Helderop Pipe Organs
1999

Updated through online information fom Richard Helderop (March 11, 2018). -- The church has since bought a blower from Germany. The electrical system in the church was rewired and brought up to European Electrical codes. The Russian government was so pleased with the beautiful architecture of the church and of the beautiful organ in front, it decided to put both the church and the organ on a postage stamp and printed several million copies of the stamp for the postal system.

The following notes are copied from a related Database account. -- The organ was originally built for First Reformed Church in Holland, Michigan, who occupied the building until 1962 when the congregation relocated and bought a new Casavant organ. The Salvation Army used the building until it was torn down in January 1994. The organ had been electrified an an unknown time, and some time prior to 1950, the stenciled facade pipes were repainted a solid color. The organ was purchased ca. 1994 by two families from Highland Park Baptist Church in Southfield, Michigan, for $4,000.00 so it could be installed in a church in Russia. It was restored by Helderup Pipe Organs and installed here in Bezchitsa Baptist Church in Bryansk, Russia. Since the Russian church didn't meet electrical codes for the windblower, the organ was converted back to its original mechanical state. Source of information: The Holland Sentinel (November 1, 2004) and the 150th Anniversary Book of First Reformed Church.