In 2013 Wigton Pipe Organs was asked to take over the organ project at Pilgrim Presbyterian. The church is said to have had a Felgemaker organ from Pontiac at one time. Sometime after that, two Schantz chests from a closed Lansing church were installed in the organ chamber, and were wired to a Moller console. A new blower and two new reservoirs were also added. The wiring had been done very professionally, but the project had stalled for various reasons, including damage to pipework where it had been stored.

We agreed to work on the project on a time and material basis. After assessing the situation, we first recommended that the organ chamber be improved. It was drywalled and insulated as part of a larger church renovation, which included better stairway access to the chamber. We also recommended replacement of the Moller console. We installed a used console with a Peterson diode matrix relay system. After that, we systematically installed one stop at a time as the church was able, and the organ began to take shape. The Great division was first, and the Swell followed later. By 2021 the organ was essentially complete. There are still a couple of prepared-for stops, and at least the 8′ Oboe will be added soon.

David K. Wigton

STOPLIST

Great
  8′ Open Diapason Bottom Octave in the facade
  8′ Rohrflute New pipes from former builder
  8′ Hohlflute Casavant Melodia pipes, bass from Swell Gedeckt
  8′ Dulciana From stock pipes
  8′ Unda Maris From stock pipes
  4′ Octave From stock pipes
  4′ Dulcet From Dulciana
  2′ Fifteenth Prepared for
  Blank

Swell
  8′ Violin Diapason From stock pipes, some basses offset
  8′ Holz Gedeckt Existing pipes
  8′ Salicional Existing pipes
  8′ Voix Celeste, TC Existing pipes
  4′ Violin From Violin Diapason
  4′ Harmonic Flute Existing pipes
  4′ Flute From Holz Gedeckt
  4′ Salicet From Salicional
  2 2/3′ Nazard From Holz Gedeckt
  2′ Flautino From Holz Gedeckt
  1 3/5′ Tierce From Holz Gedeckt
  8′ Oboe Prepared for
  Tremulant

Pedal
 32′ Resultant Wired from Subbass
 16′ Subbass Moeller pipes and chests
  8′ Bourdon From Subbass
  8′ Gedeckt From Swell Gedeckt
  Blank

Couplers
  Gt/Pd 8, Gt/Pd 4, Sw/Pd 8, Sw/Pd 4
  Sw/Sw 16, Sw Un Off, Gt/Gt 16, Gt Un Off, Sw/Gt 8, Sw/Gt 4

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