Vehicles) Includes FREE Brake Inspection & Safety Check Only $24.95 DRIVE IT - PUSH IT - TOW IT! CASH FOR YOUR CAR, TRUCK OR SUV! 2011 FORD F-150 CREW CAB Platinum Package, 4X4, Loaded, Every Option, Clean Title, Only 99K Miles, Trades Welcome! WORKING LUXURY $18,900 Easy Financing Available! 2006 PONTIAC TORRENT 4X4, All Wheel Drive for the Winter, Only 43K Original Miles, Excellent Condition, Clean Title! BEAUTIFUL BLUE $4,900 781-321-8841 1236 Eastern Ave • Malden EddiesAutotech.com We Pay Cash For Your Vehicle! PART OF THE CLEANUP: These pipes had to be removed individually and repaired by an area pipe organ service company. www.reverealuminumwindow.com
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