Current Search for Organist
Part-Time Organist
Vibrant, part-time organist needed for Sunday worship services and choir rehearsals. Job includes working with part-time Music Director and Senior Pastor to coordinate the music for worship services and accompanying professional and volunteer musicians on organ, piano or synthesizer. (Hired in conjunction with a part-time music director.)
Complete position description (Word doc) >
Information for Applicants:
- Vocal and Instrumental Groups at Covenant (see Music page)
- Musical Instruments and Assets (Word document >)
History of Covenant Presbyterian Church
Thirteen people gathered at Lane Theatre in September 1953 for the first worship service of the soon-to-be-named Covenant Presbyterian Church. The small worship community grew and moved to Tremont Elementary School and made plans for the formal organization of the church. Covenant Presbyterian Church was officially established in January 1954 when 83 members signed its charter. The first phase of the church was built in 1956. The church building was expanded in 1959 and 1964 and a renovation in 1988 resulted in the present sanctuary as well as improvements and changes in the existing facility.
We are proud of our brick, mortar, and glass church building. However, the real foundation of our church is the people within: their walk of faith, their love for God, their relationships with each other, and their outreach into the community and the world. From the beginning, Covenant has sought to stay focused on the vision of our founding members as we engage in worship, mission, service, study, prayer and fellowship in our journey as Christ’s disciples.
Covenant has a beautiful, timeless A-frame Sanctuary, an intimate chapel, and a huge, tiered music room with an extensive music library. The music room can be used for private lessons as well as church rehearsals.
History of Covenant’s Organs
Covenant’s sanctuary pipe organ dates from 1964 when an instrument built by the M.P. Moeller Co. of Hagerstown, MD, was installed in the newly completed worship space. Originally, there were plans for 40 ranks, but the first instrument was reduced to 28 ranks by budgetary constraints.
In the late 1990s, plans were made to renovate the organ and carry out an expansion. The local firm of Peebles-Herzog, Inc., which has been maintaining our organ for years, was chosen to complete the work. During 2002 and 2003, new pipes, chests, and ancillary equipment were ordered and assembled at the Peebles-Herzog shop. A new console was obtained from the Episcopal Cathedral in Harrisburg, PA, and rebuilt to accommodate the new system. With the help of volunteers from the Covenant congregation, the project was completed in time for Easter services in April 2004 to coincide with Covenant’s 50th anniversary.
The current organ is a 3 manual, 42 rank organ plus a few digital voices that were included because of lack of space for larger pipes. There is also a two rank, one manual Felgemacher organ in the chapel. This organ was built some time before 1867.
With the help of our recently renovated and expanded pipe organ we, at Covenant, can truly say, “In Our Music, God is Glorified!”
Special Services throughout the Year
- Longest Night (just before Christmas) addresses the needs of those who have had a loss or who simply find it difficult to face the holidays for one reason or another
- Ash Wednesday service (with the dispensing of ashes)
- Preacher from the Pew (lay preachers, acoustic music, and liturgy from the Iona Community)
- Maundy Thursday Tenebrae service (with Communion)
- Good Friday services