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Westminster's Organ - Historical Notes
| In 1923 St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, in downtown Windsor, Ontario, established a mission house on the outskirts of the city.
This thriving congregation joined with the Methodists, Congregationalists and other
Presbyterian churches in Church Union (1925), thus becoming Westminister United Church |
| 1930 and 1931 were landmark years for the growing congregation. The cornerstone of the
present sanctuary was laid September 8, 1930. On August 14 of that year the church Trustees
signed an agreement with J. C. Casavant of Casavant Freres, St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, for the construction
and installation of a pipe organ 'of the very best quality'. On February 1, 1931, one week
after the dedication of the new sanctuary, the new organ "Casavant Opus 1418" was
dedicated to the glory of God "In honour of the members of the Women's Association for their
outstanding contribution to church property and the well-being of the congregation". The
entire $ 12,000 purchase price was raised by the Women's Association. |
| The Westminster United Church organ soon earned international renown through recitals
by professional organists from as far away as Paris, France. It has been used as a
teaching instrument for students of the organ, and workshops for members of the Royal
Canadian College of Organists. In 1988 certain alterations and tonal changes were made
to the organ to brighten the quality of the sound. |
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