Hatboro, Pennsylvania

The Episcopal Church of the Advent

Denomination: Episcopal

Organ: Rodgers Electric

Last Service:  ---

Presider: Rev. Robin Martin

Church of the Advent, Hatboro, Pennsylvania

A few years before I arrived at Church of the Advent in Hatboro Pennsylvania, they had built a new sanctuary onto their existing buildings. The new sanctuary was connected to the old santuary with a hall way. I personally liked the old sanctuary much better - it had a beautiful chancel space and stain-glass windows in the nave. The old sanctuary also had a wonderful small pipe organ in horrible dis-repair that was near unplayable, save a few notes. The new sanctuary was a white box with no great ornamentation - no stain glass - and an electronic, computerized Rodgers organ. The sanctuary had had an organ chamber built into one corner - but the church had never moved, nor repaired, the pipe organ from the old sanctuary. Too bad, a church needs a real organ to support and hold the congregation in song. Churches don't often realize that organs are the most expensive assrts that they own beyond their building. Plus a real organ can support congregational song in ways a computerized organ (or any other instrument) cannot - don't believe me? Go to a church with a well-regulated pipe organ and ask the organist to play just with the principal stops and listen to the accoustics - then listen to a computerized organ, or a piano or some other instrument. You will hear a huge difference. But a computerized organ (and a well-trained organist) is better than nothing!

Rev. Robin Martin is one of my favorite priests. Her homilies were always so thoughtful, relevant and moving. I enjoyed working with her greatly. The people of Avent were also wonderful ... a group of dedicated people made up the choir with a small handful of ringers that came through to support them. There was a handbell choir as well lead by a dedicated member of the congregation who was a music teacher in the local school system. In addition, there was a great group of volunteers that made up an early american folk band who would play at occasional services.