Pipe Organ Database

a project of the organ historical society

Lehigh Organ Co. (Opus 30, 1986)

Originally M. P. Möller (Opus R-612, 1958)

Location:

First United Church of Christ
611 Washington Street
Reading, PA 19603 US
Organ ID: 51157

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Status and Condition:

  • This instrument's location type is: United Churches of Christ (UCC)
  • The organ is unaltered from its original state.
  • The organ's condition is good, in regular use.
We received the most recent update for this instrument's status from Database Manager on May 13, 2018.

Technical Details:

  • Chests: Direct electric
  • 80 ranks. 6 divisions. 3 manuals. 81 stops. 62 registers.
All:
  • Chest Type(s): Direct electric chests
  • Position: Exposed pipes or case front visible in a gallery at the rear of the room.
We received the most recent update for this division from Database Manager on May 13, 2018.
Main:
  • Manuals: 3
  • Divisions: 6
  • Stops: 81
  • Registers: 62
  • Position: Console in fixed position, center.
  • Manual Compass: 61
  • Pedal Compass: 32
  • Key Action: Electrical connection from key to chest.
  • Stop Action: Electric connection between stop control and chest.
  • Console Style: Traditional style with roll top.
  • Stop Controls: Drawknobs in vertical rows on angled jambs.
  • Combination Action: Computerized/Digital system.
  • Swell Control Type: Balanced swell shoes/pedals, AGO standard placement.
  • Pedalboard Type: Concave radiating pedalboard meeting AGO Standards.
  • Has Tutti Reversible Thumb Pistons
  • Has Tutti Reversible Toe Pistons
  • Has Combination Action Thumb Pistons
  • Has Combination Action Toe Pistons
  • Has Coupler Reversible Thumb Pistons
  • Has Coupler Reversible Toe Pistons
We received the most recent update for this console from Database Manager on May 13, 2018.
Jeff Scofield on June 29, 2022:

In 2017, the historic church building, completed in 1832, was given to Reading City Church and First UCC’s endowment of almost $800,000 established the First United Church of Christ Fund at Berks County Community Foundation; the Foundation provides for, among other things, organ and piano tuning, building maintenance, or ministry and outreach for the Reading City Church.

We received the most recent update for this note from Jeff Scofield on June 29, 2022.
Database Manager on April 06, 2013:

Updated through online information from James R. Stettner. -- Great, Positiv,and Antiphonal are 56 notes. Swell and Choir are 61 notes.

We received the most recent update for this note from Database Manager on April 09, 2020.
Database Manager on April 03, 2013:

This entry describes alterations to an existing organ. Identified by James R. Stettner, using information from this web site: http://firstchurchrdg.org/organ.html. -- According to the church website, "The pipework for the instrument was more than 55% new, with the remainder being rebuilt from the organs in First Church, (M.P. Möller of Hagerstown, Maryland, 1920 and 1958), and in the former Second United Church of Christ, (Samuel Bohler Organ Company, Reading, Pennsylvania, 1897; M.P.Möller, 1926; Gundling Organ Company, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, 1973). First Church and Second Church merged in 1979."

We received the most recent update for this note from Database Manager on February 11, 2019.
Source not recorded: Open In New Tab Stoplist from church website
We received the most recent update for this stoplist from Database Manager on April 09, 2020.

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