Potomac Presbyterian Church is investing in a new digital pipe organ!
This new organ will provide our congregation with the breadth and depth of expressive content that we have never heard in this church before. With a new organ we are also better positioned for greater community outreach in the form of concerts, recitals, weddings, memorial services, and educational events, and hope it is one way we can grow our church and minister to PPC and our local community through music. It is a major contribution to PPC’s music ministry program and an enduring gift of music to the Glory of God.
Please Donate to Our Digital Pipe Organ Fund!
Fundraising Goal: $287,425
Organ Fund (updated 5/16/2024)
$187,425 covers installation of the Organ Console, Audio System, Speakers, Training for the Organist, and 10-year warranty.
Music Mission Fund (updated 5/16/2024)
The additional estimated $100,000 will pay for the following: Electrical wiring upgrades for a dedicated organ circuit, chairs for the sanctuary choir, flooring renovations to the new choir/organ area, potential lighting upgrade, the possible addition of a pew rail to separate the choir from the congregation, and modular platforms for the choir to be raised and for flexible musical offerings.
Make a donation to the Glory of God and for the love of music
Make a donation in memory or in honor of a loved one
Share our Organ Campaign with friends and family and post on social media
Thank you for your generosity! All donations are tax deductible.
“Make music to praise God. Play music for Him”- Psalm 47:6
Just the Facts
The Organ
- Our organ is 37 years old, and the enhanced speakers are 21 years old; it has surpassed the life expectancy of a digital organ of the 1987 era and our speaker technology is supremely outdated.
- The instrument and its technology are no longer reliable: the pistons get stuck, the sound is distorted, there is a high pitch sound that interferes with live streaming, and the low band RF frequency is in violation of FCC regulations. Putting money into continued repairs will no longer improve the quality and reliability of the instrument.
- Our church organ is inferior to the organs in other local churches (For reference, Darnestown Presbyterian spent $150K on a new, standard model Allen Digital Pipe Organ in 2023 and Emmanuel Lutheran in Bethesda spent $200K on a new, custom Viscount Digital Pipe Organ in 2022.)
- Practically speaking, this is a necessary investment if we expect our current Music Director and any visiting organists to play the organ as part of worship, and for special services like weddings and memorial services.
- The Organ Committee recommended PPC needs a new organ, and the Session approved this recommendation.
Organ Placement in the Sanctuary
- The placement of the organ in the loft is no longer ideal: video streaming equipment now resides in the loft, the choir sings in the front of the sanctuary, and it is unrealistic for the music director to have to run up and down the stairs multiple times in any given service. Moving the organ supports the changes we have made as a congregation pre- and post-pandemic.
- Moving the organ to the front of the sanctuary will allow us to expand what we can do musically as a congregation, with our choirs in worship, and with visiting musicians.
Where will the new organ be installed in the sanctuary?
The beautiful new organ will reside in the front-left of the sanctuary, so that the organist is part of the worship service, the choirs can easily work with the organist/music director, and so that the loft space can be used for streaming technology and our handbell choir.
The current proposed plan is for the front three pews of the left section of our sanctuary pews, which are used solely by the sanctuary choir, to be removed. The Organ Console will be located leftmost along the southeast wall of the sanctuary. A dedicated space for the choir to be seated facing the congregation will exist on the same level as our pews.
The chancel platform may be extended in the future to provide additional room for the sanctuary choir, however, this would be a future phase of a different project, and under the purview of a joint effort with the Property, and Worship & Music Committees.
Organ vs. Piano
- While PPC embraces a diverse musical repertoire, most English church music has a long history with the pipe organ playing a major part of the accompaniment, and a new organ will help us preserve this heritage and ongoing tradition. The fact is, most organs reside in churches, and can be used to play classical, sacred, secular, and popular music.
- Piano and organ are both beautiful instruments and both have a place in worship.
- Organ music is still an essential and valued part of worship at PPC.
What about our Piano?
The piano will remain upfront and be positioned so that our Director of Music & Organist can easily move to and from the organ and piano. The piano will still be utilized for hymns, liturgical responses, and piano repertoire during the service.
What type of Organ will PPC purchase?
- The Organ Committee recommended the Viscount Digital Organ (A digital organ is a keyboard instrument in which the tone is generated by electronic circuits and radiated by speakers.) The Session approved this recommendation, the organ contract has been signed, and PPC will have a new customized Viscount organ within four months!
What type of Viscount organ does the Organ Committee recommend?
- Viscount Vero 370MDK Deluxe with Antiphonal Division
- 3 manual, 70+ stops
- Movable Drawknobs
- 7X7 Movable Platform
- Colonial or Two-Tone Finishing
- Adjustable Bench
- $187,425
Did you consider other organ manufacturers?
YES. We considered Allen, Rogers, and Walker brand organs, whose technology is less advanced but at a comparable price point.
Console Rendering
This is an example of what our organ will look like. While this console rendering is two-toned like ours will be, our organ will be color-matched to the paint and wood tones of PPC’s sanctuary pews.
