One week from today, Tibbetts United Methodist Church in West Seattle plans a tribute to the organist who’s been at their keyboard for 44 years – here’s the announcement, with some history:
(Photo courtesy John Van Lierop Jr.)
On Sunday, March 2, for the 10:00 am service, Tibbetts United Methodist Church, 3940 41st Ave SW, will honor John Van Lierop Jr’s 44 years of service as their organist. The church was not able to recognize John’s 40th year of service due to the Covid outbreak.
John started his organ playing in the church that his Father was minister of in Portland, Oregon, Hope Presbyterian Church, in the mid-’60s. His first official organ position was at Centenary-Wilbur Methodist Church in 1966 while he was a student at Lewis and Clark College in Portland. From there, John played the organ in churches in Spokane and Seattle, with his previous organist position prior to coming to Tibbetts being Mt. Baker Park Presbyterian Church in Seattle, where he served 7 years.
When John came to Tibbetts, the organ was a 2 Manuel Balcom & Vaughn pipe organ. Due to upkeep costs on that organ and other issues, Tibbetts decided to replace it with an electronic organ. After a successful fundraising campaign, a 3 Manuel Allen Digital Organ was purchased and installed in late 1989. The Dedication Recital was held in 1990, with John at the organ.
In addition to his usual organ playing in church and choir accompanying, John enjoys doing piano/organ duets during the church services. His piano partner is the talented Shirley Lindberg, who happens to be the director of the bell choirs at Tibbetts, in addition to directing the Bells of the Sound, a professional bell group based in Seattle. During these last 44 years at Tibbetts, John has worked under 7 ministers and 10 choir directors. He enjoys using the Tibbetts sanctuary with its 7-foot Steinway grand piano for his student piano recitals in Winter and Spring. Also, the Annual Guild Piano Auditions are held in church’s sanctuary.
John doesn’t plan on retiring quite yet from being the organist at Tibbetts but hopes to stay a little while longer.
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