A New Piano for the Harderwyk Sanctuary - The Backstory & Need

The Harderwyk Sanctuary where the Celebration Community gathers each week to worship has a marvelous 6 ft Steinway grand piano.  We have sung to it's accompaniment, heard it played to point to God's glory and heard it accompaniy others who sing or play instruments to give the LORD glory!

Like everything on the planet, even that marvelous piano wears out over time and needs to be rebuilt and restored.  Think "renewal."  Aware of that, we had set aside money to be able to give the sanctuary piano a "once-every-forty-years-or-so" rebuild - a rebuild that would take about one-and-a-half YEARS to complete.

While making arrangements for that rebuild last Spring, the idea came up that maybe - just maybe - if we offered the sanctuary piano for sale or trade-in, included the money already set aside for that piano's restoration and found a way to add some more money, we could then combine all of that and purchase an even better piano than the one we currently have.

With this in mind, I shared this opportunity with a few people and asked them to prayerfully consider helping with this project.  In a word, response was so good that we started looking around our region to see what was available and have now identified a piano that is in the price range of our accumulated finances.  When I made the announcement and gave this background information last Sunday, July 28, we were within approximately $10,000 of the full purchase price.  We hope to raise that final portion with gifts or committments from giving "above-and-beyond" our usual tithes so there is no impact on our ongoing ministry budget.

And About The Actual Piano

So here is what we are looking at: A 9 ft, 4 in Mason & Hamlin CC1 Concert Grand Piano.  Originally built in 1905, it has been completely rebuilt and restored by Reeder Piano in Lansing, MI.  CLICK the image above to give it a YouTube look and listen.

We have looked from Chicago to Detroit, researched this piano, worked with Reeder Piano and sent Justin and Jane to get "hands-on" the instrument.  We are excited about the way it can serve to enhance our worship and ministry as well as expand opportunities through community concerts and recitals.

The Opportunty For You

Would you consider making a donation - large or small - to finish the final step in purchasing this piano?  If so, you mark a check or cash envelope with "Sanctuary Piano" and place it in an offering box in the Sanctuary Narthax.  Or give online - CLICK HERE - and note: Sanctuary Piano.  If you need additional time to make arrangements to have access to money you could donate - from stock, CD rollover or the like - contact Harderwyk Administrator Norlyn Compaan who can help with the details.

Our hope is to proceed, have the new piano delivered and ready for ministry by the end of August so we are ready for a fresh start to the school year and fall ministry startup with all gifts and commitments received by the end of the year.