The Salem Lutheran Church organ project was completed in October of 2002. The organ has 18 ranks, 1148 pipes on 2 manuals and pedal. The organ has electric action. Earlier Casavant materials and pipes have been retained. A new solid-state switching system has been installed.

The organ renewal project at Salem Lutheran Church has been a challenging and rewarding project for the Hendrickson Organ Company. The challenge was to select a mix of old and new materials to create a useful instrument. The reward is always a congregation responding with singing to the renewed instrument.

The organ design work was by Charles Hendrickson, and the actual work under the supervision of his sons Eric and Andreas. Kevin Chesney was in charge of the complex solid-state electronic switching system. William Ove, Robert Weller, Ryan Wersal, Mukunda O'Brien, Maya Stearns, Orv Olson, and Tim Nuessmeier were involved with the construction and installation, and Tom Nuessmeier assisted with tonal work on the pipes.

The goal of the project was to create an instrument of wide musical use and flexibility. Placing many of the pipes within the nave of the church in a visible location provided an excellent method of bringing sound to the congregation. The organ has a new clarity and projection of tone and is articulate and singing with a bright sound which the previous organ lacked.

The largest pipes of the old organ have been carefully preserved. Their deep sounds are a wonderful bass for the organ. Air for the organ comes from the blower located next to the kitchen in the basement. The excellent quality of the old pipes and materials make their retention easy and very justified. The current value of these old materials far exceeds their cost to purchase decades ago - an increase in the equity which the church has in its fine pipe organ - fine stewardship. A new control system for the organ has been installed which connects the organ console (where the organist sits) to the pipes in the organ itself. All of the signals for the organ travel through a small glass fiber (fiber optics) from the console to the pipes. New controls give the organist increased ease and flexibility in operating the complex instrument.

It has been our great pleasure to work with the wonderful people of Salem on this project. We wish you many decades of worship with this pipe organ.