Christmas tea and organ recital coming to St. Paul’s Church on Dec. 10

St. Paul’s Anglican Church is welcoming one and all to a festive Christmas tea and organ recital on Sunday Dec. 10, 2023.

Tea, coffee, and light refreshments will be served in the church hall starting at 2:30 p.m., after which local pianist Myrna Sloboda will lead a carol sing, which gets underway at 3:30. The highlight of the afternoon, commencing at 4:00, will be holiday-themed organ recital, featuring Alex Ripley at the console of the church’s 1958 Keates pipe organ – marking 65 years of service this year. Music lovers are invited to hear the festive works of Johann Sebastian Bach, Louis-Claude Daquin, Johann Pachelbel, and Canada’s own Healey Willan, among others.

Currently a resident of Toronto, Mr. Ripley has deep family roots in Kawartha Lakes. He has been playing the organ for over fifteen years, having studied with the late Alan Reesor in Prince Edward Island and with various instructors in southwestern Ontario. He is currently the “Artist-out-of-Residence” at St. George’s Anglican Church in Goderich, Ontario; an occasional supply organist at Wingham United Church in Wingham, Ontario; and has more recently been serving as a supply organist at Knox Presbyterian Church, in Toronto. He has also played for services at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Lindsay, and earlier this year performed at “An Evening of Sacred Music” hosted by that congregation. When he is not playing the organ, Mr. Ripley works as a trade advisor at the Royal Danish Consulate General in Toronto, where he specializes in the energy sector.

Tickets for the Christmas tea and organ recital cost $15 in advance, as numbers are limited, and are available through the church office. Those wanting to attend only the organ recital can purchase tickets at the door for $10. For more information, please contact St. Paul’s Anglican Church at (705)-324-4666.