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Concordia Publishing Gives Joy of Music to Congregation
CPH Donates The Concordia Organist to St. Paul’s in Park City, MT
10.09.2009 – St. Louis-- With 30 active members, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Park
City, Montana doesn’t have much extra money to spend—so, when the church’s
organist Loretta Frickel lost the ability to play the organ it seemed as though the
congregation would be singing a Capella.
But let’s rewind.
Before she lost the ability to play, and even before she played at St. Paul’s, Frickel
brought the joy of music to many people’s ears. In seventh grade, Frickel started
taking lessons every week learning to play the piano and organ. That year she
started playing at St. Paul’s and continued to play there until she was 22.
“As a child, I particularly loved playing What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” she said.
“And, now my favorite is Jesus Thy Blood of Righteousness.”
After several years playing for Christ the King, a nearby church, Frickel returned to St.
Paul’s and played for them for another 13 years.
As the thirteen years went by, Frickel’s hands started to show signs of arthritis. In
2007, the effects really started to take affect.
“My crooked little fingers just wouldn’t move like my brain was telling them too,” she
said. “Knowing that I used to play the simplest hymns, and now they are difficult to
play, is hard. My mind says that I can, but my fingers won’t cooperate.”
Frickel tried multiple ways to help make her fingers become more nimble.
“After Bible Study I would run hot water over my hands for 5 to 10 minutes. I would
not drink caffeine Sunday morning. I would practice using my fingers on the
keyboard without the organ on to limber them up.”
For a year Frickel continued to play, applying heat before the service to help loosen
up her fingers.
Finally, in April of 2008 she had to quit. Though the congregation occasionally had
another organist available, much of the time the congregation had to sing a Capella.