1931 photo of ST. Matthew Episcopal Church - Woodhaven (Queens, N.Y. (MCNY)
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St. Matthew Episcopal Church

85-45 96th Street
Woodhaven (Queens), N.Y. 11421


Organ Specifications:
Second building (1928-2011)
• II/10 Reuter Organ Company, Op. 2103 (1988)
• II/11 Henry Pilcher's Sons, Op. 1425 (1928)
First building (1901-1928)
• unknown


St. Matthew's Protestant Episcopal Church was organized in 1900 as a mission from the Church of the Redeemer in Richmond Hill. The society held its first service on January 7, 1900 in a storefront rented on Jamaica Avenue near 91st Street. In 1901, the congregation moved to a small wooden church on 96th Street, and in 1907 a parish hall was erected.

In March 1927, the cornerstone was laid for a larger church building of stone, as designed by Henry Bereau in the Late Gothic Revival style. The first service in the completed edifice was held on December 2, 1928.

In the early 1960s, the church purchased the Wyckoff-Snediker Family Cemetery, located behind the church buildings. The cemetery has about 160 individual gravestones denoting burials from 1793 to 1892. In 2001, the church and cemetery were placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Following years of declining membership, the church was closed and the building deconsecrated on May 22, 2011. The facilities were acquired by All Saints Episcopal Church of Richmond Hill in October 2013.

         
Reuter Organ Company
Lawrence, Kan. – Opus 2103 (1988)
Electro-pneumatic action
2 manuals, 35 stops, 10 ranks


After six decades of service, the 1928 Pilcher organ was replaced in 1988 with a new organ built by the Reuter Organ Company of Lawrence, Kan. Reuter's design was for ten ranks of pipes that are unified and enclosed in one expression chamber.
               
Great Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Principal
2
   Principal
8
   Gedeckt
2
   Gedeckt
8
   Viole
  Mixture IV ranks
8
   Viole Celeste [TC]
8
   Trompete
4
   Principal
  Chimes (existing)
4
   Nachthorn
   
 
      
 
      
Swell Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Nachthorn
2
   Nachthorn
8
   Viole
1 1/3
  Gedeckt Quinte
8
   Viole Celeste [TC]
1
   Gedeckt
4
   Gedeckt
16
   Trompette
4
   Viole
8
   Trompette
4
   Viole Celeste
4
   Trompette
2 2/3
  Gedeckt Nasard
  Tremolo
2
   Principal
   
               
Pedal Organ – 32 notes
32
   Resultant
4
   Principal
16
   Gedeckt
4
   Nachthorn
16
  
Viole
preparation
  Mixture IV ranks
8
   Principal
16
   Trompette
8
   Gedeckt
8
   Trompette
8
   Viole
4
   Trompette
               
Couplers
    Great to Pedal       Swell to Great
    Swell to Pedal        
               
Adjustable Combinations
   
Swell Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6 (thumb)
Great Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6 (thumb)
Pedal Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6 (toe)
Entire Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 (thumb & toe)
  General Cancel (thumb)
  Setter (thumb)
               
Reversibles
    Great to Pedal (thumb & toe)   Cymbelstern (toe) – existing
    Swell to Pedal (thumb & toe)   Reeds Off (toe) – with ind. light *
    Full Organ (thumb & toe) – with ind. light  
* console preparation
               
Pedal Movements
    Balanced Great Pedal        
    Balanced Swell Pedal        
    Balanced Crescendo Pedal – with ind. light
             
Tonal Analysis
Chamber
     Stop
Pipes
Great
16
   Gedeckt
97
Great
8
   Principal
85
Swell
8
   Viole
73
Swell
8
   Viole Celeste [TC]
49
Swell
4
   Nachthorn
73
Great
  Mixture IV ranks
244
Swell
16
   Trompette
    85
   
Total
706
         
Henry Pilcher's Sons
Louisville, Ken. – Opus 1425 (1928)
Electro-pneumatic key action
2 manuals, 11 ranks


Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.
           
Sources:
     A Brief History of Saint Matthew's Episcopal Church in Woodhaven, New York. Published by the church.
     Reuter Organ Company web site: www.reuterorgan.com
     Scofield, Jeff. Specifications of Reuter Organ, Op. 2103 (1988).

Illustration:
     Museum of the City of New York. Exterior (Nov. 1931).