“Praise God with the timbrel and dance: praise God with stringed instruments and organs.” Psalm 150:4

A couple of Sundays ago, sitting in my pew during the offertory, I suddenly noticed tears welling up in my eyes and realized that Bill Hilderbrandt had done it again, sharing evocative organ music that connected my heart directly to my home church in Folkestone, England, where master organist Paul Powell would flood the sanctuary with beautifully crafted hymns of praise.

This time it was “No-one Understands Like Jesus,” possibly my mother’s favorite hymn. All Bill would have to do is play Elgar’s arrangement of Blake’s “Jerusalem” and somebody would have to bring Kleenex for the whole pew.

Fine organ music may be one of the trademark privileges of worshipping at Howard Memorial, but is likely one of the most overlooked. Who can honestly say they come into church on a Sunday morning, sit down, then silently thank God for what we have grown accustomed to?

Well, this recent transplant from a congregation without an organ can say “Yes. Yes I do.” And I guarantee people do think about the organ when they either A) attend a church with no organ or B) - and this is worse - attend a church with an organ that is played poorly.

But not to worry, here at HMPC in Tarboro we are blessed to enjoy the expertise and the commitment of Bill Hilderbrandt, who has been on board since 2007 and truly knows how to coax beautiful and powerful music from the historic 1913 21 Rank Austin organ, refurbished in 2017 with a new consul.

Sadly, organ playing is a dying skill in a world where many of the refinements and the arts we take for granted are now considered disposable even in school.

So thanks, Bill, for being such a faithful steward of your gifts. Grateful, and still drying my eyes - Derek