St. Joseph Catholic Church - Neptune at 28172 Nature Avenue, Hinton, IA 51024-8553 US - NEPTUNE PIPE ORGAN

When we began our work to move and install our ‘new’ pipe organ we promised that we would apply for grants to help pay for any expenses we incurred. Last summer we applied [for the second time] to the Oregon Catholic Press Parish Grant and have won $1,000 to put towards the work on our pipe organ. Since July 2001 we have raised $2,622 [including $1,000 from OCP] and incurred $1,735.31 in expenses. -- From THE GLOBE, 4 October 2001, page 3 Neptune Parish Acquires, Moves Pipe Organ [By Renee Webb, Globe diocesan news editor] St. Joseph Parish in Neptune now has a pipe organ to enhance their liturgical celebrations thanks to the hard work and ingenuity of its parishioners. "When I first arrived at the parish four years ago, we were using a home organ and then we located an old electric church organ which was a big step up from what we were previously using. When the availability of the pipe organ came, we knew this was a giant leap," said Father Mark Stoll, pastor. He became aware that a pipe organ was available from a church that had closed in 1998, St. Casimir in Sioux City. In recent years assorted items like altars, pews and statues from that church and St. Francis in Sioux City have been given to other churches in need of such things. In early July, Father Brian Hughes of the Diocese of Sioux City sent a memo out to parishes with a list of items that were still available. The pipe organ was on the list. "It was at that time that I expressed an interest in the organ," said the pastor. He and several parishioners went to Sioux City to look at the organ on two occasions. "We thought we'd like to have it." It not only played but also the style and size were a match with the Neptune church. Incidentally, the same architect that designed St. Joseph's also designed St. Casimir's, William Steele. It was great that the style fit, but size was important in order to generate enough volume to fill the church without it being overwhelming. Before making the final decision to take the organ, they investigated how to move it. They contacted an organ company and were informed it would cost $50,000 and would take three years. After the parish requested a breakdown of the cost, they learned that the company wanted to rebuild the organ and electrify it. The 1919 Estey is a seven-rank, tubular pneumatic organ that is wind powered by an electric fan, the only electricity it uses. "We wanted the pipe organ that St. Casimir had. We talked to the company about other options, but in the end we decided we would move it ourselves," said Father Stoll. "With the skill and ingenuity of farmers, we felt we could do it." The pastor headed up the project with Jeff Langel, who is president of the pastoral council and chairperson of the finance committee. Langel, who commented that the farmers all liked a good challenge, admitted, "It was a big job, but we knew it going in. We knew that if we could take it apart, we could get it back together." After they took a poll and the parishioners gave an overwhelming vote of confidence, they went ahead with the project. Parishioners, noted Langel, felt if they could give life back to the organ instead of possibly letting it be destroyed, it was certainly worth a try. They decided it would be achievable if they carefully marked the pieces as they took it apart. "We estimated that it would cost us about $1,000 (to move it themselves.) That would mainly be for parts because we knew there would be a few things we needed to replace. If you move an item like this, there are things you have to break," explained Father Stoll. On July 30, one of the hottest days of the year, 22 parishioners dismantled and then loaded up the pipe organ in about eight hours. Langel coordinated the volunteer effort. By that evening, the two main pieces - the console and the windchest which house the pipes - were up in the choir loft. For the next five days, parishioners worked to reassemble the pipes. Work also continued with such things as rewiring the fan and building a new soundproof box to go around the fan. And while they were told it wouldn't be possible to fill the holes and cracks in zinc pipes by soldering, Langel accomplished the task. During the move, they broke 161 paper tubes that were so brittle they shattered. These were replaced with quarter-inch pipe. Unfortunately these were too narrow and didn't allow enough air through. After consulting with a second organ company, Dobson Organ Company, they were advised that the console needed to be moved closer to the windchest and the tubes be increased to 5/16-inch to improve the wind volume. At the present time, the organ isn't 100 percent but the pastor and parishioners are confident it will get there. It is working at an acceptable level to use it for Sunday Mass. The parish organist, Mary Margaret Wachter, is pleased to have the new instrument to play. "At a little country church like this, I never thought we would have a pipe organ," explained Wachter, who took music lessons on a pipe organ as a high school student and at Briar Cliff University. "I will have a lot more options. It is a dream come true to be able to play on it every Sunday." She acknowledged that it was a little scary when they decided to move it themselves, but in the end she had no doubt that they could do it. One of the best parts, Wachter added, was seeing so many parishioners work together. "A lot of people helped out and we really appreciated it," said Langel. "People gave supplies, cash and labor." He extended special thanks to Father Stoll for agreeing to undertake such a project, Holzman Trucking for use of a semi truck to move the organ and to the former parishioners of St. Casimir. "It was a part of them and now it is a part of us," said Langel, who added that the people from St. Casimir would be welcome to visit the Neptune parish to see and hear the organ. They were told that to create this organ today, the cost would be around $135,000. "Once we get all of the things worked out, we will give it a complete tuning," noted Father Stoll, who added that they would like to have Bishop Daniel N. DiNardo up in the future for a re-dedication service. "We will no longer be known as the parish that used to have a chicken supper, we will be known as the parish that installed its own pipe organ - and few parishes can say that." All of the parishioners involved received a card from the Neptune Pipe Organ Company. The company is not looking for any future business.

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