A hymn sing and program will be held at 4 p.m. April 29 at Emmanuel Baptist Church in Marion to celebrate the 100th year of the church’s pipe organ.

David Rankin, owner of Rankin Organs 150 of Ellsworth, who tunes and maintains the organ, will give a history and play the organ. Refreshments will follow.

The $2,900 organ was installed by Carnegie Organ Company of Chicago, with pipes placed according to scale for flute, violin, and dulcimer. In today’s value, the organ would cost $47,928.

A look back reveals that Andrew Carnegie not only helped to build libraries but also donated money for new organs in thousands of community churches. EBC’s organ was dedicated in 1918, the same year a new church building was constructed. The church paid $1,250 of the cost.

In 1918, the church was known as First Baptist Church. It was renamed Emmanuel Baptist Church after the language changed from German to English.

Anita Hancock is the current organist. Arthur Pankratz was the first, followed by Walter Neve for 10 years. Kathryn Hett was organist from the 1950s to her death in May 2000. Others who have filled in since then are Wanda Williams, Anita Brookens, and JoAnn Loewen.