Dear members of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church —
This letter is to inform you of a brief congregational meeting and vote on Sunday, November 21 following worship.
This year, the congregation council was asked to identify particular ways we might enhance the worship life and ministry of the church. As we returned to in person worship, it soon became apparent that a new audio and video system needed to be prioritized. Members of the facilities and grounds committee, especially committee chair Robert Fitton, along with Pastor Amy and Brooke Joyce identified the limitations of our current system, assessed what is needed for audio and video equipment in the church building, and consulted with a professional firm who did an acoustic assessment of the sanctuary and made recommendations for a system that would meet our needs. The stewardship committee now has made the audio and video system a priority for our fall campaign as we discern our giving for 2022 as well, adopting the theme “Hear the Good News.”
At this time, I am happy to report that we have a bid from DB Acoustics in Marion, Iowa for a new audio and video system. The proposal includes new speakers, microphones, sound controls and equipment, wiring, and video equipment for the sanctuary. It also includes speakers and controls for the nursery as well as repurposing the current sanctuary speakers to bring sound to the gathering space outside the sanctuary and to the fellowship hall. We will also have a new wireless microphone in the fellowship hall to provide better quality sound in that space for presentations and meetings. New video equipment in the sanctuary will allow for greater flexibility in setting camera angles for recording worship, and the recording equipment will have a direct connection to the sound system. This equipment will also make it more feasible to accomplish live-streaming of services. Finally, and most significantly for recording our services, the new system will include a microphone that will pick up congregational singing and spoken responses.
The bid for this audio and video system is reasonable and will meet the needs of the congregation now and into the future. However, the bid is only guaranteed for 30 days, which puts us under a time constraint. As a result, I am calling a congregational meeting which will be held after worship on Sunday, November 21 to vote on the proposed system. This vote will allow us to proceed with the project. At the meeting, there will be a brief presentation of the system, the cost of the project itself, and some other financial considerations for the coming year. I would ask that you please plan to attend the meeting if possible on November 21.
In addition, I’d like you also to prayerfully consider your response to this project in your planned giving for 2022, or if you prefer, you may designate a gift for the project (note audio/video on memo line of checks). As of this letter, I can report that there has been an anonymous donation of matching funds up to $10,000 pledged towards the system. Between planned giving and designated donations, we can make this project a reality. Lastly, I will mention briefly that our stewardship campaign includes designating funds to refurbish our sanctuary piano by replacing the action (the “action” of a piano includes the hammers and the mechanism which causes the hammers to strike the strings when you press the keys). This project, at an estimated cost of $5,000, is fully funded. As you plan, please prayerfully consider your giving to all our budget priorities including investing in staff and giving 26% of our budget to God’s work beyond this congregation.
Information on the project is available on the website at —
https://www.goodshepherddecorah.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Audio_Video-Proposal-11-21.pdf
— for you to review before the meeting on November 21. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Jonathon Struve
Congregation President
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Good Shepherd is fully accessible to all. 