PENDLETON — Dozens of elder residents from the local area gathered at a small country home on Sunday in celebration of one common love — organs.

Lowrey organs, according to Norma Marriott, are a thing of beauty, and the inspiration for the local chapter of LIFE, or Lowrey Is Fun and Easy.

The group consists of more than 180 members, she said, and most know how to play the organ and gather once a week to take continuing lessons and talk about their mutual love of the instrument.

Marriott hosted an old-fashioned tea party at her home on Sunday and invited her other LIFEers.

The women wore big, floppy hats adorned with faux flowers while the men wore straw Panama and cowboy hats.

Guests dined on imitation crystal plates and sipped hot tea from teacups with their pinkies high in the air.

Although most of the day was spent munching on sausages and potato salad, conversations centered on the musical possibilities of organs.

“It’s not a popular instrument,” Marriott said, “but it’s the best in the world because it’s got everything you could want.”

The organ, she said, can imitate other instruments, so it’s as if you’ve got an orchestra at your fingertips.

Marriott played a piece with Latin flavor, and emphasized the diversity of the organ. “People have an idea that an organ is the pipe music.”

There were no pipes leading from Marriott’s Lowrey organ. Instead, the instrument was a spread of red, green and blue lights and buttons with two rows of keys.

Elizabeth West has been playing the organ for four years and said she decided to learn at the age of 71.

“You never get done learning,” she said. Her husband also learned to play and the two enjoy the instrument together.

Fred and Judy Gulmire also learned to play together.

Anderson, West said, has the largest Lowrey LIFE group in the world. The group supports Bids for Kids and various area charities along with gathering to chat about organs.