then sings my soul.

December 31, 2017 marked the ending of an era in our little town.

My grandma played her final song as the church organist.

She has played the organ at Adrian Christian Church for my whole life.

One morning in August, as she and her long-time piano counterpart were playing "Near the Cross", I decided to video her.  

The whole moment was just beautiful. 

Every time I listen to it, tears come to my eyes.

And looking back, I'm so glad I decided to video this little snippet.

Because when Grandma called me just after the new year to let me know that she had decided to step down from playing the organ, due to her macular degeneration, that view of her playing the organ at church became a memory.

I'm told that Grandma learned to play the piano in high school (in the late-40's).  She paid for her piano lessons by doing her teacher's ironing.

Grandma has played for numerous weddings and funerals in the Adrian community through the years...not only for members of the Adrian Christian Church.

At 85 years old, my Grandma is still playing the organ at church. What a blessing she is to us all. ❤️⛪️□❤️ #preciousmemories #greatgrandma #adrianchristianchurch #whatiloveaboutsundays

A post shared by Hannah Newkirk (@farmhouse654) on Aug 20, 2017 at 9:56am PDT

In fact, the first wedding she played for was for her cousin Ed & his wife, Darlene.  They celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary this year.

My parents reminded me that when my brother and I were preschool age, we would sometimes go sit at the funeral home on the couch in the piano room while Grandma played for a service.

We must have been pretty good kids, because I cannot imagine having my sweet three-year-old Mattie-girl sitting in the piano room during a funeral!  

I can remember Grandma practicing her hymns on the piano in their dining room and the organ that set in their bedroom.

I can remember sitting on the front row on the organ side while Grandma played for the church service every single Sunday for years and years.

Actually...that's still where we sit.  

And from now on...she will sit there too.

Surrounded by her children,
by her grandchildren,
and her great-grandchildren.  

Surrounded by some of her dearest friends from Sunday school class for the last five decades, or more.

Surrounded by church family...young and not-so-young, new friends and old friends, meeting every week to worship the One who is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

If you have any memories to share of Grandma's organ playing years, we would love to compile them for her. 

If she played for your wedding, for a funeral of a dear loved one, for your Sunday school class, to accompany you for some sort of special music...please share these stories so we can share them with her.

​❤️⛪️??❤️