Future of music in our worship

At Tryst Church we give thanks for the richness of our musical worship—traditional hymns, choir contributions, instrumental pieces, and newer songs that help us praise God together. As we plan for the future, we’re inviting everyone connected with Tryst to share views on how our music should develop over the next 10–15 years, and what role (if any) the church organ should play. This consultation runs January–March 2026 and sits alongside our wider exploration of options to modernise our building and halls.

Why now?

Our organists and Worship Team have noted that the current pipe organ needs work done to it (faulty notes, tuning issues, limited volume on the Swell), and that decisions are needed soon.
Our initial thinking is that we anticipate continuing to sing traditional hymns for some years, while broadening our musical palette to include modern worship styles. Any choice we make about the organ needs to support that direction and align with potential building modernisation.

The decisions we need to make

We’re seeking congregational input to help the Kirk Session decide whether to:

Retain the existing pipe organ (with limited repairs);
Invest in refurbishment (ranging from targeted reconditioning to a fuller rebuild);
Replace with a digital (electronic) church organ with a dedicated sound system;
Dispense with a church organ and rely on other forms of musical accompaniment.

Note on costs (order of magnitude): A recent assessment suggested that around £12,000 to address the current issues (although this estimate may be on the low side). A full rebuild could be £60,000–£100,000. A high‑quality digital organ with appropriate speakers would be mid tens of thousands. These are illustrative figures—not formal quotes—and will be refined after your feedback.

What we’re consulting on

Musical direction: What balance of traditional hymns, choir pieces, and modern worship songs best helps our congregation praise God together?

Role of the organ: Do you envisage an organ (pipe or digital) being part of our worship to 2040? And, further ahead, to 2055? Why or why not?

Practicalities: If an organ remains, should the console location change during modernisation? (The current console could, in principle, be located anywhere in the building.)

Investment priorities: Considering building modernisation, where should scarce resources have the greatest impact on worship and mission?

See & hear different musical styles

Below are short recordings (some made during COVID) of our different musical styles, using different instrumental combinations.

Reflective organ voluntary – Prelude on hymn tune ‘Gwalchmai’, arr, Christopher Tambling

Traditional hymn accompanied by organ – Praise my soul the King of heaven

Traditional hymn accompanied by piano, organ and Praise Band – All things bright and beautiful

Modern worship song accompanied by Young Church Praise Band – Our God is a great big God

Modern worship song accompanied by piano and Praise Band – Come on and celebrate

Organ voluntary piece, illustrating the instrument’s limits in rendering a solo tune against a quieter accompaniment – ‘Nun freut euch’ by Hieronymous Quehl

Modern hymn accompanied by organ, piano and Praise Band – Jesus is the name we honour

Postlude played by piano and Praise Band

Triumphant organ postlude – ‘Tocatta’ by Charles-Marie Widor

How to participate

Online survey (5–7 minutes): Share your preferences and comments. (Link below)
Speak to us: Come and have a chat with either of our two Co-organists (Martin Fairbairn and Harry Sergeant) after a morning service over a cup of tea or coffee.
Email / paper response: Prefer to write? Send us your thoughts in a message using the Contact Us page.

Complete the survey

Timeline (Jan–Mar 2026)

Launch: Sunday 4 January 2026 – webpage goes live; survey opens.
Survey closes: Sunday 15 March 2026.
Report back: By 31 May 2026 – Worship Team publishes a summary of responses and recommendations, following consideration by the Kirk Session.

Background reading

Overview of the current pipe organ’s condition, options, and questions for 2040/2055 horizons: Worship Team paper
Technical notes: High‑level reports by Matthew Hynes and John Lightbown & Sons

FAQs

Will traditional hymns continue? Likely yes—alongside newer songs—so accompaniment (organ or otherwise) remains important.
Is the organ console fixed behind the pulpit? The console can, in principle, be located elsewhere; the pipes are behind the pulpit and hard to move. (See the annotated picture further up on this page.)
Could we adopt a “hybrid” (pipe + digital) solution? Possible, but likely as costly as new digital plus major pipe work; we’ll gauge appetite during consultation.
Why not relocate a legacy organ from the predecessor churches? It’s very unlikely to be cost‑effective or practical.

Contact & links

Survey: Click on the button below
Email: Go to the Contact Us page and send a message
Paper copies: Available Sundays from the Welcome Team at the front door

Complete the survey

Closing encouragement

Thank you for helping shape music that honours God, serves our congregation, and supports our mission in Airth, Carron, Larbert and Stenhousemuir for decades to come. Please watch the videos and complete the survey.