Rutz Organ Co.
1996

Paul R. Marchesano on October 20th, 2022:
This organ was built for Sentinel Methodist Episcopal Church in Buffalo, New York, a building later owned by the House of Prayer for All People. Severely water damaged many years ago, the instrument had not been usable for decades prior to its removal in January 1995 by a Clearing House crew, in sub-zero weather, while the church was being torn down. In the meantime, organbuilder Roland Rutz in Minnesota had been contacted by the Church of Saint Saviour in Riga, Latvia, looking for a pipe organ. The ecumenical church is owned by the Gibraltar Diocese of the Anglican Church, and served by a Latvian-Canadian ELCA pastor. It is the only church in Latvia which serves the growing English-speaking community in that formerly Communist country. In due course, the Rutz Organ Co. rebuilt the Johnson organ for Saint Saviour's Church and installed it there in May 1996. -- Organ Clearing House ad, 1996 OHS Handbook