Upper Room Northwest was founded by Pastors Matthew and Manesseh Ferrell. Matt and Manesseh have been involved with many city-wide prayer movements in Washington. They have served for over 20 years as worship pastors at their local church. In 2019, a vision was given to Matt and Manesseh to start a church for creatives, influencers, and those called to a lifestyle of prayer and worship who are committed to seeing revival in our generation. During a season of prayer and fasting, buildings and land were given to Matt and Manesseh to move forward with their vision.

“We love all the different types of expressions in the body of Christ. We knew that we wanted to make a space that allowed creatives to express themselves. We knew that this place had to be a space for community and families to grow together. We knew that we wanted to be a church that helps other ministries in the area. Most importantly, we knew that the foundation of this church would be birthed and sustained by night and day prayer and worship. We desire to see a culture shift in our generation that touches the heart of God and brings revival and His will on earth as it is in heaven”

-Pastor Matt Ferrell

The colored house lights by Chroma-Q and stage lighting by Chauvet, paired with an Absen LED wall stage and architectural lighting control create amazing visuals when you walk into the room. We love the versatility we get from the lighting pipes from The Light Source, being able to have DMX and power built in creates such a clean look and makes it easy to move lights around on the fly. L-Acoustics professional audio system speakers always come through exceeding the client's expectations. When you walk around the room, you feel immersed in what you are listening to. The system has clarity in the vocals, warmth during worship, and intelligibility for speaking during the sermon. At the front end driving the professional audio system speakers is the Allen & Heath SQ-7, and it is such a great console for all skill levels. Our experts can bring these solutions to your house of worship in Spokane, WA, Los Angeles, CA, or Portland, OR.

Needing to make a significant impact with a limited budget, Ontario First Church of the Nazarene sought to tackle its two largest barriers to engagement in their traditional worship space, audio and video quality. Covering all those seats with consistent, quality audio was critical, so CCI Solutions partnered with Martin Audio to supply a speaker system that delivered a clarity and consistency that the church had never experienced before.

The room is covered by left/right Martin CDD12’s, with a single CSX218B dual 18” subwoofer flown in the rafters, supplying extraordinarily even coverage throughout the space. Speakers are powered by QSC PLD amps with DSP coming from a Symetrix Prism 8x8. Approximately 1200 square feet of 2” thick acoustic absorption panels tamed the overly live, mostly wood sanctuary, bringing reverberation time down to an optimal level for the church’s ministry style.

While the congregation benefited from the significant upgrade in audio clarity and quality, so too did the technical and musical artists. For the technical team, a Yamaha TF5 console and TIO stage boxes were installed to handle Front of House and Monitor duties, providing a much-welcomed improvement in audio workflow and needed flexibility in audio routing, with the capability of adding Dante networked audio to their systems. For the musicians, a combination of floor wedges and in-ears were deployed for monitoring, utilizing a combination of Martin Audio CDD- LIVE8’s and Shure PSM 300 systems with Westone UM Pro10 earbuds, to help their talented team hear as clearly as the congregation. Rounding out the audio upgrade was a new package of microphones, including Audix D6 and Heil PR28’s for drums, DPA 4099P stereo mic kit for piano, and Shure ULXD wireless units with Beta58 capsules for vocals.

And while audio plays a large part in engaging Ontario First Church of the Nazarene’s congregation in worship, the visual element is just as essential to the worship experience. To dramatically increase creative possibilities and immerse and engage their congregation, the church opted for full-color LED house lights, utilizing Inspire RGBW fixtures from Chroma Q. For stage lighting, CCI Solutions partnered with Chauvet Professional to build a simple and elegant rig with power and flexibility, with Colorado 2 Quad Zooms as color back lighting, Ovation F-145WW LED Fresnels as front wash, and E160WW LED Ellipsoidal for specials.

Additionally, the church had a unique, 20’ tall art piece of the Good Shepherd serving as a central focal point upstage center. Ovation E910FC RGBAL LED Ellipsoidals installed behind the surface highlights this feature perfectly. Lastly, after remaining virtually untouched for almost four decades, Ontario First Church of the Nazarene made a quantum leap in their video displays, as CCI Solutions supplied two 12’ x 6.75’ wall mounted Absen Acclaim 3.8mm LED Video Walls to display content for the congregation. Since those side screens serve as an important engagement point for much of the congregation, it was critical they were bright and clear enough for people in the back of the room to easily see and read, and the stunning Absen LED walls effortlessly perform in their role.

Introduction 

Discovery Baptist embarked on a significant project to enhance its audio, visual, and lighting (AVL) systems within their building. As the existing systems needed a revamp, the organization looked to create an entirely new AVL infrastructure from the ground up. 

Project Inception 

Discovery Baptist started this project with the aim of modernizing their facilities and achieving a high-quality AVL experience. The challenge was to create a robust infrastructure that would serve them effectively for years to come. However, the organization faced budget limitations that restricted the implementation of all desired components. Our approach was to help Discovery Baptist in crafting a master plan that allowed them to gradually expand and optimize their AVL system as funds became available. 

Technology Selection 

To balance quality with budget constraints, we carefully selected technology and equipment that would elevate the audio, visual, and lighting experience while staying within the specified financial limits. Notable choices include: 

• Martin Audio CDD Series Speakers: These speakers were strategically placed to ensure comprehensive coverage of the room, delivering exceptional audio quality. 
• Integrated Lighting Pipes: To seamlessly blend with the architectural aesthetics, we installed lighting pipes with built-in power and DMX controls. This allowed for flexibility in managing and adjusting lighting fixtures without interrupting the overall design. 
• Audio Wall Plates: New audio wall plates were strategically positioned around the platform area, supplying flexibility for input and output connections, thus enhancing the overall audio experience. 
• Yamaha TF5 Audio Console and Stage Box: The introduction of the Yamaha TF5 audio console and stage box improved audio control and quality, ensuring that sound production was top-notch. 
• Chamsys QuickQ Lighting Console: The new Chamsys QuickQ Lighting Console offered advanced lighting control, enhancing the visual atmosphere during events and services. 
• Projection and Screen Infrastructure: A single projector and screen were installed, with provisions made for the easy addition of a second screen and projector in the future, ensuring scalability as needs evolve. 
• Camera Locations for Livestreaming: Future-proofing the AVL system, we identified and prepared locations for cameras to enhance their livestreaming capabilities when needed. 

Conclusion 

Discovery Baptist's AVL system upgrade project was successfully executed, aligning with the organization's vision of creating a versatile and high-quality environment for their services and events. The careful selection of technology, combined with the strategic master planning, ensured that the system can evolve over time as resources allow. This project serves as a testament to the power of thoughtful planning and innovative solutions in the realm of AVL systems. Discovery Baptist is now well-equipped to provide exceptional experiences for its congregation and community.