Beaumont, TX
Westgate Memorial Baptist Church in Beaumont, Texas, has faithfully served its congregation for over fifty years. Seeking to honor its rich heritage of helping others in the community, while building a strong church community, there was a growing need to update its AV technology. The church engaged Ford AV to completely transform its worship environment.
“The church celebrated 50 years a few years back, and that was part of our inspiration. What kind of legacy do we want to leave for the church members who will be here 50 years from now?”
— Warren Terry, Minister of Music at Westgate Memorial Baptist Church
What began as early conversations in the mid‑2010s evolved into a landmark project, one that spanned years of planning, weathered the impacts of Hurricane Harvey and a global pandemic, and delivered an integrated AV and lighting system tailored to both in‑sanctuary worship and professional livestream production.
Livestream Production
Central to Westgate’s outreach strategy was a professional-grade livestream setup, housed in a newly built broadcast suite adjacent to the sanctuary. A dedicated digital mixing console was installed in this room, fully isolated from the main house mix, to give complete control over audio levels, EQ, and effects. A Dante-enabled audio network routes multichannel feeds from the front-of-house console and stage microphones directly into the broadcast console, ensuring zero interference with in-sanctuary sound reinforcement.
Video for the livestream is captured via wall-mounted PTZ cameras, whose presets were calibrated to deliver smooth, dynamic framing throughout the service. A high-definition confidence monitor in the broadcast booth mirrors the two 4 mm LED walls on stage, so operators can switch between live camera angles and pre-produced announcements. The configuration of the streaming encoder and onboard recording workflows creates a reliable livestream feed and an archival record of each service.
“Having a separate broadcast room that allows the guys to be isolated and really mix the sound properly for the live stream. It has made a big difference in the quality of the live stream.”
— Warren Terry, Minster of Music at Westgate Memorial Baptist Church
By combining a purpose-built control environment, professional-grade audio routing, and precision-tuned camera work, Westgate delivers a polished, consistent viewing experience to remote congregants every weekend.
System Components & Innovations
Audio Upgrade
Ford replaced the church’s aging analog console with a Dante‑enabled digital audio network, significantly improving speech intelligibility. A new multichannel console at front‑of‑house manages live sound, multitrack recording, and event playback. A digital console in the broadcast booth receives its own Dante streams, allowing the livestream team to craft an independent mix.
Video Walls & Cameras
Two 4 mm direct‑view LED walls flank the stage, providing vibrant, high‑contrast imagery free from projector shadows or ambient light interference. A third HD monitor in the video booth serves as a confidence screen. Wall‑mounted PTZ cameras deliver dynamic angles for both live worship presentations and remote services, while prerecorded content plays during announcements and transitions.
Lighting Overhaul
The entire lighting scheme shifted from incandescent to LED fixtures. Architectural house lights were retrofitted with energy‑efficient LEDs, while theatrical fixtures were rigged to the custom strut network. Lighting cues are programmed through a dedicated console at front‑of‑house, enabling shifts from intimate moments of reflection to high‑energy musical praise.
Integrated Control & User Interface
A wall‑mounted touchscreen controller in the broadcast booth provides a single‑pane interface for video wall content, lobby displays, and house lighting. Automated presets allow volunteers with minimal training to switch between service modes, sermon slides, and special events with a few taps.
Congregational Impact
Since commissioning, Westgate Memorial has noted significant improvements.
- Enhanced Worship Experience: Congregants praise the clarity of speech and the immersive feel of musical worship. Ambient noise is managed more effectively, and dynamic lighting heightens engagement.
- Professional‑Quality Livestreams: Remote viewers enjoy synchronized, broadcast‑level audio and HD video feeds, expanding the church’s reach across regional and international audiences.
- Operational Efficiency: Automated scenes and networked control have reduced setup time, allowing volunteers to focus on hospitality and pastoral care.
Overcoming natural disasters and pandemic disruptions, Ford delivered a solution that will serve the church for decades. As the congregation looks toward its next fifty years, this integrated AV and lighting system stands as both a functional asset and a tool of community collaboration.
Ford AV has deployed thousands of custom solutions for houses of worship across the U.S. Let our experts help make sure your next technology solution is a success.
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