Don’t be surprised if, in the months ahead, you start hearing a lot from Christ Church in Warwick in Orange County. For one thing, it has inaugurated a new Video Ministry on cable television, a remarkable effort that involves almost 10% of its parishioners.

As Jim Henry, vestry member and CEO of an electronics corporation, said, “We made a commitment during a recent parish self-study that we’re going to be even more intentional about reaching out — to members and to the community.” And in searching for a new rector, he added, “We wanted someone who fully shared that vision.”

Parish leaders were happy to discover that their new rector, the Rev. J. Scott Barker, not only filled the bill but has a gregarious personality and also good writing and other communication skills. Barker said, “We’re all excited about possible growth and serving the many new people relocating from as far away as Manhattan.”

It wasn’t long before church member Betty Hurd, a media specialist at the local high school, with a few other members proposed a video outreach ministry to share the Sunday mass with shut-ins through television. Henry offered to make a sizable donation to purchase proper audio and video equipment.

“I’m not technically familiar with TV,” said the new rector, “but Betty’s confidence helped me make up my mind. I did understand, I think, why the antique flower stand in the narthex should be used as a prop behind the lectern for a better shot.” Hurd credits Barker, saying, “He has so much to offer in his homilies and presence and he really is very comfortable being on TV.”

Indeed, watching the mass on TV, one doesn’t feel like a remote observer of a Christ Church service, but rather that the rector is sharing his message with the viewers as well as with those in the pews. And shut-ins are now able to see the mass from which Eucharistic ministers deliver to them the sacrament.

One Sunday during the Christmas holidays, a shut-in was able to make it to church and told Hurd at the door, “That’s really great that I could be at church when I’m not at church. Thanks for the program.”

Also, Warwick neighbors who are not church members get a glimpse of what it might be like if they were to visit a service, with its otherwise unfamiliar rituals. They also see that church members are just like they are, a cross section of the community. And, they now recognize the rector, not only on TV but also in the supermarket. On more than one occasion, Barker said, “People come up to me and say, ‘Hey, aren’t you the priest I saw on TV last week?’ ”

When asked how people hear about the telecasts, Barker explained, “Every piece of paper we print includes our Web address and it mentions our programs, and we also submit a weekly article to the local newspaper.”

During the early Video Ministry planning stages, the parish consulted with Neva Rae Fox, Diocesan Communications Director, and the Rev. John Denaro, a seminary classmate of Barker’s who at the time was a staff member at Trinity Television. Strong encouragement was given to proceed.

The youth of the parish have been especially attracted to the Video Ministry project. About 15 young people eagerly serve as camera operators, audio engineers, television directors and editors, having attended training workshops taught by Hurd, which lead to official certification by the cable company. Hurd added, “This is a team project. It’s not about me. I’m a teacher, and my goal is to help others learn and take on responsibilities.”

Another significant part of the Sunday TV effort’s success is the high technical quality of the audio and video production, thanks to well chosen mid-range cameras and other broadcast equipment. Just as a lot of misspellings and other typos in printed service leaflets or church newsletters can imply the church is uncaring about its readers, so too would cheap, consumer-level home video gear not say much about the importance of the Sunday mass. As Henry put it, “If we’re going to hold people’s attention, we have to do it right.” Fellow parishioner and media ministry enthusiast John Sandfort added, “We also hope to produce professional recordings of our great choir.”

The youth know that when they use such equipment they are engaged in a serious effort. So, the training and practice as well as the early rise on Sunday is not a chore but an exciting responsibility. Brendan Crone, a camera operator, said, “We’re having a blast.”

Adult volunteers such as Nancy Thompson and Lesley Shore add finishing touches for a professional look to the programs, using video editing skills to create credits and titles and checking timings to be sure they fit the cable broadcasting requirements.

“Ever since we started, we’re seeing a lot of new people at Christ Church,” according to another camera operator, Orrie Edwards. And, Theo, a “secret observer” for the parish newsletter, wrote, “We have grown out of our seams (or pews) and this is a good thing. You can’t see me, but I see all the good work that the people of Christ Church do.”

The TV mass airs Sundays at 9 am and repeats at 8 pm as part of the Public Access programming of Warwick’s Cablevision Channel 77, which has more than 40,000 subscribers. Access Programming Supervisor, Paul Laplante, is pleased to offer the programs and is known to schedule re-runs of the broadcasts so they get even more air time than originally expected.

Starting this year, the mass also airs “live on tape” on WVT Communications Digital TV Channel 12, Saturdays at 2 pm and Sundays at 9 am and 7 pm.

It was perhaps inevitable that the Video Ministry planners soon began talking about creating a weekly TV talk show to present the church’s message in a non-liturgical format — and so “Christ Alive” came into being, the first cable show of its kind in the Warwick Valley. It is a new series of half-hour telecasts that features music, an informal message from the rector and an interview segment with a guest. Programs are co-anchored by Barker and parishioner Allison Kroll.

Parishioner Joan Tirrell, a writer and professional opera singer, was interviewed on “Christ Alive” and discussed how her faith sustained her during a vocal chord medical crisis. Also, Tirrell was happy to prepare a news release about “Christ Alive,” saying it is “a new opportunity for church and community to explore spiritual, social, local, and global issues through the prism of Christian life.”

Having a weekly series makes it possible to highlight youth and teen news, family life, concerns of the elderly, children’s segments, book and music reviews and a community bulletin board. Last December the show presented candid interviews with children who had listened to the Christmas story told by Barker.

Producing a talk show, even on public access, is more involved than a church service production, but donations made it possible to purchase additional video gear and supplies and to hire Dan Rosado of Cablevision to work part-time on the series. Musician David Crone scored original theme music and did some creative musical renditions of church hymns for video interludes. Brad Piggery helped create a church Public Service spot announcement. And Lesley Shore, Megan Sorenson, Rosado and Hurd work together as a production crew at the Cablevision studio, augmenting the volunteer youth camera operators and floor managers.

Hurd said the parish Webmaster, George Opper, “has been suggesting we put some of our broadcast segments on the Web,” which they may soon do, allowing people to see and hear the shows at their convenience, including viewers from the rest of the Diocese, not to mention the rest of the world. The parish Web site, www.christchurch.org, was started in 1996 and in 2003 had 10,000 visitors.

And next? Kroll without hesitation said, “It’s a lot of work, but we’re sure ready to start planning and producing the next series of ‘Christ Alive’ programs for 2004.”

Kroll sums up the Video Ministry experience this way: “When I was church shopping one Sunday about a year ago, the people here were very welcoming. The rector was away that week. When I visited again people recognized me. Then, when I met with Father Scott I knew this was going to be my church home. I want the people of Warwick to know what we have here. When the video committee was looking for a TV program host, I immediately volunteered. Even though I was a brand new member, the committee said yes.”

For Kroll, as for the rector, becoming an on-air personality was not a goal but a way to share faith. Professionally, she’s a behavioral analyst working with autistic children. In Barker’s words, “We’re telling the Jesus story, celebrating God’s presence in Warwick.”

The new Video Ministry and the Web ministry have become effective communication tools for Christ Church, not only because they are so carefully presented but also because they present a warm and welcoming parish that is uniquely alive in Christ.

 

Top, scenes from the televised mass at Christ Church, Warwick. Second row far left, the Rev. Scott Barker, in back, visits with the Sunday morning TV crew, part of a team of 10 parishioners who work on Christ Church’s Video Ministry. From left to right are Brendan Crone, Timothy Sattler, Orrie Edwards and Jonathan Henry. Middle, the Rev. Scott Barker. Right, members of the Christ Church choir, who play a significant part in the liturgy and the television program.

Photos by TACHUS MEDIA PHOTO

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