With COVID-19 still present across the country, it’s been a challenging time for religious institutions. Some have closed altogether, some have closed temporarily – many are streaming services, which is where MervineMusic has been focused as we support churches in and around Colorado to navigate the Corona Virus Pandemic without losing precious engagement with their congregations. Thanks to Allen Organ Company’s proprietary technology, church organs keep on inspiring religious communities across the state, but that’s not to say this has been easy.

Church Organ Technology

In reference to technology, church organ streaming performance requires both video and audio technology, of course. We at Mervine Music have worked with a number of Colorado churches recently to modify their organ’s audio systems to have a more successful, more effective and well-balanced signal for their stream. In order to stream with the highest quality sound, church organs require excellent maintenance and ongoing service – which has been challenging for some Colorado churches during these unprecedented times.

The process of caring for a church organ with love and attention to detail increases the connection an audience feels with the music, the service, perhaps even their faith.

For us personally, life behind the screen has been a learning curve for everyone. In addition to the usual perspectives and issues that church musicians face, you also have to think cinamatically as to what people are viewing on their home screens: for better and for worse. Streaming church organ services and performances has enabled us to create some meaningful moments in the way of videos and presentations for the watching and listening community and congregation. Improvisation on “Slane”

Recording vocal and instrumental ensembles in segments (multi-tracking) has been a way to involve congregational members of a music ministry. We’ve managed to hold onto the “magic” that choral and organ music brings to Colorado churches. For this, we are so grateful.

Moving forward, as communities begin to introduce public worship, and since singing is identified as a high transmitter of COVID, the roles of the organ in providing inspirational, motivational and spiritual elements within the liturgy is even more significant. Until a cure or vaccine exists for all of us, we continue to focus on our service and support of church organs in Colorado – with repair, maintenance, and performance to bring us all closer together; to one another and to our faiths.