Bergen Evangelical Presbyterian Church

The Bergen Evangelical Presbyterian Church has just completed a huge organ renovation project, and to thank the community for its support, the church is holding a series of free musical concerts.

“The renovation of the church pipe organ was a huge undertaking for our church,” said Gregg McAllister of Batavia, a longstanding member of the church who volunteered his time to promote the renovation and fundraising. “Church members wanted to offer something special to the community to celebrate, so they planned this concert series.”

Two concerts have already been held in the series, with two more to go, including one on April 27 and an organ concert in May featuring Eastman School of Music musicians.

The church invested $90,000 in the restoration project.

According to McAllister, a member of the Bergen Evangelical Presbyterian Church since 1960, the organ is a historic treasure.

McAllister shared some of the organ’s history, dating back to its installation in the church in 1907, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the church’s founding. The organ was built by Viner and Son in Buffalo in 1901 and installed in a theater there. For some reason, it became available for purchase in 1907 and was acquired by the Bergen church.

McAllister described the instrument as a full pipe organ that had to be pumped by hand to create air. Youth in the church, called “tweens,” did the pumping from under the sanctuary.

The organ previously underwent renovations in the 1960s and 1980s, when church members, including longtime member Fred Ely, volunteered to physically redo the leathers and felts that held the keys together.

Ely was an active member of the Renovation Committee, and his family’s involvement with the church and its organ goes back to its arrival at the church. He first became a member when he married Eunice “Eunie” on June 8, 1957, at the church where she is a lifelong member. He explained that a church member arranged to buy and install the organ in the church in 1907, and a relative of Eunie’s transported it to Bergen. Her father also hand-pumped the bellows to make the organ play.

Alden Snell, a professor at the Eastman School of Music, began playing the Bergen church’s organ during his junior year at Robers Wesleyan College in 1999. After moving to Delaware with his wife, Christin, Alden returned to Bergen in 2018 and resumed his duties as the Bergen Evangelical Presbyterian Church organist.

“This organ is small by some standards, yet it has a lot of character,” Snell said. “Before the renovations, you sat down and wondered, ‘What is it going to do now.’”

 It became evident the congregation had a big decision to make – let the organ die a slow death or bring it back to life.

Snell said talk of renovation and fundraising began just before the pandemic. The congregation then met in July 2021 and agreed to embark on a $90,000 fundraising campaign.

“This was a big project and needed congregational support,” he said. 

A Renovation Committee was formed under the leadership of Pastor Brandt Hammack and was led by Rob Willhoft, Snell, Tom Jones, and Ely.

Parsons Pipe Organ Builders in Canandaigua was contacted, and renovations began in June 2023 and were completed in November. 

Some of the problems that had to be addressed were pieces that opened the pipes had weathered and needed cleaning. All the pipes had to be removed and cleaned, as did two keyboards, which were warped, and a pedal board. The renovation involved organ pipe voicing, woodworkers and designers who crafted a custom wind system.

The final step was providing clean air and creating a “clean room” for the blower. 

McAllister said the renovation process was very intricate. Every key had to be adjusted, and the sound had to be balanced with the building's acoustics. 

Snell said an organ is fit for its space, and the sound of this organ fills the sanctuary but doesn’t overpower it.

“By the end of the fund drive, the church only had to pay the initial 10 percent down payment and the rest all came in donations from the congregation and community,” he said. “We are really happy with the results.”

As for the concert series, the first concert was on Feb. 4 and featured church organist Alden Snell and David Carmer, organist of Trinity Lutheran Church in Medina.

The second this past Sunday featured Jaclyn Breeze of North Chili, composer and flutist, as well as Snell.

The next concert will feature guitarist George Collichio at 6 p.m. on April 27 in a Door of Hope Coffeehouse event at the church. 

The final concert at 6 p.m. May 5 will be an organ recital featuring Eastman School of Music students.

While there is no admission for any of the concerts, a free-will offering is accepted at each.

Press Release:

Jaclyn Breeze of North Chili, a composer and flutist, will perform at 6 pm this Sunday, April 14, in the Bergen Community Concert Series at the Bergen Evangelical Presbyterian Church, 38 South Lake Avenue (Route 19).

Ms. Breeze is an accomplished performer and composer who has produced commissioned works performed in North America, Europe, and Asia. The North Chili resident and graduate of Roberts Wesleyan and Syracuse universities, says her pieces and concerts are designed to foster community between artists and audiences.

Her concert has been titled Imitations. The listener will be transported by the flute solos to hear imitations of things such as butterflies, trains, rivers, and more. 

The concert is part of a series offered by the church to celebrate the renovation of the historic Viner pipe organ that was installed in the sanctuary in 1907. 

“We want to share a variety of music with our community, so have planned a spring series of concerts in celebration,” said Alden Snell, church organist.

Sunday evening’s free performance will conclude with a hymn sing accompanied by Dr. Snell, an Eastman School of Music professor, on the organ. 

Ms. Breeze is also passionate about teaching, having worked as a theory TA at Syracuse while earning her Certificate of University Teaching and teaching private lessons. She is currently the host of Jazz 90.1’s Kidz Zone, which provides lessons and activities for families to do together to learn more about jazz artists. She also serves as the pianist at Holley Presbyterian Church. Her coming projects include commissions for soprano/piano duos, Pierrot ensemble, and solo piano.

Refreshments will be served following the hour-long performance. A free-will offering will be accepted. 

Other concerts in the series are: 

• George Collichio, guitar, special Door of Hope Coffeehouse event at the church, Saturday, April 27, 6 p.m. Mr. Collichio is a national recording artist, performer, educator, and private guitar instructor from Rochester. He has nine national CD releases and plays over 100 shows per year. He is a college professor (guitar and music theory) and founder of "Collichio School of Music" which has two locations and hundreds of students. 
• Organ recital featuring students from the Eastman School of Music, Sunday, May 5, at 6 p.m.

All concerts are at the Church, 38 South Lake Ave., Bergen. A free-will offering will be accepted.

Press Release:

The Roberts Wesleyan University Brass Quintet will perform a free concert at the Bergen Evangelical Presbyterian Church at 6 p.m. on Sunday, March 10.

The Roberts Wesleyan Brass Quintet performs various styles ranging from early Baroque to modern music. It regularly performs at special events on and off campus, including commencement, accompanying the Chorale, and performing in departmental recitals. 

The quintet is directed by and performs with Dr. Paul Shewan, professor of instrumental studies, who teaches conducting and trumpet. Dr. Shewan is a member of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra trumpet section and has been a guest conductor numerous times. He has also performed with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.

The concert is part of a series the church offers to celebrate the renovation of the historic Viner pipe organ installed in the sanctuary in 1907. “We want to share a variety of music with our community, so we have planned a spring series of concerts in celebration,” said Alden Snell, church organist. 

The evening’s performance will include a performance of a hymn on the organ. 

Other concerts in the series are:

• Jaclyn Breeze, flute, April 14, 6 pm. Ms. Breeze, from North Chili, is an American composer and flutist crafting pieces and programs that foster community between artists and audiences. Her works have been commissioned and performed by groups in North America, Europe, and Asia. 
• George Collichio, guitar, special Door of Hope Coffeehouse event at the church, April 27, 6 p.m. Mr. Collichio is a national recording artist, performer, educator, and private guitar instructor from Rochester. He has nine national CD releases and plays over 100 shows per year. He is a college professor (guitar and music theory) and founder of "Collichio School of Music" with two locations and hundreds of students.
• An organ recital featuring students from the Eastman School of Music will be held on Sunday, May 5, at 6 p.m. 

All concerts are at the Church, 38 South Lake St., Bergen. A free-will offering will be accepted.

Press release:

Jeff Nichols, host of the “History Comes Alive” podcast and member of Webster Bible Church, will speak for the Reformation Society of Western New York on May 13 at Bergen Evangelical Presbyterian Church at 38 S. Lake Ave. in Bergen.

The event, which begins at 10 a.m., is free and open to the public.

Nichols will present a paper entitled: "A Brief History of Some of the Popular Evangelical Presuppositions and Why They Matter." 

The Reformation Society of Western New York is in partnership with the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals (alliancenet.org). For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/RefSocWNY/.

From Todd Rapp, operations manager, The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army in Partnership with Bergen Evangelical Presbyterian Church and Foodlink will be holding a Mobile Pantry food distribution at 3 p.m. tomorrow, June 10th, at the Byron-Bergen Jr./Sr. High School parking lot, 6917 W. Bergen Road in Bergen.

It goes until all the food has been given out. Please be aware that this is a location change. We will not be at the church.

This distribution will take place every other week at the school parking lot until the end of August.

This is a drive-thru distribution. Guests will remain in their vehicle and be directed how to proceed. A valid photo ID is required for each vehicle. Each vehicle will receive three boxes weighing approximately 25 pounds each (1-dairy, 1-produce and 1-meat) these portions are designed for families of four or more.

This is food that has been redirected to food banks for those needing assistance due to COVID-19. It is not excess food.

We will only be able to provide one portion (3 boxes) per vehicle. No multiple pickups allowed.

Please have your trunk/hatch cleared out as volunteers will not be permitted to move your belongings. Back seats are highly discouraged for social distancing reasons.

If you have any questions please call The Salvation Army at (585) 343-6284. Leave a clear message and someone will call you back.

From Todd L. Rapp, operations manager / coordinator Emergency Disaster Services for The Salvation Army:

The Salvation Army is partnering with the Bergen Evangelical Presbyterian Church to distribute Emergency Food ration boxes. The boxes are provided by FoodLink and will be distributed on Monday May 18^th beginning at 3 p.m. and continuing until all the boxes are gone.

The distribution will take place in the church parking lot at 38 S. Lake Ave. in Bergen. This will be a drive-thru format.

Please have your trunk/hatch cleaned out so that the boxes may be placed in your vehicle. The volunteers will not be permitted to move your belongings.

A photo ID will be required for each household. If you are picking up a box for a friend or neighbor you must have their ID showing a different address.

Early birds will not be permitted. The lot must be kept clear for the delivery truck and for volunteers to set up.

In order to ensure social distancing standards we request that there be only one person in each vehicle. If you are in need of masks we will have a small supply available. Please ask.