-- Originally Published in Baraboo News Republic -- 

Members of Baraboo's 150-year-old Trinity Episcopal Church will have more light and a new look to their worship hall this Christmas after a local firm removed a non-functioning organ and restored the building's south transept. 

 Earlier this week, a local carpenter was installing some final trim in the chancel or alter area of the church on Sixth and Oak streets while Baraboo contractor Chris Shanks of Sand County Contracting, LLC stood nearby. The transept, home for decades to a huge tracker organ, shown with light from two uncovered windows while newly-installed floor tiles gleamed.

Overhead, sets of copper and silver organ pipes were suspended from the walls as decoration. Two 12-foot high copper pipes stood sentry on either side of the door to the sanctuary.

He said he milled wooden boxes that support the pipes out of Douglas fir following a design developed by Shanks.

"It was a challenge, because each pipe is a different diameter, a different length," he said.

Shanks said church managers asked him to remove the organ, which had been installed in the early 60s, but had not been working for years. It was powered by a blower in the basement, so his crews had to remove all the equipment and rebuild the floor where the organ once stood.

They had to throw out or recycle the wood and lead pipes that actually made musical notes, Shanks said. But he was inspired to use decorative copper and silver pipes from the organ to decorate the church.

Church board member Michael Strozinzky said it was simply not practical to repair the old organ and they are now using a modern electronic organ instead.

"It would have been huge," he said. "You would have had to dismantle it and take it some place to fix it."

Baraboo resident Audrey Thomas said she has been a member of Trinity Episcopal for 65 years and can remember the church using a variety of organs, including the recently-removed tracker organ. One organ before her time was even water powered and stood in that space, she said.

"We've had good, big powerful organs there," she said, "and some good organists."

Thomas said the tracker organ that's been removed hadn't worked for many years. Also, having the south transept open is important because of the symbolic design in the very architecture of an Episcopal church building.

"It's brought the church back to the cruciform (cross shaped) church, which is what Episcopal churches are," Thomas said.

It is a reminder of Jesus Christ's sacrifice on the cross, she said.

Strozinsky said there is some final work being done and they hope to have everything completed soon.

The last details on the south transept will include suspending a set of three copper pipes on each side of the newly-opened windows, he said. The windows, dingy after having been covered for decades and paint-splattered, will also be restored.

The south transept will become home to the church's much more compact modern electronic organ, along with harp and flute players who accompany the church choir. Strozinsky praised Shanks for his decorative use of the old pipes and his crew's skillful work restoring the church.

"It's nice to have the space back," Strozinsky said. "Our Christmas eve service will be special, because we'll have a lot of choir, a lot of music and this will be done".