Listening to the Past

We were delighted to have Methodist Church organ advisor, Malcolm Starr as a special guest at the second of our monthly heritage services recently. Singing from the Same Hymn Book was an attempt to explore the place of music in the worshipping life of Methodism and the centrepiece of the service was the story of the Silsden organ which Malcolm was (if you'll pardon the pun) instrumental in restoring to full working order.

The organ dates back at least as far as 1828, a time when the use of organs in worship was a very controversial topic. It was rescued in the early 1970s by Stephen Hatcher for a Primitive Methodist museum that did not yet exist. Fortunately it does now and the congregation at Englesea Brook were delighted to hear the organ played again by Bertha Hancock with Malcolm doing a very good job as bellows boy (it's cheaper than gym membership).

Heritage worship events takke place on the last Sunday of each month from March to October.