Media Control Room Presentation & Vote

People expect great sound and lighting when they come to a service. The same is true when broadcasting online. We’re fortunate to have had a basic system in place when the pandemic hit. The sanctuary streaming was put together overnight with the equipment we had laying around. Moving from a small single camera multisite stream/IMAG to a full broadcast scenario is a big leap. The capability to have a separate audio mix or a sound room to mix it in for our online audience is a necessity. Lower third song capabilities are needed as well as more cameras.  

Young married couples, ages 24 to 34, who have recently moved into a town, watch a live-streamed church service an average of six times before choosing to attend. In addition, there is an audience available that work odd hours, travel frequently, are sick or homebound. We have a larger audience outside our walls than we do inside and this will continue into the future, so think of multi-city and state membership. We need to meet people where they are…online. This will give us greater quality in getting the gospel in front of lost people. They are online. This speaks directly to our mission as a church. 

Broadcast equipment costs have actually come down over the past decade. This project would cost two or three times as much as ten years ago. Be that as it may, broadcast equipment is still expensive. We’ve done due diligence in taking two and three bids on the different aspects of this project and have conducted extensive research that started in May of 2019. The recommended system is built for the future which can handle a higher quality of picture when we need it.

This will not require any additional paid employees. Right now, at the Buford Road Campus, we have eleven members on the tech team and use eight on a Sunday. When we add the broadcast booth the servant leaders needed on a given Sunday will be a minimum of nine to a maximum of twelve. The addition of a few more members should not be a problem. 

A top priority for a sound booth is sound proofing and no visual distractions. The placement of the room on the third floor (now a storage area) will provide for these needs and makes It easier to connect the wiring with the system in the Gathering

The sound booth also allows us to work with Discipleship, Missions, Children, and Students to create top-notch videos to use with small groups, at home, Bible Study, and film testimonies.  The sound booth will provide another ministry point for these ministries where fewer families are coming back quickly the media booth will aid these ministries.

Funding will come from our Unspent Ministry Funds which have a balance of $675,000. Additionally, the unrestricted net proceeds from the sale of The Village Campus of $1.62 million are available.

The proposal was made before the Stewardship Team in November 2020 and the Church Council in the third week of December 2020. By the time approval was received the E blast and mailing for the 2021 budget had been prepared to go out.