R-60 Cornelia United Methodist Church
Cornelia, GA

Möller - 2M/18R

Parkey OrganBuilders completed a full renovation and restoration of the 2-manual and 18-rank Möller pipe organ for Cornelia United Methodist Church.  The organ was originally installed in the late 1960s and served them faithfully, even after some abuse during a sanctuary renovation in the mid 1990s.  Our firm was requested to survey the service and maintenance needs of the organ in 2001.  The initial work involved correcting a number maintenance items and structural needs resulting from the sanctuary renovation.  Pipework repairs included replacement of sagging bass languids and cleaning and regulation of the reed stops.  Leather and console concerns were addressed for long term planning.  Just before Easter of 2007, leather and console problems surfaced, forcing the church to accelerate its plans for renovation of the organ. 

The organ restoration was contracted for in spring of 2007, and work began in fall of 2007.  The windchests and winding system were fully releathered.  The console and wiring systems were upgraded to new relays and capture action components by Solid State Organ Sytems of England.  A new multilevel capture system and new bone and ebony tracker touch keys were installed complementing the turned wood drawknobs and maple engravings.  The organ received much needed cleaning work, and some minor changes were made in location of pipe ranks for better tonal structuring between the Swell and Great Divisions.  Chimes were relocated greatly improving seriously needed service access to the Great Division.

Installation ensued and the organ returned to playing condition.  Once mechanically complete, the organ received a final tonal regulation to correct the gravitational and time effects on the pipework.  The organ was heard again for Easter Sunday 2008.  Mr. Bill Loyd (Music Director and Organist for Cornelia United Methodist in Cornelia, GA) served as the consultant for the project.