St. Michael’s Church has been blessed by an opportunity that some may say comes once in a lifetime. More than a year ago, the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan gifted the Skinner Opus 705 organ (1928) from the now-closed St. Columba Church in Detroit to St. Michael’s. By 1928 the Skinner Organ Company, founded in 1901 by E.M. Skinner, had become the most prestigious organ construction firm in America. Thus, the Opus 705 was built during the height of the company’s craftsmanship and exhibits many mechanical advances and tonal innovations from which it earned a very distinguished reputation. The Opus 705, once restored, has been valued by some experts at $600,000. The restoration cost estimate is approximately one-half its value. St. Michael’s current organ is in a critical state of disrepair; repairing the church’s existing Holden organ would only be a temporary solution and would cost nearly as much as the restoration of the rare Opus 705.The vestry of St. Michael’s approved funding for the removal of the Skinner Opus 705 organ from St. Columba. In March 2009, the organ was dismantled and relocated for storage at the Muller Organ Company in Croton, Ohio. Mark Muller, whose grandfather worked for E.M. Skinner, the organ’s creator, has taken a special interest in this project and has been an integral part of the process.
While the organ is being temporarily housed at the Muller Organ Company’s storage facility in Ohio, we must, through prayer and action, raise the requisite funds to restore and install the organ in St. Michael’s. What a wonderful gift we have received! However, to fully benefit from the Diocese’s gift, we must rise to the challenge and raise the money needed to complete the restoration. As a result, The Skinner 705 Fund: An Historic Organ Restoration committee was formed. The committee has organized informational, educational, and entertaining events for Three Sundays in September to initiate the fundraising campaign.