Dear St. John’s Members and Friends,

In Isaiah 43:18-19, the writer tells us that God is “doing a new thing,” and asks if we can perceive it. There are many new things at St. John’s, and one of the most exciting is the technology upgrade.

On Sunday, August 16, new Tech Ambassador Chair, Grace Bruen, announced the plan to revamp St. John’s technology. The plan was passed unanimously by the Church Council. The proposal now must be approved by the congregation before the deposit can be paid. Lighting, audio, video, and infrastructure upgrades are all included in the proposal.

When these discussions began in April of 2025, they were framed around two goals: enrichment of our programs; and inclusion and accessibility for all who seek God’s word. Our comprehensive technology plan will help us to improve our outreach in both important areas.

A thumbnail sketch of the proposal, as distributed in worship, is included in this issue of the Enlightener. The audio upgrade includes the full replacement of our sound system. Video upgrades include adding displays and cameras to the sanctuary which will not only enable us to stream our worship but will increase visibility for those who are in the sanctuary. The lighting upgrade includes both new lighting and rewiring all existing sanctuary lighting to be under architectural house dimming control. The infrastructure work includes the complete upgrade of our wireless network and the establishment of a closed wired network to run all audio, video, and streaming.

St. John’s will join the live-streaming community, which really is a two-way street. Not only will we be able to share our programming in real time on the internet, but the technology will allow people from remote locations to be seen and heard. College students can serve as liturgists from their dorm rooms, a resident of an assisted living facility can sing an offertory, a famous composer can introduce a concert. The possibilities are endless.

When the proposal is accepted by the congregation, contracts will be signed with the vendor, and a deposit will be paid. We expect work to start in January of 2027 with completion in March.

The project will cost approximately $215,000. A deposit of $150K is due by the end of the month, and because of the enthusiastic support for this project and the generosity of St. John’s members and friends, we have only $522 left to raise to meet that goal. The other $65K is due upon completion, expected to be mid-March. The Palm Sunday Service and the Artist Series Beethoven Concert on Sunday, March 21, 2027 are tentatively scheduled to be the first events to utilize all the new technology and will be live-streamed.

On Sunday, August 23, a hearing will be held following the worship service to offer more details and answer questions about the proposal. Grace Bruen and members of the Tech Ambassadors will be in attendance. We will meet in the sanctuary.

A congregational vote to approve the project and release the deposit funds will be taken before worship on Sunday, August 30. We know that this timeline is somewhat swift, but necessary to meet our installation goals and to lock in prices for electronics in what is a very volatile marketplace.

The complete proposal is available for review upon request.

Thank you in advance for your support. Please don’t hesitate to bring up questions to any member of the Tech Ambassadors team (Grace Bruen – chair, Mark Bruen, Armin Fernando, Bill Leslie, Alan Malachowski, Andrew Paulson, and Pastor Linda).

Yours in Christ,
Alan Malachowski, Council President

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