St. John-St. Matthew-Emanuel Lutheran Church - Brooklyn, NY
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St. John–St. Matthew–Emanuel Lutheran Church

283 Prospect Avenue
Brooklyn, N.Y. 11215
http://www.stjme.org


Organ Specifications:
283 Prospect Avenue (since 1868)
► II/22 Hook & Hastings, Op. 2110 (1906); elec. James H. Rae
Third Avenue near 20th Street (1866-1868)
• unknown




The church known today as St. John–St. Matthew–Emanuel Lutheran Church came about from the merger of three congregations in 1974:

St. Matthew Evangelical Lutheran Church - Brooklyn, N.Y. (Brooklyn Eagle, 1944)  
St. Matthew Ev. Lutheran (1944)  
   
St. Matthew Evangelical English Lutheran Church was established in 1859, and was the first English speaking Lutheran Church in Brooklyn. After years of leasing space in other church buildings, St. Matthew bought a lot on the corner of 6th Avenue and 2nd Street and erected a sanctuary of its own in 1895. In 1948, Emanuel Lutheran merged with St. Matthew and the church was renamed St. Matthew–Emanuel Lutheran Church.

St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church was organized in 1866, under the leadership of Pastor Reidenbach, a Dutch Reformed minister. The new German-speaking congregation worshipped in neighboring churches until three lots on Middle Street (now Prospect Avenue) were purchased. In 1868 a small white frame building was erected and the young church flourished. As the congregation grew, the need for a larger building was apparent. The cornerstone for the brick building used by today's congregation was laid in 1898, and the completed church was consecrated in 1899. At that time, the name of the society became The Evangelical Lutheran St. John's Congregation of Brooklyn.

  German Evangelical Emanuel Lutheran Church - Brooklyn, N.Y. (Brooklyn Eagle, 190-)
  German Ev. Emanuel Lutheran (c.1903)
The German Evangelical Emanuel Lutheran Church was formed in 1884 by several families who left St. John's Lutheran after that congregation switched from a strictly German-speaking church to one that was bilingual (German and English). In 1903, the society purchased a church building on 7th Street between 6th & 7th Avenues, where they flourished until consolidating with St. Matthew's Lutheran Church in 1948.

In 1955, after the disruption to the St. John's neighborhood with the building of the Prospect Expressway, St. John's caught fire. The interior of the church was a shambles although the altar mural was left intact. St. John's members continued their worship at St. Matthew–Emanuel while restoration was done at St. John's. Services resumed on Prospect Avenue in 1957.

In the 1960s and 1970s, St John's and St. Matthew–Emanuel grew close. When both churches were left without pastors, the Rev. Thomas E. Anderson was called to be pastor to the two congregations that were now "yoked". Sunday services were held in both St. Matthew–Emanuel and St. John's. In 1974, the churches merged and became known as St. John–St. Matthew–Emanuel Lutheran Church.
         
  St. John-St. Matthew-Emanuel Lutheran Church - Brooklyn, NY (photo: Samuel H. Gottscho, 1929; MCNY)
  Interior (1929) showing Hook & Hastings organ
  Hook & Hastings organ, Op. 2110 (1906) in St. John-St. Matthew-Emanuel Lutheran Church - Brooklyn, N.Y.
Hook & Hastings Co.
Boston, Mass. – Opus 2110 (1906)
Tubular-pneumatic action; elec. James H. Rae
2 manuals, 21 registers, 20 stops, 22 ranks






The present organ was installed in 1906 by the Hook & Hastings Company of Boston. Originally built with tubular-pneumatic action, the organ was later electrified by the James H. Rae Co. of Brooklyn.
               
Great Organ(Manual I) – 61 notes
8
  Diapason
61
4
  Octave
61
8
  Dolce (Dulciana)
61
4
  Flute (d'Amour)
61
8
  Gamba
61
8
  Trumpet
61
8
  Doppel Flute
61
     
               
Swell Organ (Manual II)– 61 notes, enclosed
16
   Bourdon
61
8
   Voix Celeste
61
8
  Diapason
61
4
   Flute (Harmonic)
61
8
  Salicional
61
4
   Violina (or Gemshorn)
61
8
  Gedeckt
61
  Cornet III ranks
183
8
  Aeoline
61
8
   Oboe
61
               
Pedal Organ – 30 notes
16
  Diapason
30
16
   Lieblich Gedeckt
SW
16
  Bourdon
30
8
   Violoncello
30
               
Couplers (Tilting Tablets)
    Great to Pedal 8'       Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'  
    Swell to Pedal 8'       Swell to Swell 16', 4'  
               
Coupler Releases (Pistons)
    Swell Coupler          
    Great Coupler          
    Pedal Coupler          
               
Accessories
    Tremolo       Blower's Signal  
    Crescendo Indicator       Organist's Bench  
    Wind Indicator          
               
Pedal and Combination Movements (All Combinations affect appropriate Pedal Stops)
    Crescendo and Full Organ     Swell Mezzo Combination
    Great Forte Combination     Swell Piano Combination
    Great Mezzo Combination     Piano Pedal acting on whole Organ
    Great Piano Combination     Great to Pedal Reversible Pedal
    Swell Forte Combination     Balanced Swell Pedal
           
Sources:
     Haberstroh, Richard. The German Churches of Metropolitan New York: A Research Guide. New York: The New York Genealogical & Biographical Society, 2000.
     Locke, Fae. "What's in a Name?: A Brief History of St. John–St. Matthew–Emanuel Lutheran Church," article published in Link (Feb. 2005).
     The New Music Review (c.1906). Specification of Hook & Hastings organ, Op. 2110 (1906). Courtesy Jonathan Bowen.
     St. John–St. Matthew–Emanuel Lutheran Church website: http://www.stjme.org

Illustrations:
     Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn Collection. Interior (c.1903) of Emanuel Lutheran Church; Exterior (1944) of St. Matthew Lutheran Church.
     Gottscho, Samuel H. Interior (1929) of St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church. Collection of the Museum of the City of New York.
     St. John–St. Matthew–Emanuel Lutheran Church website. Exterior.