![\"Pastor](\"https:\/\/disciplescef.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_4052.jpg\")
Pastor Derrick Elliott is a busy man.<\/p>\nPastor Derrick Elliott is a busy man.<\/p>\n
In addition to being an Air Force chaplain and doctoral candidate, he is the pastor of Desert Heritage Church<\/a> (DHC), which is an open and affirming congregation of both the United Church of Christ and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)<\/a> in Mesa, Ariz.<\/p>\n When the COVID-19 pandemic hit and DHC closed its doors in favor of online services, Pastor Derrick took on even more roles when he began pre-recording his sermons. Despite only being employed part-time by the congregation, he became an amateur editor, director, and producer.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was exciting at first because it was something new. But after a month it started getting tiring,\u201d he admits, \u201cbecause I was doing all that work plus being a pastor.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n While he has had a member of his faith community volunteer to manage DHC\u2019s Facebook page<\/a>, most members are technology hesitant. Early last year, they were just getting used to a projector being used in their sanctuary.<\/p>\n So like many of his colleagues at the beginning of the pandemic, Pastor Derrick started recording his sermons on his cell phone. While his setup worked well at the time, he started to collect devices that would better suit his needs, such as a wireless microphone and pack, different stands, and lights that wouldn\u2019t wash out his dark complexion. (Color film and photography were originally optimized for white skin; technology that continues today in most cameras.) Like many of his colleagues, Pastor Derrick went through a period of trial and error.<\/p>\n \u201cI will count it as a blessing,\u201d Pastor Derrick says. \u201cI actually hate being videotaped then watching and hearing the playback, so this learning experience has gotten me out of my comfort zone.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n \u201cWhile I miss doing the pre-recorded service because I got to watch it with the congregation, I don’t miss all the work that went along with that,\u201d he chuckles. \u201cIf I messed up when I was recording my sermons, I had to go back, edit it, and record it again. But now in a live, if I mess up, I just keep going. What a relief!\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n While the plan is to evaluate the feasibility of continuing to use LiveControl after 12 months, the results so far are overwhelmingly positive. Not only has hiring a company to produce worship services lifted the burden of responsibility off Pastor Derrick\u2019s shoulders, but it has also increased the number of worship attendants.<\/p>\n \u201cOne time we got up to 100+ views on a service,\u201d he recalls. \u201cAnd normally we get an average of up to 40 to 50 people inside our sanctuary!\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Moreover, their Facebook Live videos have reached congregants who are not able to gather in person.<\/p>\n \u201cI have noticed through Facebook and website analytics that more people are attending our worship service who don\u2019t live near the church,\u201d shares Pastor Derrick.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Having an online option has also made worship more accessible for one congregant who\u2019s a cancer survivor. While she was able to join in-person services when DHC initially re-opened, the Delta variant made it unsafe for her to continue to do so, as she lives with a compromised immune system. So she went back to attending the church\u2019s online services with her sister in tow, who lives in a different town.<\/p>\n \u201cThose who want to be in the sanctuary can come because our doors are open again,\u201d explains Pastor Derrick, \u201cand those who don\u2019t feel comfortable with that or who don\u2019t have the energy to do so can worship online now because we have that technology.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n And it is this last piece of DHC\u2019s experience over the past year and a half that best summarizes where this joint congregation is now. A blend of old and new, of in person and digital, of learning and trying all for the sake of your community, no matter where they\u2019re worshiping from.<\/p>\n To strengthen your congregation\u2019s online presence moving forward, apply for technology funding from DCEF. <\/em>Loans<\/em><\/a> of up to U.S. $50,000 are available to churches looking to improve their streaming ability and make tangible equipment purchases. Contact your regional <\/em>Building and Capital Services Advisor<\/em><\/a> for additional information.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Pastor Derrick Elliott is a busy man. In addition to being an Air Force chaplain and doctoral candidate, he is the pastor of Desert Heritage Church (DHC), which is an open and affirming congregation of both the United Church of Christ and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Mesa, Ariz. When the COVID-19 pandemic […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":5704,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,5],"tags":[37,95,25,97,96,45],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"yoast_head":"\n![\"PTZ](\"https:\/\/disciplescef.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_4062-rotated.jpg\")
![\"PTZ](\"https:\/\/disciplescef.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_4061-rotated.jpg\")
At first, he purchased a wireless live streaming camera from Mevo<\/a>, but it just didn’t quite capture what he wanted it to. Then in conversation with other clergy in his area, he discovered LiveControl<\/a>, a remote video production and live streaming company. Using a U.S. $5,000 technology grant from Disciples Church Extension Fund<\/a>, (DCEF) Pastor Derrick and his team hired the company to produce their worship services for a year. After they installed two 4k PTZ cameras that LiveControl sent them, all they have to do is tell the company the time and date of a service and it will be live-streamed to Facebook.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/disciplescef.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_4049.jpg\")
While most of DHC\u2019s congregants are Americans, some are Canadian \u201csnowbirds\u201d who travel to Arizona for the winter. Due to border restrictions for COVID-19, they were unable to fly to the United States when they normally would. But having their faith community\u2019s services streamed live meant that they didn\u2019t need to miss out on worship or women\u2019s group meetings.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/disciplescef.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_1031-rotated.jpg\")
DHC also used its grant from DCEF to fix its sound system. Due to the church building\u2019s age, (it dates to the mid-1900s), the soundboard went out. DCEF\u2019s funds enabled the congregation to replace some of the wires and play their music again, which includes a variety of traditional and modern songs.<\/p>\n