Lynn Hildebrand assists in leading the children's choir at the First Congregational Church in Corona, California. As part of her involvement in her church's music ministry, Lynn Hildebrand closely followed the recent restoration of its historic organ.

Developed as a marvel in engineering in the third century BC, the organ remained a secular phenomenon for more than 1,000 years. Although it had made its way to Europe through Emperor Nero and had thus become a status symbol in the homes of the most powerful, early church leaders saw any kind of instrumentation as inappropriately worldly. The rich sound of the organ struck them as particularly unseemly.

However, as monasteries became centers of culture as well as intellectual advancement, the organ found a place in the church. Monks had both the education and the time to build and learn to play the instrument, and people began to associate the organ with religious life. In fact, by the 13th century, some theologians spoke out on behalf of the organ as the most holy of instruments. From that time on, religious leaders have continued to debate the organ's use in service, yet it has persevered and now stands as the instrument most commonly associated with Christian worship in the Western European tradition.