ORGANIST’S HALF CENTURY

In May the Scots Kirk in Lausanne, Switzerland, celebrated 50 years of faithful service from their organist, Melody-Pepita Suter.

Melody came to Switzerland from England with her Swiss mother in the 1960s after the death of her father. Blind from birth, she studied at the blind school in Lausanne and took organ lessons from another blind organist. She was asked to fill in at the Scots Kirk and a local Anglican Church from time to time, and later accepted the post of organist.

Fifty years on, she continues to cover both churches, playing entirely from memory a wide range of hymns, songs and pieces for reflection. Not only that, she reads the lesson from time to time in Braille and is a well-loved member of the church community.

As if she wasn’t busy enough, she enjoys accompanying singers on the piano and for well over ten years has been part of a group playing traditional folk music.

Melody was delighted to receive a letter from the Very Rev Dr Martin Fair during his time as Moderator, congratulating her on this special anniversary.