Freehold Church Organ Ready For Sunday After Vandalism

FREEHOLD, NJ — When church members arrive for Sunday services at the First United Methodist Church in Freehold, they will be able to lift their voices in song accompanied by the church's beautiful pipe organ.

That is despite damage that was done to the organ Tuesday night when a vandal broke into the church on Main Street, Rev. Wil Wilson said.

Wilson posted a photo of the damaged organ on Wednesday, saying the damage was primarily to the decorative pipes. On Saturday, an updated photo showed the church all ready for services.

"It is shocking and disturbing to see what was done to our sanctuary," he said, "but nothing we can't overcome. So thankful because it could have been so much worse. And the organ is good to go for Sunday worship. Repairs are needed but it is functional!"

Preliminary estimates put the damage to the organ at $15,000, Wilson said.

The pipe organ was built by the J.P. Moller Organ Company of Hagerstown, Maryland, and has 677 pipes that range in size from the diameter of a lead pencil to one that is a foot in diameter and 10 feet long. It was dedicated at the church on April 9, 1967.

The vandalism destroyed nearly all of the decorative pipes, and some of the functioning pipes were damaged as well.

"Miraculously, the organ is still functional and will be ready to be played this Sunday," Wilson said.

Church members gathered on Friday to clean up the damage to the sanctuary and prepare it for Sunday's service.

Wilson said the church does have insurance and is working with its insurance company on the cleanup and repairs that will be needed.

In his initial post about the vandalism, Wilson encouraged the church's members to pray for whoever broke into the church.

"May we also pray for the person(s) desperate enough to commit this crime," Wilson wrote.

Anyone with information should call Freehold Borough Police at 732-462-1233.

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