As a mobile church, theHeart spends much of our Sundays setting up and tearing down. This includes sound equipment. Our Stage Crew is a dedicated group of volunteers who shoulder much of the responsibility for making sure everything is plugged and ready to go for worship every week. You're invited to come and be part of the team.
Did you know that on Sundays we don't gain access to the high school until 7:30am? That means we have 90 minutes to set up everything in the auditorium, lobby, and kids' area in order to host our first Gathering at 9am. If it weren't for our teams of volunteers, we'd never be ready on time. And that doesn't even include packing up after everyone leaves.
Without a doubt, the most intricate set up features our Stage Crew. They serve theHeart by loading and unloading sound equipment, as well as setting up and plugging in speakers, microphones, and so much more. All of this is done to ensure our time in the auditorium is enjoyed without distraction.
During each service, one of the team members is also responsible for running the projector to provide attendees with lyrics during the songs and slides during the teachings.
Training is provided by team coordinator Scott Banks. No prior experience or knowledge of audio systems is required. People must be able to physically perform duties, and the time commitment is from 7:30 am- 12:30 pm (or whenever the trailer is packed up).
A Day in the Life of Stage Crew
One of our interns, has been co-coordinating with Scott this semester. He provided a fun behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to be on the Stage Crew.
"Stage Crew is a part of the Worship Team, which also includes the Worship Band and Sound Team. We arrive at the high school at the crack of dawn (If you're late, you have to do 10 burpees for every minute you’re behind–but not really). Then, we roll up our sleeves and get moving.
First we unload the trailer that's been pulled by some wonderful person with a hitch on his or her vehicle. One by one we stack the exorbitant number of sound equipment boxes on a cart like the Leaning Tower of Pisa. We pry those boxes open and start hooking XLR cables to the mains and the mics and run (yes, we literally run) the ¼ cables to the instruments.
All of these individual cables lead to the main cable. And this bad boy slithers from the backstage to the board in the sound booth–where all the mixing magic happens. From there, the Sound Team can take an unplugged band of talented musicians and amplify it to sound like a full-piece orchestra. I don’t know how Tim and Glenn do it.
After all of the instruments and the mics are hooked up, typically our fearless leader, Scott, tackles one of the most under-appreciated positions: the projector. This man is a wizard on the slides. I don’t know how but he has some amazing reflexes and power of anticipation. He changes the slide to the correct lyrics before the lead vocalist even starts singing. God bless, Scott.
Anyways, after the final benediction of the morning, the last of our work begins: packing up. We wrap the cables and carefully cram them back into their respective boxes. Fragile stuff as you might expect. My favorite part is packing the trailer. It’s like a big game of Tetris. You gently shove the equipment in until the trailer doors shut. Boo-yah."
Why Serve on Stage Crew?
When it comes right down to it, serving is a choice. Oftentimes, we hear the word service paired with the word “overflow”, connoting something deep and rich which the individual has received and wants to give back.
Scott talks about enjoying the “overflow” by serving in a practical way of giving back to his community. He has found that kind of fulfillment by serving theHeart and the individuals on our Worship Team.
Instead of visualizing serving through the macro lens (Sunday Gatherings), he chooses to personalize his service by looking through a more relational lens. Scott sees his role on the Stage Crew as personally serving the members of our Worship Band. "I want to utilize my gifts, my abilities, and my previous experiences to edify the body of Christ," Scott said.
Perhaps you feel the same way and you're looking for a simply way to serve theHeart? Come and be part of the Stage Crew on Sundays. We would love for you to be an integral member of this team in support of our church family.
Contact Scott Banks: scott.banks20@gmail.com.