Thessalonia Baptist Church 951 Rev. James A. Polite (Stebbins) Avenue (since 1943) The Bronx, N.Y. 10459 http://thessaloniabaptistchurch.org/ Organ Specifications: 951 Rev. James A. Polite Avenue (since 1943) • III/ Rodgers Instruments electronic ► V/86 Baldwin Organ Company electronic • II/ "Style Church" Wurlitzer, Op. 560 (1922) 921 Eagle Avenue (1939-1943) • unknown 314 East 158th Street (1934-1939) • unknown 921 Eagle Avenue (1919-1934) • unknown The Thessalonia Baptist Church was organized in 1892 by seven members from Flavannah County, Va., who had relocated to New York. A mission was established in the Fordham section of the Bronx. The Rev. T. Wyatt served as pastor until 1894. The congregation moved to 921 Eagle Avenue in 1919, remaining there until 1934, when a new building was erected at 314 East 158th Street. Within five years the congregation was without a pastor or a place to worship, but services were held briefly in the Epworth Methodist Episcopal Church. On June 21, 1939, the congregation rented their former location at 921 Eagle Avenue. Minister James A. Polite assisted as supply pastor with the help of Rev. B. Bonaparte, Sr.  During the church business meeting on October 4, 1939, a motion was carried that Minister Polite be ordained and become Pastor of the Thessalonia Baptist Church. On October 17, 1943, he led the congregation to purchase the former Temple Sinai on Stebbins Avenue. Rev. Polite served Thessalonia faithfully for 41 years until his death in September of 1980. In recognition of his dedicated service to church and community, Stebbins Avenue was renamed Rev. James A.  Polite Avenue in his honor, becoming the first street in New York City to have the title Reverend included in its name. Since moving to its present location, Thessalonia Baptist Church has built a multi-million dollar Community Cultural Center. The Thessalonia Academy, Thessalonia Institute of Education/Religion and the TIR Bookstore are some of the in-house programs. Thessalonia has a radio ministry broadcast over radio WWDJ-970AM at 9:30 PM on Tuesday evenings and television broadcast on Bronxnet Cable TV.             Rodgers Instruments LLC Hillsboro, Ore. Digital tonal production 3 manuals Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.             Baldwin Organ Company Baldwin, Wisc. – Model C500 Electronic tonal production 5 manuals, 86 stops         Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes 16   Principal 2   Super Octave 8   Principal   Cornet V ranks 8   Bourdon   Fourniture VI ranks 8   Flute Celeste II ranks   Mixture IV ranks 8   Salicional 8   Trumpet 4   Octave 4   Trumpet 4   Rohr Flöte   Tremolo 2 2/3   Nazard   Chimes         Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, expressive 16   Lieblich Gedeckt 2   Flautino 8   Principal 1 1/3   Larigot 8   Gedeckt   Plein Jeu III ranks 8   Viole 16   Contra Fagott 8   Viole Celeste II ranks 8   Trompette 4   Geigen 8   Hautbois 4   Chimney Flute 4   Trompette 2 2/3   Nazard   Tremolo         Choir/Positiv Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, expressive 8   Principal 2   Doublette 8   Hohl Flute 1 3/5   Tierce 8   Dulciana 1   Sifflöte 8   Unda Maris II ranks   Mixture IV ranks 4   Principal 8   Cromorne 4   Stopped Flute   Tremolo 2 2/3   Quint                   Solo Organ (Manual IV) – 61 notes, expressive 8   Diapason 8   Tuba Mirabilis 8   Major Flute 8   French Horn 8   Gamba 8   Cor Anglais 8   Gamba Celeste II ranks 8   Orchestral Oboe 4   Orchestral Flute 4   Tuba Clarion 4   Gemshorn   Tremolo 2   Octavin   Harp 16   Basson                   Echo Organ (Manual V) – 61 notes, expressive 16   Dulciana   Mixture III ranks 8   Cor de Nuit 16   Bombarde 8   Erzähler 8   Festival Trumpet 8   Erzähler Celeste II ranks 8   Bombarde 8   Echo Celeste II ranks 8   Vox Humana 4   Flauto d'Echo 4   Bombarde 4   Erzähler Celeste II ranks   Super 2   Flautino   Tremolo         Pedal Organ – 32 notes 32   Contra Bourdon 4   Flute 16   Principal 2   Block Flöte 16   Sub Bass   Fourniture V ranks 16   Lieblich Gedeckt 32   Contra Bombarde 16   Violone 16   Fagott 8   Octave 8   Trumpet 8   Gedeckt 4   Clarion 4   Super Octave 4   Schalmei                 Couplers (activated by pistons)     Great to Pedal     Echo to Great     Swell to Pedal     Echo to Swell     Choir to Pedla     Solo to Swell     Solo to Pedal     Swell to Choir     Echo to Pedal     Solo to Choir     Swell to Great     Echo to Choir     Choir to Great     Swell to Solo     Solo to Great     Echo to Solo                 Combination Pistons (8 memory levels)     Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6 affecting Echo Organ     Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6 affecting Solo Organ     Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6 affecting Swell Organ     Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6 affecting Great Organ     Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6 affecting Choir/Positiv Organ     Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6 affecting Pedal Organ     Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6 affecting Full Organ     Cancel               Setter               A/P [Automatic Pedal?]               Tutti                           Pedal Movements     Echo Expression Pedal         Choir Expression Pedal         Swell Expression Pedal         Solo Expression Pedal         Crescendo Pedal                     Accessories     Transposer                       Wurlitzer Organ Company North Tonawanda, N.Y. – Opus 560 (1922) Electro-pneumatic action "Style Church" 2 manuals, 7 ranks The original organ in the present building was built by the Wurlitzer Organ Company and shipped July 18, 1922. Four fronts of "dummy" or non-speaking pipes masked the chamber openings. Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.             Sources:      Junchen, David L., comp. and ed. by Jeff Weiler. The WurliTzer Pipe Organ – An Illustrated History. Chicago: The American Theatre Organ Society, 2005.      Kaufmann, Preston J. Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ, Vol. 3. Pasadena: Showcase Publications, 1995.      Thessalonia Baptist Church website: http://thessaloniabaptistchurch.org/      Trupiano, Larry. Specifications of Baldwin Organ Company (Model C500) organ. Photos:             NYC AGO Home Page | Back to NYC Organs List |