Houses of Worship were a hot topic at this year’s LDI Conference. For the third year in a row, Technologies for Worship Magazine (TFWM) returned to LDI with more in-depth workshops, seminars and an expanded Technologies for Worship Pavilion on the exhibit floor.

This year, TFWM arranged an in depth seminar series which kicked off on Thursday November 15th and carried through to Saturday afternoon. Sessions like “Moving Lights 101”, “LED Lighting- Myths and Uses” by Tony Hansen, Lighting Designer and System Consultant with Techni-Lux were part of the extremely popular seminar series offered by TFWM. “I really enjoy the feedback and camaraderie I receive from the seminar tract at the TFWM sessions.” says Hansen. “It is so nice to be able to interact directly with the readers and talk about the articles and the current trends. Most of my story ideas and designs come from this interaction.”

Other sessions covered Lighting for Video Cameras, Acoustic Loudspeaker Design and a series of leadership topics for Pastors and Worship Leaders. The seminars as a whole were very well attended, and this attendance is indicative of the importance of technical education for Houses of Worship at conferences like LDI.

The Technologies for Worship Pavilion® was written up in every issue of the show daily which was circulated to all 12,000 plus LDI 2007 attendees. The hands-on training offered at the pavilion covered several technical bases; from interview lighting techniques, to digital console workshops, to video mixing and much more.

As the Technologies for Worship Pavilion® continues to expand at conferences like LDI, manufacturers, contractors, installers and consultants alike develop a better idea of what is actually going on in the House of Worship market. Sponsors of the Pavilion were able to ask questions and interact directly with attendees from developing churches and ministries who were there specifically to gather product information to bring back to their facility.

“The Technologies for Worship Pavilion in mainstream media shows like LDI is a great asset for church attendees.” stated Brad Weston, President of Renewed Vision, one of the Technologies For Worship Pavilion sponsors. “It allows them to see the power of the latest production technologies at work, on a live stage, in a setting that is made for the church, nestled amongst non-church specific technologies. Renewed Vision really appreciated the opportunity to work the Pavilion at LDI and meet the creative church production pros that attended, seeking out technologies that help make the Church the most creative place on the planet.”

The focal point of the Technologies for Worship Pavilion® is the ever-popular Quiet Stage®, which features the newest in digital instruments, digital consoles, in-ear and personal monitors, HD cameras, video projection, and acoustical technologies. A live band actually performs on the stage throughout the conference, right in the middle of the exhibit floor. However, the curiosity of onlookers is effectively piqued when the front of house sound is brought down to absolute silence as the performers continue to play.

A slight twist to the configuration this year was the addition of acoustic drums. Usually the Quiet Stage® drummer plays on a set of digital drums, which in essence are silent without a signal. However this time, a true set of acoustic drums were brought in and set up inside an acoustical enclosure. The enclosure essentially deadened the acoustical drum sound completely, until the front of house was brought up so as to hear the band’s mix. The effect was truly something to behold.

The inclusion of the Technologies for Worship Pavilion® at LDI 2007 was as exciting for the show organizers as it was for the attendees. “Houses of worship represent a growing market segment for many of LDI’s exhibitors and attendees,” says Ellen Lampert-Gréaux, LDI conference director. “It was very exciting to see the positive response to the workshops, as well as the hands-on training and Quiet Stage in the Technologies for Worship Pavilion at LDI. This year, TFWM had its largest presence at LDI and we hope to continue to collaborate with them in the future as LDI continues its growth in this important area of bringing entertainment technology into the worship arena.”

One of the main purposes of the Technologies for Worship Pavilion® and Conference is to provide a forum for church techs, volunteers, Pastors and Worship Leaders to gather together in a welcoming environment to discuss different ways they can be using technology to its fullest capacity as an outreach tool. The Technologies for Worship Pavilion® and Conference provides an opportunity for educational fellowship between all attendees, allowing them to discuss their new ideas with other techs who are experimenting with similar concepts in their own house of worship. Designed for churches of all sizes, the Technologies for Worship Pavilion® caters to inexperienced as well as professional level Worship Techs.

“We’re committed to introducing Houses of Worship to today’s technologies,” Shelagh Rogers, founder and president of TFWM and the Technologies for Worship Conferences, explains. “Education is the key— anyone can visit our Worship Pavilion and see the latest products in action, which better helps them determine what they could be doing with their own worship team. Our sponsors provide us their most current equipment to work on in conjunction with the hands-on training sessions we offer. They also send product specialists to answer questions and offer suggestions to our attendees, to arm them with knowledge before their church goes out and spends money on something that might not work for them. We offer houses of worship the opportunity to experience these technologies in a ‘real-time’ environment, which is extremely beneficial when purchasing decisions need to be made.”

The Technologies for Worship Pavilion® and Conference continually evolves to keep up with the most current and relevant technologies available to houses of worship today. By partnering with LDI 2007, and presenting educational workshops and seminars in conjunction with a show floor bursting with new product unveilings, the Technologies for Worship Pavilion® and Conference attendees are validated as representatives of a truly viable and growing market.

As Houses of Worship continue to become more contemporary in the ways they present their ministry, the Technologies for Worship Pavilion® and Conference will continue to expand. “Change happens everyday,” explains Rogers, “and it’s important for us to evolve to meet all the technological needs growing ministries will have. Houses of Worship are expanding so quickly it’s almost difficult to keep up. Our goal is to continue to educate the people who work within them by providing them with a complete educational and practical resource.”

Sponsors for the Technologies for Worship Pavilion® at LDI 2007 were: Aerohead, Audio Ethics, Avcon, Aviom, Corevalus, d & b audiotechnik, Desisti Lighting, Eiki, ETC, Microboards, Ocean Optics, Perdue, Renewed Vision, Roland/Edirol, Stageline, Telex, Westone, Wybron, and Yamaha Commercial Audio.