Have you noticed something different during worship services on your way back to your seat? There is a temporary projector installed up in the balcony of the Sanctuary to make the services easier for the Pastors, musicians, Lay Readers and Lay Ministers to use instead of hard copies. The screen shows what is playing on the chancel screen as well as a preview of the next bit of text or the next service element. This is accomplished without any extra burden on the technician running the video part of the service.

Bob Gann put in a temporary system to see if a balcony projector was feasible and useful. The test setup used the church’s portable projector, a portable screen and temporary wiring. The Board of Worship heard many positive comments from worship leaders, Lay Ministers, and especially the Hearts Afire Team about how much easier it is to use the screen instead of printed material. So the board put a request in for the purchase of a new system. The Church Council agreed to fund this project from the general fund, so the technical ministry volunteers, led by Les Smith and Bob Gann, are working to replace the temporary system with a permanent ceiling-mounted projector and a new screen that will retract when not in use. Because of these improvements, the installed system will not interfere with as much of the balcony seating or block the fire exit.

Saint John’s Board of Worship and the Arts oversees the details of the congregation’s worship life.