The FPC Organ
First Presbyterian Church is proud to have The Austin Organ "Opus 2754" which was dedicated in the winter of 1994. The primary purpose of the pipe organ is to accompany and enhance the song of God's people in corporate worship. The dedication of the new Austin organ was a significant milestone in the life of our church as we sing praises to God.
The Austin Organ replaced a 27 rank organ that was moved from our third church building on Massachusetts Avenue in 1978. In 1986 it was obvious that a new organ was neeed. In the process of selecting the best instrument for our sanctuary, the Organ Committee (formed in 1986) listened to many different pipe organs. In March, 1991 a contract was signed with Austin Organs, Inc. of Hartford, Connecticut, to complete the preliminary design and build a new pipe organ, Opus 2754, for the First Presbyterian Church of Lakeland.
Since a pipe organ is designed specifically for the size and acoustics of the room in which it will be played, the reverberation time (approximately three seconds) and volume of our sanctuary (219,240 cubic feet) were taken into consideration along with other physical characteristics. As a result, the organ is comprised of five divisions, including an antiphonal organ, 60 ranks, 70 stops, and 3,549 pipes. The console, which weighs 1,000 pounds, has three manuals. The weight of the pipes, wind chests and other components is estimated to be 28,000 pounds.
First Presbyterian Church, 175 Lake Hollingsworth Drive, Lakeland, FL 33801. (863) 686-7187.