Easter, Christmas, praise services, dramatic stories--churches today have some of the most complex production requirements, rivaling professional theater and major concert tours. Lighting these services has gone from "stage white" a few years ago to the full-fledged theatrical experiences of today. Keeping the lighting in tune with the church's message has become a challenge. The key to well-lit worship, like many other technical hurdles in the church, is centered on good planning and thoughtful execution.

Plan from the beginning. The technical team is often called into the planning of a church production after many of the key decisions have been made with respect to song selection, scenes and the overall scope of the project. I've found that involving the technical team from the beginning avoids major changes down the road. In the early stages, the tech team should take the role of helpful observers. As the show takes shape, write down information about each scene and section of the program. Include a list of areas that must be lit. Begin to make notes about the mood each song or drama evokes.

In the planning stages, the technical team's main task is to make suggestions. Avoid dampening the creative spirit with "We can't afford that," or "That will never work." Through the planning stages, suggest positive alternatives to obviously unworkable situations. The time to get realistic will come as the budget and scope of the show are determined. In the early going, getting a "feel" for where things are headed is most important.

Listen. As the program is planned, being a good listener is paramount. Listening also means asking good questions. Make sure you have a concrete understanding of what the program's main goal is. Also nail down the style of the show and any key lighting issues the director may have. Ask the director which scenes and characters are pivotal. Determine how the lighting should behave at key moments--from house down to an altar call.

Select what's appropriate. The latest, greatest moving light rig may or may not be appropriate for your show. Often a combination of moving and conventional fixtures works well, but don't discount the simple and powerful impact of an all-conventional show. Remember that the program is not about the lighting--it's about the story and how God will use it to impact lives. The lighting should be a subtle and welcome addition to the story--never overpowering, and never a distraction that takes away from the ability of the show to communicate a biblical message.

The lighting plot should reflect the needs of the show. For a high-energy, musical program, broad washes of saturated color may be most effective. For a show with lots of video support, Lekos may be appropriate to keep the light from washing onto video screens. An entire choir on stage is usually a huge lighting chore while a band can do with fewer instruments. Drama usually falls in-between--some area lighting, and some very focused light. Avoid the temptation to always go with the latest and greatest. Instead, examine the show and find the mix of fixtures that work best.

In the lighting plot, also allow some backup. Moving fixtures are notorious for going out during a show. I love them, but they've got so many moving parts that if anything can go wrong it usually does. I often use moving fixtures for specials, but it's always a good idea to consider a traditional followspot as a backup. There's just no substitute for a good person with a brain and a light they can aim wherever needed at a moment's notice.

Budget to buy a little. I've yet to find a church that could not benefit from Sunday to Sunday with a few more lighting instruments. Make it a priority to include one or two, even four instruments in your rig that are purchases versus rentals. Over time this philosophy will build a more versatile house rig, which will benefit your church long after the big program has concluded. I think back for the 15 years I have been doing church production and realize I would own most of what I'm renting right now had I been doing this all along. But it's never too late to start, and you can certainly benefit from my shortsightedness.

Pre-program. Using your planning notes, make a lighting programming list prior to setting up your rig. Write down the program order and make notes for each song, listing fixtures you may use and areas that need to be lit, possible color choices, and any special effects or cues necessary for that scene.

Lighting programming for church productions is often a "plan as you go" affair, involving a week's worth of late nights in the last days of rehearsal. Having notes in advance means you don't have to program from scratch--it's a tremendous way to speed the process and leave more time on the tail end for touch ups and additional cues to sweeten the show. It eliminates the time wasted on thinking through songs once the rig is up. Usually church productions run on very tight schedules, which means programming time is at a premium. Once the rig is up and running, be ready to jump right in to programming.

When you program, break the show into manageable sections. Realize that a song or scene may be added or dropped--it's just the nature of all-volunteer programs. Allow room for changes later on. If you're programming on a computerized board, most will allow you to add "in-between" cues as you go.

Look at key scenes and save a few effects for key moments. Don't use everything you have in the first song--let the show build. Don't run everything at 100% the whole night (and yes, I know the Music Minister wants the choir brighter--don't they all). Save 10% for that magic key change where it will lift the song to another level (trust me, the Music Minister will like that even more).

Have a tech rehearsal. The time to try out the full sequence of lighting cues is not dress rehearsal. Have a tech run in advance of the dress rehearsal. Run every cue in sequence. Rehearse timings. Give your stage hands an opportunity to operate during the blackouts. Make sure they can do their scene changes safely and that you have allowed time in your programming for that to happen seamlessly. Get a guinea pig with a walkie-talkie to stand in on stage so you can check the focus of specials and area lighting. Have him mark solo spots with glow-tape. Don't wait for the choir to enter the stage during dress rehearsal to discover that the back row isn't lit.

I find that a tech run also gives a great deal of relief to the director of a church production. In a volunteer atmosphere where technical glitches can occur often, going through the program in advance gives the leadership an extra measure of confidence in the execution of the show, and allows them another opportunity to voice any changes that need to be made.

Small adjustments at dress. During dress rehearsal your show should pretty much be in order. Use this time to make small last-minute adjustments--a timing here, a focus there. Don't be making big changes to the show at this point--it'll freak out your director and other leaders. Let the dress rehearsal be a time to confirm that lighting is a-okay.

Movement isn't everything. This is a personal pet-peeve. I've seen moving fixtures ruin many church productions through bad programming by inexperienced operators. Erratic movement, busy gobos, and a desire to use every effect an automated instrument is capable of, can steal focus from an otherwise well-crafted program.

This goes back to understanding the central purpose for your particular show. If it is traditional musical theater, excessive movement may be a distraction. Even highly contemporary programs can lose impact through "over lighting." During the program, we want people to be focused on the worship leader or stage personalities, not the lighting. Ouch! I know that's hard for the lighting director to hear, but it's true.

If you are using automated fixtures, walk through every cue and ask yourself, "Is this look helping the worship leader?" or "Is this cue adding to or taking away from the central message?" Remember, your audience is savvy. They know that lights can move and do all that stuff--they see it every night on television. The lighting is nothing new. Let the program content itself be what they are talking about as they exit the theater.

Improve every show. The lighting process doesn't end with the first show. Have a notepad and pen handy and record comments as you go. Hang out a half-hour after the first show to make any adjustments before the next. Discuss any changes with the director.

Credit your volunteers. In a volunteer environment, the best reward you can give is credit. Your show may be run by a volunteer lighting director, and it's a safe bet that dozens are involved in the setup of lighting for the show. In any artistic venture it's natural for the artists--in the case the lighting designer--to want some credit. Whatever you get, I say give it away to your team. Let them experience the praise for a job well done. The reward of lighting for a church production is not praise for how good you made the show look. Rather, it's the privilege of being a part of God's work through you and your team to accomplish His will in your church. Now that is truly illuminating.

About the Author. Eugene L. Mason has more than two decades of experience in ministry communications and technologies. More...