Living iPad Video Wall w/ "Carol of the Bells"

While some may not understand the use of technology in this way, our theme for the Christmas Eve service was "Contagious Christmas" based off of Luke 2:17. It says that 'the shepherds returned, glorifying God and telling everyone what they had heard and seen..." Today we use technology to share and see everything we do. We "Share/Like/ +1"' everything and our goal was to create a contagious environment from the very first cue of the service.

The service started with a black out, silence... and a single voice singing "Silent Night." As the song continued, 54 people, each holding an iPad stood up singing until the whole church had "contagiously" joined in singing. We filled the darkness of the worship center with a starry night video playing on each individual iPad, as well as countless iPhones under the control of our Jands Vista Lighting board and iLEDMapper. (Just as Christ's light came into the world, His light continues to breakthrough the darkness today!)

It was stunning display of technology, movement, video, lighting, and music... all presented to enhance the telling of the Christmas story that followed.

iPad Software - Cagdas Timurlenk from Softtech.com.tr
Wif-Fi Guru: Lionel Talbert
Choreography - Jodie Wetzstein, Heidi Ewing, Jill Carter
Lighting - Kevin Doolin & Stan Nelson
Video Editing - Pam Mintari
iPad Holders - Pat Harrigan, Scott Elmbladd, Peter Burroughs
Configuration Techs: Ross McNew, Marshall Wilkes

iPad Movers - Danny Mintari, George Holleway, Isabella Guzman, John Hinote, Katie Benson, Kimberly Stockton, Kirsten Snyder, Lindsay McKnight, Lore Carmona de Gonzalez, Margaret Holleway, Mary Heath, Matt Straub, Monica Herring, Rachel Holdman, Tori Stovall, Trisha Jurica, Tyler Rodriguez

Band: Alex Ruata, Marshall Wilkes, Steven Gumke, Michael Pieper, Peter Burroughs, Jonathan & Maggie Raveneau, Jordan Miller & Joel Wetzstein

Concept & Producer - Joel Wetzstein

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• IPad
• Carol Of The Bells
• Video Wall
• iPad Video Wall
• Ipod
• Iphone
• Apple
• Christmas
• Apple Inc.
• Merry Christmas
• Salem Lutheran Church
• Salem
• Tomball
• Joel Wetzstein
• Texas
• iPad2

[Cubetation]

"I have an idea! To get people to our Christmas service this year, let's buy 54 Ipads and make people dance with them! This obviously conveys God's Word in the best way possible because we get more members than all the other Lutheran churches!

[SalemTomball]

@Cubetation Here's an idea... let's get people to church. Once they get there - you can tell them anything you want.

[JimPierce01]

The description of this video says it all.... there is no mention of Christ. It's about the world's first living iPad video wall.

[SalemTomball]

@JimPierce01 and it was done in a church... To the glory of God.

[spaljoey]

Don't get me wrong. I thought the performance was clever. However, where do you draw the line between worship and secular entertainment?I think your performance was more of a salute to Steve Jobs and a message that one can never have enough I-pads. At least hymns and the historic litury of the church convey a message. Who in the world can devine a message from your performance.

[TheLutheranSatire]

James 2:5-6 Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor man.

[rreid2774]

I think it is great the way you all have utilized technologies that were laying dormant over the holidays in worship! Some people fail to realize that we live in a technology driven world. Many times this is the only way barriers can be broken down so that people hear Christ's message. You enabled 18 individuals plus the programmers, directors and others involved to be a part of opening doors for the Gospel. For this you are to be applauded. As for the guy at the end, if he was not a Christian,

[ljw300]

@SalemTomball I love the video. It will pull many outsiders who are scared of church, back to God. It happened to me a few years ago.

[jellis09]

@SalemTomball I go to worship to receive the gifts of God, not for an entertaining performance. If I want to see this I will go see TSO.

[cruelconvictions]

This is why nobody takes the church production industry seriously. And this is not a form of worship, what about a motion background on a screen being waved around on a stick in mediocre fashion is worship? This is stupid. Deal with it.

[jwetzstein1]

When you get 65-70 people involved in something that they are excited about at their church- they invite their friends.

[pmintari]

@tuckersound We are conveying that we will use whatever God has blessed us with to glorify Him.

We did spend the entire week before Christmas Eve feeding the needy of our community.

Please stop throwing stones.

[pmintari]

@tuckersound Actually, it was on Christmas Eve, not a Sunday morning.

If you prefer an overhead projector, knock yourself out and do it to the best of your ability to the glory of God.

Actually, the disease that we're attempting to eliminate in Africa is malaria. Children at our school and people of our church raised close to $10,000 through our Kids Caring for Kenya project since October. Way, way more than was spent on the iPad element.

Please stop throwing stones.

[tuckersound]

Obviously the folks that were present that Sunday did not come because you put "amazing Ipad thing happening today" on your website or twitter account.

What a waste. That makes me want to go back to overhead projectors to "engage" and convey a "Contagious" message.

You know what is contagious? Aids, in Africa. Ask them if they gave a crap about your presentation.

[tuckersound]

I love technology/production/well executed creative elements in a church environment.

This is just ridiculous. Whether you already had the iPads or not, you are conveying the "we have so much technology that we are going to impress you with this..." message. If it was my first time visit to your church I would be quite turned off by this.... why not spend that time feeding the homeless, outreaching to your local community?