St. Peter’s United Church of Christ is a building of worthwhile size and proportion but certain features compromised the acoustical space. The ceiling was made of sound absorbing acoustical tile and the floor was covered primarily with carpet. A divided chancel choir seating arrangement did not the meet the needs of the church’s various vocal and bell choirs. The previous organ was located in a right side chamber that did not project sound directly into the nave. While much of the pipe work was valuable, the electrical and pneumatic (leather) actions were decaying.
The liturgical and acoustical improvements included an altar, font and pulpit placed closer to the congregation. A new Reuter electric slider organ is placed on the long axis of the room. The organ contains a significant number of original pipes restored from the previous instrument. The new music ministry space includes a moveable drawknob organ console and risers large enough to accommodate bell tables. Reverberation was increased in the room by replacing the original carpeting with genuine Jerusalem limestone, and by adding a plaster ceiling finish. A sound system was installed to accommodate the revised room.
