Sunday, February 26, 2006

Organ trauma

Our organist didn't show up at church today, so at the last minute I sat down to play. Now, I am most definitely not a trained organist. My introduction to the instrument happened a couple of years ago while I was playing prelude on the piano before church started. The stake president's wife came up, said I was good enough to play the organ, grabbed my hymnbook, and went and stuck it on the organ. What was I supposed to do? I had to follow her, and she gave me about 4 or 5 sentences of instructions and I've been fudging my way through ever since. Well, each organ is different, and I haven't quite figured out the one here in Goldsboro (as any member of the congregation could tell you). I didn't have the settings right for the opening hymn which was pretty miserable, but everyone could at least still sing. Well, then I played the introduction to the hymn we sing in preparation to take the sacrament. The only problem was that when the congregation started singing I was playing the wrong hymn!! I figure that if word gets back to the regular organist it will prove to him that he really is needed and wanted and appreciated. I could have wrung his neck today.

1 comment:

Kristen said...

filling in at the last minute is hard, even if you feel comfortable! ups to you for trying! and it probably was better than you thought!

i get your organ situation, though. i've played a time or two for church, but it was years ago & if asked to do it now, i would probably freak out! okay, i would totally freak out...no probably about it. so i'm impressed you did it!