On April 10, 2022, more than 270 worshippers gathered to celebrate both Palm Sunday and the inaugural worship service featuring St. Andrew’s new Schlueter pipe organ at St. Andrew’s, Fort Pierce. The parish was honored to welcome The Rt. Rev. Gregory O. Brewer, diocesan bishop, as celebrant and preacher for this special occasion.
Bishop Brewer preaching on Palm Sunday, April 10, 2022, at St. Andrew’s. | Photo Credit: St. Andrew’s, Fort Pierce
Following the Liturgy of the Palms, Brewer dedicated the new organ and two new sets of paraments and vestments designed by Trevor Floyd & Co. Dr. Jerry Davidson, interim organist, then offered the first sample of the full sound of the new organ by playing Aaron Copeland’s “Fanfare for the Common Man.” At its conclusion, the congregation broke into applause.
The Rev. Canon Ellis Brust, rector at St. Andrew’s since July 2020, described this moment as a significant mile marker in the congregation’s 129-year history, “a day that would help set a course for decades to come.”
“I could not be more proud of the faithful, sacrificial and dedicated focus of this congregation,” Brust said. “I was called to serve this historic congregation in the midst of a global pandemic. While I could only see the upper half of their faces, I saw the fire of God’s love in their eyes and want to lead St. Andrew’s to reach the dreams God has placed in their hearts.”
The organ project became the impetus for other needed and long-overdue infrastructure improvements, including a ground-up redesign of the Memorial Garden, new landscaping in the courtyard and along Indian River Drive (a main street in downtown Fort Pierce on which the church is located), two new commercial HVAC units, a redesigned and expanded sacristy (with separate vesting, altar guild and flower guild areas), and new marble and hard-surface flooring in the chancel to augment the new organ. “I am thrilled with all we’ve accomplished in 20 months, but not nearly as thrilled as I am witnessing this congregation welcome dozens of new members and embrace all the ministry possibilities before us,” Brust said.
St. Andrew’s renovated interior chancel/organ | Photo Credit: St. Andrew’s, Fort Pierce
Last year, the St. Andrew’s vestry adopted a new vision statement: “Building Bridges of Grace to Take the Love of Jesus Christ into the World.” This vision is helping the congregation to prayerfully consider current and future mission and ministry. In the current year, the vestry has funded a full-time director of children’s and youth ministries and a full-time director of music. Gaby Hemmer joined the staff in February 2022 and is already building bridges to reach students, children and youth in both the community and St. Andrew’s Episcopal Academy. A national search for the music director offered highly qualified candidates from the U.S. and Canada, and a call will soon be issued.
“I remind the congregation regularly that we are all stewards of this parish for a very short time, even those who are lifelong members,” Brust said.
About the Organ
St. Andrew’s organ | Photo Credit: St. Andrew’s, Fort Pierce
Designed by A.E. Schlueter Pipe Organ Company, the instrument consists of three manuals and 38 ranks (plus nine digital voices). It was designed to support the worship and choral traditions of the congregation and to accommodate a wide body of organ literature from many styles and periods. Behind the 50 visible pipes are 2,146 additional pipes with numerous windchests, reservoirs, expression shades and other components that make up this custom instrument. While most of the organ is new, some pipes from the older instrument were retained and rebuilt to celebrate the stewardship gifts that provided the original pipe organ of St. Andrew’s. Extensive building modifications including hardening surfaces, moisture control (the church is on the waterfront), and temperature control systems will help ensure a long life for this new organ in St. Andrew’s 400-plus seat nave.