St. Paul's Gives Gift of Music to Chapel of the Apostles in Sewanee

St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Chattanooga, Tenn. has given a $250,000 gift for the purchase of a new organ and the establishment of a fund to support the continuing position of an organist intern in Anglican music at the University of the South. The donation heralds the beginning of a new partnership among the choir and music department of St. Paul's, the University, and the graduate School of Theology.

The organ, to be known as the St. Paul's Organ, will be built for the Chapel of the Apostles, now under construction at the School of Theology.

The donations, from the St. Paul's Hansell G. King Choir fund, are given in honor of the church's rector, the Rev. Dr. H. Hunter Huckabay, Jr. and his wife Prestine Crosby Huckabay for their ministries, according to the fund's chair, Maurice Bowen.

Huckabay has been rector of the 1,200-member congregation since 1986. He and his wife are both trustees at the University of the South. Dr. Huckabay is a graduate of the School of Theology.

"We have been just overwhelmed," said Huckabay. "What a surprise to have our names associated with this gift. I am delighted to see the bond strengthened between three communities we really care about --St. Paul's, the University, and Sewanee."

Prestine Huckabay, who for seven years chaired the fund raising effort of more than $3.2 million for the construction of the Chapel of the Apostles, noted, "When you work so hard for something, for that long, and you have your parish give such a significant gift, well, that is so overwhelming."

The university views the gift as a challenge to raise at least an additional $100,000 for the organ installation and Chapel furnishings.

"I am very grateful for this wonderful gift to the Chapel of the Apostles which is emerging as a stunning building on our campus. It will be a wholly modern, yet traditionally inspired holy space for worshipers for years to come," said the Very Rev. Dr. Guy Fitch Lytle, dean of the School of Theology.

The Orion Construction Company of Nashville is building the Chapel, designed by renowned Arkansas architects Fay Jones and Maurice Jennings. Scheduled for completion this summer, the Chapel will be the main worship and liturgical teaching space for seminarians studying at Sewanee to become priests in the Episcopal Church.

Organist Internship

The partial stipend for the organist internship will supply continuing support for a person interested to increase knowledge and skills in the performance of church music in the Anglican tradition. The position will be named the Paul L. Reynolds Organist Intern, honoring Reynolds, St. Paul's organist since 1987.

The intern will be employed as the assistant university organist under the direction of university organist Dr. Robert Delcamp.

"This will help us continue to develop musical skills in the program which is designed to send out an accomplished organist to serve the church," said Delcamp.

Because of the new partnership each year a special service will be held at St. Paul's in Chattanooga and at the Chapel of the Apostles in Sewanee. "At the Chapel we will hear a glorious new organ and at St. Paul's our 80-member University Choir will perform," said Lytle.

In addition, the School of Theology will help develop a new track in Anglican Music Traditions for St. Paul's Christian education program. The seminary will provide scholars as a resource to the congregation. The School is considering establishing an Institute of Pastoral Liturgy and Sacred Music, Lytle said.

“All this also will be really exciting as we begin a relationship with the new vice chancellor who has such ties to Chattanooga" Prestine Huckabay added.

Sewanee's Vice Chancellor-elect Dr. Joel Cunningham is a graduate and former faculty member of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and president of Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, Pa. He will move to Sewanee in July.

Leaders of the Episcopal Church founded the University of the South in 1858. Recognized among the finest liberal arts colleges in the country, Sewanee has 1,300 undergraduates pursuing bachelors' degrees and more than 100 students studying in graduate programs in theology.

A time of dedication and celebration of the Chapel is planned for October 10-19. The St. Paul's organ will take at least three years to be built and installed. A special dedication and performance will be announced at that time.