Upon first entering the nave of Good Shepherd, one is struck by the beauty of the space itself - its soaring wooden roof, with intricately carved woodwork; the fascinating, almost whimsical tiled floors filled with griffins, castles, fleur-de-lis, sea turtles and swans; the expertly-wrought stained glass filled with a seemingly electric energy. All of these diverse parts serve to uplift the worshipper and to inspire them to a closer relationship with the divine.

At Good Shepherd, our music is similarly planned and executed. Anthems and hymns inherited from our incredible Anglican heritage are thoughtfully planned and sung, while liturgy and ceremony enhance the drama and beauty of our Divine Worship. Indeed, music at Good Shepherd takes on a sacramental quality. Our sacrifice of time in preparing our music, our investment of thought and energy, are all meant to reflect the divine beauty of which we so long to be a part.

The Chancel Choir of Good Shepherd is a well-trained volunteer ensemble. As music at Good Shepherd is an important part of its makeup, the choir plays an integral role in all of our liturgies. Wednesday rehearsals (from 7:00 pm-9:00 pm) in the choir room are intensive, fast-paced, and exciting - this stems from the choir's dedication and commitment to a high standard of music-making in their weekly offerings.

Aside from its weekly Sunday morning offerings, the choir sings at both Christmas Eve services, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Vigil. The choir is open to anyone with singing experience, who can read music, and can offer a high level of commitment.

Contact our Interim Organist and Choirmaster, Clifford Parrish for more information on joining our excellent choir.

The Skinner Organ, 1929

The organ in the Church of the Good Shepherd is a 1929 E. M. Skinner of four manuals and 47 ranks and is the company’s opus 725. Built in Boston, Massachusetts, the contract for the instrument was signed in 1928. The six divisions include the Great, Swell and Pedal located in the chambers behind the decorative grills on the north side of the chancel and the Solo and Choir located behind the grill on the south side of the chancel. The Echo division is situated behind the grill and inside the wall to the right of the great Te Deum window above the balcony. G. Donald Harrison came from England to join the company in 1927, and his influence in the company can be seen, notably with the use of metal for the resonators of the 16’ Pedal Trombone and in the mixtures. Mr. Harrison later became President and Tonal Director of the company, known after 1932 as the Aeolian-Skinner Organ Company.

The console was replaced in 1983 with one built by Austin Organs, Inc. of Hartford, Connecticut.

Organ Restoration, 1990s

In the early 1990’s, Nelson Bardin & Associates of Newton, Massachusetts, was contracted to completely restore the instrument. At that time, pipework was rebuilt, windchests and reservoirs were releathered, and all pipework was re-regulated in the building. In the interest of returning the organ to its original specification, several sets of pipes that had been added over the years by other builders of lesser significance were removed.

The wonderful sound of the organ was further enhanced in 2002 when the acoustical tile on the ceiling that had been added in the 1960’s was removed, thereby increasing the reverberation time of the room to 2.5 seconds.

After being hit by lightning, the control system, that allows the console to communicate with the various divisions within the instrument, was replaced in 2006. The console was re-dedicated to the memory of Robert G. Lee.

John R. Parkyn