Willow Creek’s 40-year Celebration at Chicago’s United Center Relies on Shure
One of the driving forces of the evangelical contemporary Christian movement, Willow Creek Community Church, was established in 1975. On October 18, the church celebrated its 40th anniversary before more than 20,000 worshippers at the United Center in Chicago. The two-hour event featured in-the-round staging, a high-powered contemporary praise band, video presentations, and words from Willow Creek co-founder and senior pastor Bill Hybels as well as other members of the team.
To coordinate the audio for this massive event, the church combined the expertise of current and former staff members. Nathan Miller ofMiller Audio Services Incorporated, Brownsburg, Indiana, a 12-year veteran of Willow Creek, was brought in as the audio lead, working with production manager Todd Elliot of Fusion Productions, who served at the church for about ten years. To realize the audio aspects of the church’s production vision, two major audio suppliers were required: T.C. Furlong Inc. of suburban Lake Forest for backline, including microphones and wireless systems, Nashville-based Morris Light and Sound for the PA system, and Yamaha Commercial Audio Systems for the PM10 consoles.
