The walls and floors of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church may look different as construction crews complete renovations to the building, but Janet Gilbertson’s familiar organ playing can still be heard coming from the balcony on Sunday mornings.

Gilbertson’s organ music has been heard at the church for 50 years, and the church will celebrate that time on Nov. 8 at the 9 a.m. service.

“She has tremendous talent. She can play any kind of music, any style of music,” said Ruth Monson, music coordinator and choir director at Our Savior’s. Monson’s husband, Glenn, is the church’s senior pastor.

Aside from playing organ on Sundays, Gilbertson has accompanied numerous soloists and recitals, and she’s also played for weddings and funerals.

“I wish I would have kept track of all the weddings and funerals I’ve played for,” she said. “It’s been a lot.”

Ruth Monson said Gilbertson rarely turns down a request to serve as an accompanist.

Despite her years of experience, Gilbertson is modest when talking about her time at the church.

“I am just happy to be of service,” she said.

Even after 50 years, Gilbertson said there’s always something new. The church got a new hymnal recently, and so she plays some new songs. She also works on learning new prelude and postlude music.

Gilbertson and Ruth Monson have split the organist duties in recent years, and Monson said she’s learned a lot from Gilbertson.

“Not only is she really talented, but she’s such a good colleague, and she works so well with people,” Ruth Monson said. “You can tell her personality is really gracious. The combination has made her a great asset to Our Savior’s.”

The recent construction at the church isn’t the only change Gilbertson’s been a part of during her time at the church. In 1973, she was on the committee that selected a new Casavantes organ that’s still in the church’s balcony.

Another key change to the church was the addition of a contemporary service, which is the second service at the church each Sunday, but an organist doesn’t play at that service.

While many things have changed, Gilbertson said one of her favorite things to do over the years has been playing for the sanctuary choir, a volunteer choir who she practices with once a week. Gilbertson said she’s glad to have formed a number of relationships with the different choir directors and choir members.

Gilbertson’s organ and piano playing skills haven’t been limited to the sanctuary Our Savior’s Lutheran Church. She taught piano and music theory at Riverland Community College for about 10 years, and she taught piano lessons for a number of years. She still serves as the accompanist for the Austin Symphony.

Before she moved to Austin, Gilbertson played organ at a church in South Dakota. She majored in classical piano at the University of South Dakota, and she has a masters degree in piano performance.

Gilbertson moved to Austin in 1959 when her husband, Larry, and worked teaching math at Austin High School. Gilbertson had a connection to Our Savior’s because a woman from Gilbertson’s hometown of Vermillion, S.D., attended the church.

When she’s not playing organ at the church, Gilbertson frequently travels to her cabin near Brainerd. She also spends time with her three children, six grandchildren and three step-grandchildren. Larry died about 10 years ago.

Music an important part of her life outside of her job, as she said she enjoys many styles of music. She often listens to classical music on Minnesota Public Radio, and said Bach is her favorite composer. She also belongs to a book club, goes to the YMCA almost everyday.

Gilbertson doesn’t know how long she plans to continue playing, but she emphasized she’s not retiring yet.

“She’s really loved by the congregation,” Sue Monson said.