Dear Parishioners,
Here at St. Augustine’s we are so blessed by the fine Church building that we have. As the present-day custodians of this magnificent treasure, it is important that we preserve its condition for the benefit of future generations.
Last weekend I briefly introduced some important renovation plans to ensure our church remains in fine condition. This is part of a long conversation and ongoing discussion within our parish Pastoral Planning Team and the parish Fabric & Finance group. Following that discussion, it is our aim to focus on a few key areas of fabric renewal.
The first area we wish to tackle is the organ loft in order to protect the considerable and long-standing musical heritage of St. Augustine’s. The work seeks to address two ongoing issues. Presently the space in the loft is severely restricted owing to the enormous apparatus required for the current pipe organ. Our choir have the tiniest space in which to lead the music of the liturgy which makes for a very uncomfortable experience for them when the full compliment of singers is present. We are also now dealing with increased problems with our current organ, including some expensive repairs. In time, the present pipe instrument would need a complete overhaul which could run into many, many tens of thousands of pounds. Clearly, this is not an option.
We therefore propose removing the old organ and opening-up the loft space completely. The pipe organ facade (which stands independently from the pipe organ) would remain but be pushed back to the back rose window wall. This would create significant additional space. We also propose replacing the organ with a relatively new digital organ which is currently on-loan from Allan Organs and is set-up temporarily at the front of our church.
This magnificent organ comes from the famous Salisbury Cathedral in England and is considered one of the finest in the UK. Its bespoke design makes it the only one of its kind anywhere in the world and we are fortunate to have the opportunity to purchase this instrument for our Church.
In the next page, I highlight the costs and the plan to raise funds to purchase the organ. My hope is that it could be in place in the loft by Christmas to accompany our Christmas liturgies.
I hope you will give this project your fulsome support. I understand that, for some, an organ may not be considered a priority and the outlay considerable. However, a church of our scale and history requires a fitting instrument to accompany our noble worship of God. It is also essential for funerals, marriages, baptisms and so many other occasions which are so deeply cherished by all our families. This is an investment that allows us to provide fitting worship in these most sacred moments of our lives, and for the daily ritual of worshipping God. It will also be a tremendous gift to our musical ministry for many generations to come.
I do not propose ongoing collections for the new organ, but rather a single occasion to donate via an envelope which will be distributed to each family. I invite tax-payers to be sure to complete the Giftaid declaration on their envelope in order for us to reclaim the considerable tax on your donation (25p in each £1 donated). I will provide regular updates to the parish on the progress of this appeal. I thank you for your continued support and generosity to the mission of our parish.
God bless,
Fr. Kane
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