Our focus is on Traditional Worship, where the service is choir and organ led.
CHOIR – Jean Poff directs the Grace Lutheran Church Choir. She has a degree in music education, and has directed the singing of children and adults for more than twenty years. She enjoys working with the dedicated and faithful Choir, leading the congregation in song and preparing anthems to enhance the worship.
OPUS 21 PIPE ORGAN – The Opus 21 pipe organ was dedicated in loving memory of Thomas
F. Leuteneker and Dorothy Anne Jones on May, 24 1992. Both were loving, caring members of the congregation. Their generosity to the congregation in their wills made this wonderful organ possible and is evidence of the love they shared for their Lord. It was Nevada County’s first custom-designed organ. Built by Michael Bigelow of American Fork, Utah, it took two years to build and almost one month to install at the church. Michael Bigelow is one of the new generation of organ builders. He employs the old method of building one-of-a-kind, handcrafted, mechanical action instruments, the kind built in the days of J. S. Bach.
The consultant for the organ, Chris Nelson stated, “The organ is designed to accompany congregational singing with ideal support and clarity. It will play the literature of all periods, baroque through modern.”
The heart of the organ, the heavy pipe chest was lifted eight feet and put on the lower case on April 30, 1992, one year after the dedication of the new church. The organ was dedicated on May 24, 1992.
John Bacigalupi plays the Opus 21 organ at Grace Lutheran Church. He is a retired school teacher, having taught Math, Science, Social Studies, and music for 34 years. Prior to retiring, he served as organist for Mount Olive Lutheran Church in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA. for 27 years.