Churches pass the popcorn along with the collection plate

Cypress, CA - Churches are augmenting their fire and brimstone sermons with theater-style movie screens as part of cutting-edge A/V systems that can often rival some local theaters.

Christie, a major provider of visual solutions for business, entertainment and industry, announced the installation of three new Christie digital projectors at NorthRidge Church in Plymouth, Michigan. Featuring 3-chip DLP(tm) technology, the projectors - a Christie Roadster X9 and two Christie Vista X5’s - were part of a major upgrade in the church’s audio/visual installation.

The spiritual center for over 7,500 people, NorthRidge Church features a 3,100-seat auditorium with a large stage area, video screens for multimedia presentations, advanced A/V equipment and theatrical lighting. The Christie projectors play a major role in the church’s stage presentations, which also incorporate high-end cameras, switchers, computers and wall monitors, all controlled from a new, state-of-the-art studio facility. The projectors are used for image magnification, scenic backdrops and atmospheric effects. The Christie Vista X5’s light up 14-foot screens on either side of the stage while the Christie Roadster X9 illuminates a 20-foot screen that dominates center stage.

"We used to have a system that was a combination of analog and digital. But we realized we needed to go digital to get the quality and the types of effects we wanted, such as computer overlays," explained Scott Storteboom, media director, NorthRidge Church. "We chose Christie projectors based on the quality of the image, pricing and features. For example, the color matching between projectors is excellent. When we send the same image to all three projectors, they look exactly the same with no discernable difference in color. The projectors’ ease of use was another important consideration. Our video team is comprised of 53 volunteers with varying levels of technical skills, so much of our equipment has to be easy to operate. Christie meets our criteria in every way."

Reinforcement, Inc., which designs and builds sound, lightning and video systems to ministries, has been providing the majority of NorthRidge Church’s technical support for many years. The company helped the church take the next substantial leap in audio and visual capability.

How long will it take until Ticketmaster starts selling tickets for Church talks ?