When planning for Easter, it is vital that smaller churches keep in mind who they are and who they are not. The intent behind all that we do is to facilitate worship of the Savior. God-honoring Easter celebrations can and should be special, and technology can help --- especially when used creatively and strategically.
Start with the basics and build from there. Great Easter productions are not based on special effects. For some smaller churches, planning Easter services can be wrought with comparisons to larger churches that put on huge productions costing large sums of money. They may not realize the other costs resulting from over-ambitious production goals and the collateral damage of an over-worked and bitter volunteer army.
In the case of Easter, the incredible image of the resurrection of Christ, and His victory over death can inpire us to “go big” with our production planning. Perhaps some would believe that it would more deeply honor the spirit of what Christ has done to portray a drama with big production effects. However, it seems unlikely God's would lead a small church to compare itself to the mega-church down the street. The key here is the motivation: the heart issue. Is it God's will or man's will?
Smaller churches with big church production values, or those that just want to raise the bar from what they've done previously, may want to contact other churches in the area for input or advice on achieving their goals. Most churches are more than willing to share technical expertise. Larger churches may even have members of their technical team who are available to help the smaller church with planning and even system operation during their Easter productions.
Perhaps the simplest and most dramatic enhancements for an Easter celebration is the outdoor sunrise service. It can be inexpensive, and it utilizes one of God's greatest gifts to us: creation (Genesis 1 and 2). This type of service can often be facilitated with a minimal sound system used primarily to project the vocals and instruments of a small ensemble, and most importantly the message. However it's not without risk or serious pre-production planning. A sunrise service on a calm, sunny morning can be a breath-taking experience. However, if rain is in the forecast, you need to be prepared with a Plan B. If it's windy, you need to be prepared with wind screens for all of the microphones, and weights to hold down tables, table clothes, theatrical set pieces, music stands and clothes pins for the music.
So for many reasons, most Easter services are held in-doors. For the small church, a bit of colored lighting may provide just the right element of drama and intrigue. It's amazing how different the same platform, stage or alter area can look with only a few small changes. Basic lighting can be augmented with fixtures, dimmers and colored gels from a local or regional rental company. If the goal is to promote reflection and reverence within the hearts of worshippers, try adding some colored lighting coordinated with specific architectural elements of the room; for example the cross, structural columns or other existing features of the room. You could also add elements like draping purple fabric over a cross and back lighting it to create a halo effect.
For churches located far away from major population centers, it may be more difficult to find a company that rents audio, video and lighting equipment. However, DJs and local rock bands often have just the gear a small church may need. Ask around your church. More equipment will likely be available to you than you may immediately think. Many of these folks will be willing to lend you the things you need, or at least charge you significantly less than having the gear shipped to you from the big city. The author wishes to clarify that he is not suggesting that DJ lighting be installed in your worship spaces. There are many reasons why DJ equipment is generally not considered to be in the same league as the pro equipment. One reason is the amount of noise that certain lighting equipment could put into your sound system. The spec to look for is the rise time of any dimmers you are planning to use. A rise time of 300 or below is likely to bring noise into the sound system.
For those small churches that feature dramas or other production-intensive elements into their Easter services, wireless microphones will almost always play a big part. Regional sound companies, rental companies, and even local music stores will often have turn-key wireless microphone systems that they will set-up and configure for a reasonable price. In general, churches of any size should cultivate relationships with technology professionals in the area, even if they are secular. It might even open up opportunities for sharing the Gospel. Churches that are new to using wireless microphones should strategically plan the use of each microphone through the various scenes of their Easter production. In some instances a wireless microphone can be used to cover more than one actor. For example, a lavalier mic strategically placed in the chest, shoulder or head of one actor could be used to pick up another actor standing very close or behind. Well placed area microphones, sometimes called boundary mics, can also be hidden in scenery or otherwise disguised.
Many churches with smaller budgets run into problems with the basic elements like theatrical sets and scene changes. Here's another area where asking your broader church congregation, or neighboring churches will certainly be a help. However, it is important to do things safely, and to avoid things that could detract from who you are as a church. Be creative as needed, but be sure that all laws, codes, and safety regulations and principles are followed. The Entertainment Services and Technology Association (ESTA) has published a long list of papers establishing safety and operational standards that apply to the technical production aspects many churches, especially those that produce holiday (Easter and Christmas) pageants. Topics range from the use of ground-supported overhead structures, overhead suspension of lighting and loudspeakers, measuring and specifying the slipperiness of floors used in live performance venues, and the use of camera cranes. There are very good reasons why such standards exist. If you don't know whether something is safe or legal then don't do it.
