Leonard Meissner, the Mayville United Methodist Church Organist who is set to be celebrated on Sept. 21 for serving the church for 50 years. Submitted photo

MAYVILLE — In a church setting, an organist can play an important role, and one organist has been helping to lead the Mayville United Methodist Church for the past 50 years.

Recently the church organized him for five decades of ministering through music.

Leonard Meissner was hired as the church organist in 1975 and in his time there has played the organ and the piano, leads the choir, is involved in the bell choir and praise band, and helps with many other things at the church including vacation Bible school, weddings and funerals.

Members of the Mayville Methodist Church are looking to celebrate Meissner as he reaches his 50th anniversary of playing and helping at the church.

“He’s not retiring, we just wanted to do something to honor his 50 years,” Laura Cummings, one of the church members who is helping to set up the celebration. “We felt it was a nice way to honor his 50 years here and we didn’t want to wait until he retires and miss such an important milestone.”

In this day and age, Cummings said churches are facing dwindling membership, so they felt it was even more important to celebrate someone who has been committed to one church for 50 years. Additionally, Cummings said being an organist for a church is a big commitment.

“When you commit to being an organist, you give up your vacations,” Cummings said. “You don’t get weekends off. Being committed to one church for 50 years is something to celebrate.”

The celebration was held Sunday with plans to include members of the Meissner family in the celebration as well, as the family is all very musical. Meissner’s grandchildren helped sing and lead praise songs.

Meissner’s daughter, Jill Szumigala said that Meissner’s career as an organist began 63 years ago at the age of 12 while at the Trinity Lutheran Church in West Seneca. She added he taught himself to play, though he did have piano lessons, and is also a music graduate of the State University at Fredonia.

“He started playing the organ because his mom thought the organ was the most beautiful and amazing instrument in the world,” Szumigala said.

Other things included in the special service will be performances such as by the bell choir, which Cummings said Meissner may participate in as they are hoping to keep it a surprise for him, and having people talk about how important an organist is for a church service.

Cummings said the celebration service will be to honor Meissner, who has played an important role in the life of the church for the past 50 years, and who is always willing to help.

“It’s important to note that he will always say yes,” Cummings said. “Whether it’s weddings or funerals, or something that someone needs him to be musically involved in, he is always willing to say yes.”