At Churchfront, we often get questions from churches on a tight budget, looking for creative ways to upgrade their worship environments without breaking the bank. That’s why I was thrilled to spend a day with River City Baptist Church, helping them tie together the work they’ve been doing themselves on lighting and acoustics.
River City Baptist Church is planning a lot of upgrades over the next year, but they wanted to kickstart things with some projects they could manage in-house. This approach is perfect for churches with limited budgets but plenty of motivation to tackle things on their own. The work they’ve done here is a great example of what’s possible when you combine a little elbow grease with the right equipment and planning.
A DIY Lighting Installation That Shines
When I arrived at River City, I was impressed with how much they had already accomplished on their own. The church installed pendant house lights from Pro Church Lights all around the room. These lights not only look fantastic but are incredibly functional, providing flexible brightness and color options. The cool part? They did it all themselves. They also installed the front lighting, which includes a mix of movers and washes, adding a dynamic element to their stage setup.
One of the things I love about the Pro Church Lights system is the hybrid package. River City used this option, where Pro Church Lights sends you the lights and detailed plans for installation, making it possible for the church to do the wiring and setup on their own. This method saves on labor costs and empowers churches to take on projects they might otherwise outsource.
Connecting the Dots: Lightkey, ProPresenter, and Playback
While the church did a great job with the physical installation, they brought me in to help integrate the technology—making sure all the lights, software, and hardware communicate seamlessly. I connected their Lightkey, ProPresenter, and Playback systems so they wouldn’t have to constantly fuss with connections week after week. Now, River City can control everything from light cues to ProPresenter slides automatically.
One of the key things I helped with was creating macros to ensure all of their systems talk to each other. I set it up so that each week, the lighting and slides trigger automatically with Playback’s commands—making the tech side of worship smoother and more reliable for the team.
Tackling Acoustics with DIY Cloud Panels
River City didn’t stop at lighting; they also improved the acoustics in their sanctuary by installing Primeacoustic cloud panels on their ceiling. These panels addressed a persistent issue: too much echo and low-end rumble. The space still has a little bit of echo (which is ideal in a church environment—you don’t want it to feel too dead), but the sound is dramatically improved.
I always tell churches that the least glamorous but most impactful improvement you can make to your sound is acoustic treatment. It’s not as fun as upgrading speakers or a soundboard, but it will do wonders for your overall audio quality. River City is proof that you can do it yourself and still get great results.
What’s Next for River City?
Although this was just a one-day project to tackle lighting and acoustics, River City has big plans for the future. They’re considering installing the Waves LV1 mixing system, adding Blackmagic cameras for better video production, and upgrading their switcher for live-streaming capabilities. These will all enhance their worship experience and take them to the next level.
Pro Tips from the Project
- Use Hybrid Solutions: Pro Church Lights offers a hybrid package that includes the gear and detailed plans, so your team can handle the labor. This is perfect if you want to save on professional installation costs.
- Invest in Acoustics First: If your room is difficult to mix in, start with acoustic treatment. It’s not as exciting as new speakers, but it will make everything sound better.
- Automate with Macros: By using Lightkey and ProPresenter macros, you can automate lighting and slide changes to make things run smoothly without manual adjustments every week.
- Leverage Playback: Use Playback to trigger commands for both lighting and ProPresenter, creating a seamless flow of worship.
Making the Most of Your Budget
River City Baptist Church is a prime example of what you can do when you’re on a budget but have the drive to take on DIY projects. They were able to install advanced lighting, improve their acoustics, and set up an automated system that will save time each week. By planning wisely and putting in the effort, your church can do the same.
If you’re ready to upgrade your space but need some guidance, Churchfront is here to help. Whether it’s through consultations, online courses, or hands-on help like this project, we can guide you through every step of the process.
Stay tuned for more updates from River City Baptist as they continue their journey of worship technology upgrades. And if you have any questions about your church’s setup, don’t hesitate to reach out—we love helping churches create tech-savvy, gospel-centered worship experiences!
