St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal, Ooltewah
St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church was founded on All Saints’ Day, 1991. While not a mission church, many of the new congregation and quite a bit of came from Grace Episcopal Church. support
They first met in the old James County Courthouse in Ooltewah (Ooltewah was a county seat until James County was absorbed by Hamilton County years ago). From there, they moved to Mountain Oaks Elementary School until the present facility was built in 1995. The interior was finished by members of the congregation over two Sunday worship/work days.
The congregation currently worships in the parish hall, which actually makes a wonderful worship space. The clear windows in the front give a wonderful view of the skies and abundant trees. The room is quite live, so both music and the spoken voice sound equally clear.
The organ was originally built for Isa McIlwraith as a hausorgel for the home she shared with her husband, Dr. Arthur Plettner. Both of the Plettners are part of Chattanooga’s music legend. Upon Ms. McIlwraith’s death, the organ was given to St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church. It was moved and reinstalled by Barger & Nix. The pipes are high above a cabinet in the rear of the room and the Holtkamp-style console (albeit with rocker tablets instead of tilting tablets) can be moved anywhere in the room. The organ is arranged so it can be moved to the planned-for nave if required – and back again if a larger organ is installed in the nave. In 2003 was enlarged to 7 ranks with an expanded stoplist.
A comprehensive set of tower bells will be shortly installed, with hopes to move it to the tower of the new nave.
The rector and organist, the Reverend Buckley Robbins and Bill Barger, work closely together in planning the worship service – and the singing of hymns is an integral part. The congregation has a repertoire of over 250 hymns. An annual organ recital by area students is provided for the community – the only non-campus event of its type in the region.
M. P. Moller, Inc., Opus 10217, 1966, 2/4
RESOURCES
Regal 16′ 61 pipes
Gedeckt 8′ 85 pipes
Principal 4′ 73 pipes
Larigot 1 1/3′ 61 pipes
MANUAL I
8′ Gedeckt
4′ Principal
2′ Principal
2′ Gedeckt
1 1/3′ Larigot
II Mixture (derived from Principal and Larigot)
16′ Regal
8′ Regal
MANUAL II
8′ Gedeckt
4′ Gedeckt
2′ Principal
1 1/3′ Larigot
1′ Principal
Tremolo
PEDAL
8′ Gedeckt
4′ Principal
4′ Gedeckt
2′ Gedeckt
16′ Regal
8′ Regal
4′ Regal
Moller/Barger & Nix, 2003, 2/7
RESOURCES
Bourdon 16′ – 56 pipes (#1-30 Moller from 2nd Pres, Birmingham; #31-56 old
1889 Pilcher Stopped Diapason from St. Michael & All Angels, Anniston AL)
Gedeckt 8′ – 73 pipes (#1 new; #2-85 re-scaled one note larger than
original)
Principal 8′ – 85 pipes (#1-12 Moller Echo Diapason, source unknown)
Dulciana 8′ – 73 pipes 56 scale @ CC (#1-12 Moller from 2nd Pres,
Birmingham; #13-73 Wicks from Broadway UMC, Maryville TN)
Unda Maris 8′ – 54 pipes from GG 56 scale @ CC (Wicks from Episcopal Church
of the Nativity, Ft Oglethorpe GA (replaced by Principal in that organ))
Spitzflote 2′ – 73 pipes (#1-7 new; #8-61 old Larigot; #62-73 are top 12 old
Gedeckt)
Regal 16′ – 61 pipes
GREAT
8′ Principal
8′ Gedeckt
8′ Dulciana
8′ Unda Maris
4′ Octave
4′ Gedeckt
4′ Spitzflote (#1-12 plays Gedeckt)
4′ Dulciana
2 2/3′ Nasard (Spitzflote) (#1-7 plays Gedeckt)
2′ Super Octave
2′ Spitzflote
1 1/3′ Larigot (Spitzflote)
1′ Spitzflote
16′ Regal
8′ Regal (#50-61 plans Principal)
Chimes
SWELL TO GREAT 16′
SWELL TO GREAT 8′
SWELL TO GREAT 4′
SWELL
8′ Principal
8′ Gedeckt
8′ Dulciana
8′ Unda Maris
4′ Octave
4′ Gedeckt
4′ Spitzflote (#1-12 plays Gedeckt)
4′ Dulciana
2 2/3′ Nasard (Spitzflote)(!1-7 plays Gedeckt)
2′ Spitzflote
1 1/3′ Larigot (#50-61 plays Spitzflote)
1′ Spitzflote
8′ Regal (#50-61 plaiys Principal
Tremolo
SWELL TO SWELL 16′
SWELL TO SWELL UNISON OFF
SWELL TO SWELL 4′
PEDAL
16′ Bourdon
10 2/3′ Sub Quint (Bourdon)
8′ Principal
8′ Bourdon
8′ Gedeckt
8′ Dulciana
5 1/3′ Quint Gedeckt
4′ Octave
4′ Blockflote (Bourdon)
4′ Gedeckt
2′ Super Octave
16′ Regal
8′ Regal
4′ Regal
SWELL TO PEDAL 8′
SWELL TO PEDAL 4′
SSL MultiSystem controls with transposer and 10-level combination system
with SSL’s CFM-10 (capture for multisystem) with 24 pistons which are user
adjustable to anything from single-stop reversibles to generals in their
scope.
Church history and organ information provided by Bill Barger of Barger & Nix
and organist, St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church.