Construction crews Monday and Tuesday cleared the Village Presbyterian Church sanctuary of its pews as part of the major renovation project that kicked off in November.
The work began the day after Easter, with workers from Quimby Pipe Organs helping disassemble the instrument to make way for a new one currently being forged by Richards, Fowkes & Co. in Chattanooga, Tenn. Though crews were able to handle removal of most of the organ pipes themselves, the twelve largest pipes will be removed in a week when a special rigging machine arrives. Those twelve pipes are all made out of solid mahogany. The largest one weighs 680 pounds and is 17 feet tall.
Village Presbyterian’s Laura Davis said installation of the new organ, which will take four to six weeks, is expected to being in August. It will take several month after that for the organ to be properly tuned.
As crews work on the main sanctuary renovation and organ installation, worship services will be held in Friendship Hall.
