Pennsylvania’s St Luke Greek Orthodox Church is renowned for its Byzantine architecture and elaborate iconography. The church serves as a spiritual and cultural hub for its congregation, offering a space where the community gathers for worship, celebration, and reflection. With its high-domed ceilings, expansive nave, and traditional Orthodox design, the sanctuary is visually stunning but posed significant acoustical challenges.
Poor speech intelligibility was a growing concern, however, making it difficult for worshippers to fully engage with services.
With a reverberation peak of 3.38s, congregation members struggled to hear the spoken word clearly, leading to increased complaints. Seeking a solution that would both respect the church’s aesthetic and elevate the audio experience, the team at Spinnaker, the project integrator, led by VP of Project Development Fenicia Redman, selected a sound reinforcement system from Renkus-Heinz following extensive Ease modelling.
‘The congregation was vocal about the issue,’ says Fenicia Redman. ‘Many elderly members expressed frustration that they couldn’t clearly hear the liturgy. We knew we had to find a solution that provided pristine intelligibility while maintaining the church’s sacred atmosphere.’
To identify the best solution, Spinnaker conducted an acoustic analysis using Ease modelling. Various systems were tested in the space, with Renkus-Heinz coming out on top. ‘The client preferred the Renkus-Heinz solution,’ Redman confirms. ‘The warmth of the sound was something that truly stood out, making the choice clear.’
The final installation featured a single Renkus-Heinz Iconyx Gen5 Series IC24 column array, discreetly positioned between the front two windows. The set-up further includes a Yamaha MTX5D processor and TF Rack with control via an iPad, making the system not only powerful but also user-friendly. ‘We needed a solution that would blend seamlessly with the church’s visual aesthetics,’ Redman says. ‘The IC24-RN was the perfect fit, as it provided excellent dispersion while being visually unobtrusive.’
By employing Renkus-Heinz’s OmniBeam beam-steering technology, Spinnaker focused sound where it was needed, avoiding the excessive reflections that had previously muddied the spoken word. The ability to tailor the dispersion pattern ensured that every seat in the sanctuary received clear and balanced audio.
While the installation itself was straightforward, a particular challenge was protecting the church’s ornate interior. ‘The walls are adorned with 24-karat gold leaf,’ Redman says. ‘We had to be incredibly careful during the installation process to ensure nothing was damaged. Our team took meticulous precautions, and in the end, everything went smoothly.’
Another consideration was ensuring that the new system complemented the church’s existing acoustic. ‘Rather than fighting the natural acoustics, we worked with them,’ Redman says. ‘The Renkus-Heinz system allowed us to reinforce speech while still allowing the beauty of the choral music to shine through. It was about precision rather than force.’
The impact of the new system was immediate and profound: ‘One of the most touching moments came when a senior member of the congregation turned to her grandson and said, “I can finally hear Fr. Christ”,’ Redman says. ‘That’s why we do what we do. Sound is more than just technology; in houses of worship, it speaks hope.’
Since the installation, the church has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from parishioners of all ages. Not only has speech intelligibility dramatically improved, but the overall experience of worship has been enhanced. ‘Renkus-Heinz provided exactly what St Luke’s needed – a balance of clarity, warmth, and unobtrusive design,’ Redman reports. ‘The results speak for themselves. Every project presents its own challenges, but when you have the right tools and expertise, the outcome is always worth it.’
More: www.renkus-heinz.com