Whether you run a church, synagogue or any other house of worship, two of your primary goals are to continue drawing a congregation into your facility and building a strong, supportive community. The problem is that these days, Americans are less likely to identify with any particular faith. For religious leaders, this is a major problem, and many are asking how they can increase attendance.
The reasons that fewer are claiming adherence to any particular faith are complicated and difficult to tackle in a short blog post. But it's safe to say that most people, if given a choice, would rather not spend their Sunday mornings sitting in a stodgy cathedral with stained glass windows and dusty relics. That's why many houses of worship are focusing on making their facilities more aesthetically appealing through creative use of stage design and lighting.
For example, Trinity Harvest in Fort Worth, Texas, created a simply layout using "bar stacks," which are platforms featuring horizontal boards that are colorfully lit and provide a simple, but modern and elegant, background for their services. As ChurchStageDesignIdeas.com notes, this set up only cost the church about $300, but it is much more striking visually and adds energy to their events.
Another option would be to make your own gobo and use it to creatively light the stage and flooring. The gobo could feature just about any image, in both color and black and white, from a simple cross to a more elaborate logo or symbol that represents your congregation. This is an affordable and easy way to liven up the proceedings and send a message to both old and new followers that your house of worship isn't stuck in the past.
