In what is a first for a major Australian church, a virtual worship service will link a major city church with a small rural church.
Using Telstra’s Next G service, Beeac Uniting Church will participate in its first virtual worship service with Glen Waverley Uniting Church on Sunday 24 August.
Director of Communications at the Uniting Church, Synod of Victoria and Tasmania, the Rev. Kim Cain said “we are adopting a modern communications approach to worship by using an internet telecast to broadcast worship services from a city church to a smaller, rural church.”
Glen Waverley Uniting Church member, Warren Greenwood said “this exciting project is a first for any Uniting Church in Victoria. This initiative could set a precedent for large city churches to assist regional churches.”
Mr Greenwood said “for small congregations that cannot afford or justify full-time clergy, this new technology provides a wonderful opportunity to help maintain a worshipping Christian presence in their community.”
Using a laptop computer, data projector and Next G telephone service. the worship will be projected on a screen at Beeac Uniting Church.
To enable this process Glen Waverley Uniting Church will use a MacPro computer and will run Vara Software called “wirecast.” A compressed QuickTime file will be sent to a high speed internet cable facility at a minimum upload speed of 512kps. Beeac Uniting Church will use Telstra high speed wireless internet connection on an Apple Mac laptop, and will also run Quicktime. Sending the signal to a Data Projector, they will be able to see, hear and participate in the worship from Glen Waverley Uniting Church.
This initiative has been supported by Telstra Country Wide South West Victoria. Area General Manager, Mr Bill Mundy said “we are delighted to be a part of the webstreaming of church service from Glen Waverley, to the Beeac Uniting Church. This has been possible by using Telstra’s Next G network & we are excited about the concept”. In addition to this, Telstra Country Wide are also sponsoring the Beeac Uniting Church in the form of 12 months free internet access.
MEDIA DETAILS:
What: Launch of internet telecast of worship services between Beeac Uniting Church and Glen Waverly Uniting Church
Where: Beeac Uniting Church, Cnr Main St & Lang St, BEEAC
When: Sunday 24 August 2008
Time: 10.45am
To arrange an interview with a Uniting Church spokesperson, please contact Ruth Snelleman. Alternatively, to arrange an interview with a Telstra spokesperson, please contact Sharine Shaw:
Ruth Snelleman Sharine Shaw
Uniting Church in Australia Telstra Country Wide
Synod of Victoria and Tasmania South West Victoria
0418 330 483 0427 833172
