Endorsements

May 28, 2011

Dear Jim and Staff:

On behalf of all the members of the Strongsville UCC & Organ Restoration Committee, I want to thank you for the thoughtful and informative presentation, tour and lunch this afternoon. We are delighted to be working with you and know our organ will be in excellent hands in the months to come. Thank you!

Sincerely,
Sharon Metivier & the Strongsville ORC

December 7, 2010

Dear Leek family and associates,

Thank you so very much for your kindness in making your Laukhuff organ available to our family, as well as the time you took to answer all of my many questions and to help Jonathan and his father prepare the organ for its journey to our home in North Carolina. Joshua is beyond happy with this lovely instrument, and we feel very blessed to have made your acquaintance.

I know that Jonathan has already given you a few short videos and a few photos, but within a few days, I will try to send some that I have taken with my camera, too, so that you can see the organ in our home with Joshua. As Jonathan may have already let you know, the organ arrived in perfect condition, and he was able to reinstall all the pipes without mishap. He did some basic tuning of the instrument the following day. Thanks for all of your coaching!

Joshua loves his organ and plays it several times each day Often the first sounds I hear in the morning are the Christmas carols Joshua is working on! He wants to record some to make Christmas CDs as gifts for family members, so I'll send you one when that project is completed.

I really don't know how to express to you how grateful we all are to you, or even how to express how much I know this organ means to Joshua. It is as though they were meant to be together, and I am profoundly grateful to you for making it possible.

Grace and peace to you during this holiday season and always,
Kathryn Wooten Sobel
Cary, North Carolina

July 23, 2009

Dear James,

It was nice meeting you on the way to the Toledo Concert. Boy that was a long trip out there by my favorite among all the Ernest Skinner organs I've ever heard. The Cathedral itself was stunning.

I never got a chance to thank you for your excellent work preparing the organ in Wellington for my demonstration recital. The instrument was in very fine form and many, many people told me it was one of their favorite organs in the convention (which was full of beautiful instruments.) Some specifically mentioned the smoothness of the regulation of the Oboe in the treble, which I noticed as well. That stop worked so beautifully in the Bedard piece. You went beyond the call of duty tending to the list of voicing problems.... That was a lot to do with what was surely a busy schedule that week. The church is lucky to have you so close by and doing such good work!

I always enjoy visiting organ builders' websites..... If you're curious what we're doing on the West Coast, check out our site, Bond Organ Builders.

Thanks again for helping to make the recital a success!

Grant Edwards.

July 5, 2009

Jim:

The trumpet sounded outstanding. I "cleaned out the pipes"! I used it a lot today and several members of the congregation liked my prelude's and my variations on the hymns. Everything worked out well. So, thanks again, It is appreciated.

God Bless
Don Pangrac
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Cleveland, OH

May 22, 2009

Dear Mr. Leek:

Thank you so much for sending me your newsletters. I do enjoy reading them and I appreciate that you remember me after the years since the closing of Saint Sebastian's Church. .... I think of our beautiful organ and wonder what condition it is. I would love to be able to go back in and play it again.

I am playing the organ on Saturday evening for mass in Attica. On Sunday morning I play in Plymouth.

Thanks again for sending me your newsletters.

Sincerely,
Joan Schaffer

April 16, 2009

Thank you for sending me the Sesquialtera. I enjoyed reading it. Please keep me on your mailing list!

Ann Patella
Hiram Christian Church, Hiram, OH

November 6, 2008

Dear James & Jim:

Thanks for your good work on tuning the Elyria/Lorain Christian Science Church. It's always a shock at first to hear the organ with better tuning!.........

David Knapp

August 28, 2008

Dear James,

Thank you for your participation in the United Church of Christ Musicians National Network (UCCMNN) event held in Akron, Ohio.

We've received many wonderful comments about the conference. Your gracious participation made it all the more special. Thank you for making the event inspirational and memorable!

I pray that you felt warmly welcomed and received by all. It was a pleasure having you with us.

Blessings in your ministry,

Scott A. Ressman
Minister for Worship, Music, and Liturgical Arts

May 22, 2008

Dear James,

Many thanks to you and your colleagues for a very special time yesterday. Everyone agreed the program you put on for St. Cecilia's Guild members was fascinating - and that you served us lunch too, was a crowning touch. From the responses I heard on the way home, this was one of our best ever programs.

From now on, I’ll have a new appreciation of what is going on both mechanically and audibly each time Jack Russell fires up the organ at St. Peter's. Again thank you.

Cordially,
Mary Sandberg
Chair, St. Cecilia's Guild
St. Peter’s Episcopal Church
Lakewood, OH

August 16, 2007

Dear James, Jim & Jeff:

Such a delightful evening! My thanks to all of you! Informative, fun, inspiring and with beautiful music by Jim - what more could we want! The power point presentation was so good & with displays it was great. Hopefully a commitment to proceed with the trumpet rank addition will come soon.

Thanks again,
Pat

 August 22, 2007

Dear James:

You all did a super job on our visit to your shop. What a wonderful presentation. You are a great teacher! Thank you so much for the lunch. Everyone had such positive comments.

Sincerely,
Joan Van Wormer
St. Andrews Episcopal Church, Elyria, OH
Ellen O.
Lynn Mand
Bob Wilson
Karen Driscol
Cathy Secour
Elaine Whitehead
Phyllis Webb
Verne Potter
Michale Palazzolo
Bobbie Holiday

June 3, 2007

Dear James and Helpers:

God bless all of you and many thanks for the wonderful afternoon spent at your workshop. We learned so much about our organ and history and enjoyed our time there.

The lunch was wonderful and the workmanship, quality and love you and your staff put into restoration is truly impressive.

Father Duke spoke about the keychain you gave to him at the 11.30 mass today & felt it was appropriate to share with the parish what he got out of it that "Swell to Great" is a reflection of where our parish is going. I think it will be our new theme since we were in the front pages of the Plain Dealer this morning. Thanks again for all you do for us.

Love
Ruthann Eston, Ruthie, Tony & Fr. Duke
S.S. Cyril & Methodius, Cleveland OH

May 13, 2006

Eastshore United Methodist Church

It was a very thorough presentation. I now have a very good knowledge of how an organ is built.

Doris Jones

September 22, 2003

Dear James,
I just wanted to thank you again for the wonderful job you did on the organ. It's an absolute joy to play now! The wedding was beautiful, and many parishioners attending the weekend Masses could hear the difference and said it sounds like a different organ.
Also Fr. Bob and I are looking forward to visiting your shop. Just let us know when.

Sincerely,
Diane Lesuik
Nativity of the BVM, Lorain, OH

July 2nd, 2003

Organ Fund Committee Members from Vermilion UCC Congregational Church, Vermilion, OH who attended the Workshop on July 2nd, 2003

The workshop was perfect..... so much information and shared in such an informative and interesting manner. We truly have a better understanding of the time consuming, very artistic work that you do during a restoration!!! Thanks so much.

Wendell Brooker
Shirley Spiers
Pat Creel
Janice Barton
Karen Howell
Molly Romp
Pat Zimmerman

Other comments from Fund Committee members:

It was so informative to see each step of the pouches and magnets etc.
The video was a wonderful lead in!
I cannot imagine how it could have been better.

Pat Creel

Your presentation was excellent. Actually, I could have listened to you for a longer time. Everyone I talked to was very impressed!

It was a great deal to absorb. Maybe in a larger group it could be somewhat shortened. It was wonderful and your presentation as well.

Your presentation was very informative and engaging! I enjoyed the music played on the organ as well.

It was a very nice experience. I hope that St. Andrew's will have you do the needed upgrades.

An unexpected pleasure that included lunch! Wow!

You could have held the "mike" a little closer.... or better yet, turned off the AC while speaking & playing.

Thank you for the interesting presentation.

I like that you have actual models. Could have been even more basic in explaining parts of the different models before discussing action (for me at least)

This was a unique opportunity to learn about something I have wondered about for a long time. Thank you very much. Well Done!