Offering outreach programmes alongside its services, the Uniting Reform Church in Southern Africa (URCSA) recently expanded its Atteridgeville campus in order to boost community engagement and provide a purpose-built space for additional events and gatherings. The church team sought close collaboration from the outset to help achieve its aims, and a partnership with Stage Audio Works (SAW) proved key to its sound, lighting and visuals.

‘This extension is not just about expanding the space, but about creating a lasting legacy for the community,’ says URCSA Atteridgeville Technical Team Coordinator, Sekgwari Matsena. ‘For the A/V side of the project, our primary goal was to modernise our audio, visual and lighting systems to enhance the worship experience. From the beginning, Stage Audio Works took the time to understand our unique needs and vision.’

Established in 1946, URCSA sought expert guidance and engaged SAW early in the project’s design phase. ‘The URCSA Atteridgeville team understood the value of involving us from the beginning,’ says SAW Project Leader, Kieran Hempel.

‘This close collaboration and an iterative approach to developing the solution was key to the success of the project.’

‘We needed technology that would be easy for volunteers to use while ensuring professional-level sound, visual quality and lighting control for services, events and live streaming,’ Matsena continues. ‘We wanted to create an immersive, distraction-free environment that would help people engage more fully in worship.’

Alongside the design and integration of audio, video, lighting and live streaming technology for the auditorium, SAW provided training for the church’s volunteer technical team, equipping them to manage and maintain the new technology efficiently and guarantee the system’s longevity and smooth operation. Wholly funded by donations from church members, the project needed to honour their generosity by being executed with integrity and excellence, while making best use of the allocated budget.

When designing the audio system, Stage Audio Works opted for a distributed system throughout the space rather than an LCR loudspeaker placement. ‘It wasn’t clear whether acoustic treatment of the new building would form part of Phase 1 building works – so in case it was planned for Phase 2, we chose a distributed system to ensure focused coverage of the two-tier auditorium,’ Hempel explains. ‘This approach minimises reflections on untreated walls and improves gain before feedback on stage. The pastors wanted to use lapel mics, so gain before feedback was an important consideration.’

The main PA is mounted on a catwalk truss directly above the stage. Here, five Plus Audio CPH212 three-way loudspeakers are angled to provide consistent sound across the front of the auditorium seating and part of the upper-level balcony. Two subwoofers under the stage complete the main PA, with four stage monitors.

Thirteen smaller form-factor Plus Audio CPU105 5-inch coaxial loudspeakers serve as under-balcony fill to cover the rear of the room. Front fill from the front of the stage comprises a further six CPU105 loudspeakers. Upstairs in the balcony seating, a ring of seven CPU9 9-inch coaxial loudspeakers provide coverage to areas not reached by the main PA system.

Plus Audio A204D and A044D Dante amplifiers power the system, featuring built-in DSP and FIR filters, which is sereved by a Yamaha TF3 digital mixer and Tio stageboxes.

‘We designed this distributed PA system to minimise excessive echo,’ remarks Hempel. ‘It includes the flexibility to deactivate the balcony loudspeakers when the area is unoccupied, reducing unwanted reflections and helping the venue to be as efficient as possible.’

While the audio system was an important focus of the installation, a full stage lighting and video streaming system was also required, with two Appotronics HD laser projectors to display video content on screens on either side of the stage to accompany services along with a PC-controlled lighting system.

Aida PTZ cameras, a Blackmagic Design video switcher and a Kiloview streaming encoder facilitate live streaming of services with control via an easy-to-use Stream Deck unit. Live streaming has proved invaluable in helping URCSA to connect with a wider audience of remote worshippers.

Sennheiser EW-D wireless microphones provide reliable freedom for on-stage speakers and performers. SAW also supplied the IT infrastructure required for the new system, including business-grade WiFi and wireless access points around the venue.

With multiple contractors on-site throughout the project, the SAW team had to adhere to a clear schedule to accommodate the activities of different stakeholders. ‘Effective planning and collaboration were crucial in overcoming the complexities of this installation,’ Hempel says. ‘By aligning schedules, communicating and ensuring that each party could work concurrently, the team were able to complete their work within the allocated timeframes.’

‘The sound is crystal clear, the lighting enhances the atmosphere without being overwhelming, and the visual elements add a new dimension to our services,’ Matsena reports. ‘It has significantly improved the worship experience for both the congregation and those watching online.

‘The process of working with Stage Audio Works was fantastic,’ he continues. ‘From the very beginning, they took the time to understand exactly what we wanted to achieve. Installation was smooth, and they provided excellent training for our volunteers. The upgraded system allows us to focus on the message and the worship, rather than worrying about technical issues. It’s been a true blessing for our church and their commitment to after-sales support has been outstanding.’

‘This project demonstrates conclusively that quality solutions can be achieved while effectively managing financial considerations,’ Hempel concludes. ‘Our collaboration with URCSA has optimised the church’s technical setup and underscored the importance of strategic planning and partnership. The results speak to the high standards we strive for, proving that excellence and cost-efficiency can indeed go hand in hand.’

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