From the 2009 OHTA Conference Book, David Shield writes:

 

The boundaries are of course blurred now, but between the settlement of Bethany and the village of Langmeil was the township of Tanunda.  Here, in 1850, an independent group of Lutherans established their church, calling it Tabor after the mountain referred to in the Old Testament.  With business men from Tanunda and drawing members from a wide area, the Revd Adalbert Kappler of Adelaide was briefly their pastor.  Kappler remained only a short time and was replaced by Dr Carl F.W. Muecke Ph.D.  Apparently with no theological training nor evidence of his being ordained to the Lutheran ministry, but with an interest in political thought and education, Muecke established churches at various centres including Lyndoch and Greenock.  He resigned in 1869 and was succeeded by Julius Roediger who served the church for the following 25 years.¹

 

A school was immediately organised, using the first church building during the week.  Under the leadership of Friedrich Basedow and using government assistance, it outgrew its accommodation, moving to other premises, and becoming one of the best in the colony.  After he resigned to follow publishing pursuits, the school closed for a couple of years before reopening, again in the church.  Another prominent South Australian, Theodor Scherk, taught there from 1867-1872 before it finally closed in 1873.²

 

The church was rebuilt in 1870 to be further enlarged in 1910, with the addition of a choir gallery within and the tower without.  The belfry carries a three-bell peal, the largest in the region.  The bells were imported from Apolda, Thuringen, Germany in 1910, the largest of which weighs more than 6 cwt.  The bells are named “Gloria” (glory) “Concordia” (harmony), and “Laetitia” (Joy).  Franz Schilling made the bells with the firm of Carl Friedrich Ulrich, Bell Founders, of Apolda Germany.³  However, the small bell cracked and was never rung. With the aid of a bequest it was replaced by a bell from Eijsbouts in the Netherlands.⁴

 

Tabor did not acquire a pipe organ until late in the 20th century.  Early in 1977, it was decided that their current instrument should be replaced.  A committee was formed and Mr Ross Waters was given the task of building the organ at a cost of $10 000.⁵

 

The 19 stops of the Tabor organ cover five ranks of the pipework, some originating from the J.E. Dodd instrument of 1911 originally in the Norwood Wesleyan Church.

 

The dedication took place on Sunday 25 November 1979.  The guest organist on the occasion was Miss Pauline Fromm.  The organist for the Tabor Choir was Mr Cedric Neldner.⁶

 

 

 

 

L.S. & L.R. Waters 1979

2 manuals, 5rks ext, electric action

 

GREAT ORGAN
Principal	8	A
Gedackt	8	B
Dulciana	8	C
Octave	4	A
Flute	4	D
Nazard	2-2/3	B
Fifteenth	2	E
Swell to Great
Melodic Bass
SWELL ORGAN
Sub Gedackt	16	B
Flute	8	D
Dulciana	8	C
Principal	4	A
Dulcet	4	C
Flautina	2	D
Nineteenth	1-1/3	E
PEDAL ORGAN
Bourdon	16	D
Principal	8	A
Bass Flute	8	B
Octave Quint	5-1/3	B
Fifteenth	4	A
Great to Pedal
Swell to Pedal

 

Compass: 61/30

Attached stopkey console

 

 

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1  See:  Proeve, in Munchenberg, R.S. et al, The Barossa A Vision realised, p.85/60

 

2  Ibid.. p.106,

 

3  Tabor Lutheran Church Tanunda Inc; Bagot, H., ‘Bells of the Barossa’, Journal of Friends of Lutheran Archives, no.10 (October 2000), pp.9-16

 

4  Personal comment S. Kaesler 23 July 2009.  Bagot, op.cit., p.14 dates the Dutch bell from 1991 whereas Kaesler relates the bequest to 2000.  The original small bell is in the Tanunda museum.

 

5  Schmidt, Clemens G., Tabor Lutheran Church Tanunda SA 1849-1999, p.47

 

6  Order of Service: Tabor Lutheran Church, Tanunda. Dedication of Pipe Organ 25^th November 1979 10.30a.m.