As states continue to restrict gatherings, houses of worship are turning to technology to continue services and keep their communities together. 

The Vaddio team has been fielding tons of questions over the past few weeks as churches, synagogues and other houses of worship scramble to establish AV system needs to keep their members connected.

“People want to be connected with their communities,” said Brian Ridge, Regional Brand Sales Manager for Legrand | AV.

Dealers and AV companies are even shifting to Houses of Worship (HOW) projects to help. From all the questions we’ve been fielding – here are some top tips and considerations when joining the movement to get these services online.

Audio? Check. Check.

“Religious communities are trying to stream as best they can with what they have,” said Paul Cords, Director of Brand Sales for Vaddio.

Adding, “we worked with a church that was even using a smartphone at the back to stream their service. Of course, it’s not ideal, but there is good news. Most houses of worship already have an audio system in place, so it’s just a matter of getting the video to match up with the audio and onto the internet”.

Just Add Video

The main misperception to tackle with houses of worship is that adding video production is really hard and that it’s something left to studios and megachurches. The reality is that everything can be simplified. A RoboSHOT 20 UHD with a OneLink Bridge will take care of a lot of situations if the HOW already has a soundboard and audio system.

If they want to add cameras and/or graphics to the feed, there are other solutions available. The main advice from Beth Peterson, Product Marketing Manager for Vaddio, is to ensure the camera selected can handle the lighting conditions in your space. Streaming from the actual house of worship with stained glass windows and bright spots can be problematic, candles can also be tricky. These are all common features in a HOW service, but they can make a bad camera lose focus. Some cameras can also have jitter problems when zooming.

Ask the Question- Is This a Stop Gap or Permanent Investment?

Consider this the system will be in place after the crisis is over and will continue to provide services for outreach, shut ins, sick, and even high school graduates no matter where they attend college. The short-term pandemic solutions for live streaming provide long-term opportunities for continuing to connect members and the community they rely on.

Getting Online

Some houses of worship may be worried about gaps in broadband access, but this is also easily overcome by recording to a laptop in case the connection fails. Some simply record the service first and stream it later. 

There are several popular streaming options for houses of worship. Many use Facebook or YouTube, as their members are already familiar with these sites. Facebook also has the added feature of being able to set up private groups where members can comment and connect with one another during and after the service. Be wary of ads that can accompany free services as the ads may not match your chosen message.

Popular options for paid streaming services are also available and they include sites like Sermoncast, as well as Churchstreaming.tv, which is offering a 90-day free trial during the crisis. 

In Closing

Now, more than ever, it’s important to keep connected. Streaming and camera systems are affordable options that can get houses of worship through this crisis and provide future benefits. Download the solutions guide and discover several options to upgrade House of Worship systems.

At Legrand | AV, we are dedicated to keeping people connected no matter where they are. If you have any videoconferencing, live streaming or connectivity questions, our solutions engineers are ready to help. Email us at av.solutions@legrand.com with the details of your project. For more of the latest COVID-19 information, please access the FAQs at www.legrandav.com/COVID.