Lighting Workbook

UNDERSTANDING LIGHTING AND INTENTIONALITY

The Importance of Lighting in Church

1. Enhancing Worship Experience – Proper lighting helps focus attention on speakers, musicians, and worship leaders, ensuring that the congregation remains engaged.

2. Creating Atmosphere – Lighting can set the mood for different parts of the service, whether it be solemn, celebratory, or contemplative.

3. Supporting Visual Elements – Modern churches incorporate screens, livestreams, and performances that require proper lighting for visibility.

4. Guiding Attention – Lighting directs the eyes of the congregation to where the focus should be, reducing distractions.

5. Safety and Functionality – Adequate lighting ensures safe movement for the congregation and volunteers, especially in dim environments.

At its core, the purpose of lighting is to highlight an object or subject so that it can be seen. The focus should be on what needs to be illuminated, not on the light itself.

Basic Lighting Terms and Concepts

• Front Light – Illuminates the subject from the front, making them clearly visible.

• Back Light – Helps create depth and separation from the background.

• Side Light – Used to add dimension and reduce shadows.

• Wash Lighting – A broad, even light spread over an area, often used for general stage lighting.

• Beam Lighting – A narrow, tight focused beam generally used for effects

• Spotlighting – Focused light on a specific person or object.

• Color Temperature – Measured in Kelvin (K), warm (tungsten) vs. cool (daylight) lighting affects mood.

• Intensity – The brightness of a light fixture.

• Cue – A pre-programmed lighting setting that can be triggered during the service.

• Address – The specific numerical location assigned to a fixture for communication.

• Channel – A control assignment on a lighting console that manages a fixture's intensity or attributes.

• DMX – Digital Multiplex, the protocol that transmits control signals to lighting fixtures.

• Address – The specific numerical location assigned to a fixture for communication.

• DMX Cable – A specialized cable used to transmit DMX signals between the lighting console and fixtures.

• Stage Pin Cable – A type of power cable commonly used for stage lighting, providing secure electrical connections.

• Patch – The process of assigning a fixture’s address to a control channel on the lighting console for it to be controlled.

What do the different colors mean?

Colors in lighting play a crucial role in setting the mood and atmosphere of a worship service. Different colors evoke various emotions and help guide the congregation's experience.

• White – Represents purity, clarity, and focus. Often used for sermons and neutral lighting.

• Blue – Creates a calming, peaceful, and reflective mood. Often used during prayer or meditative moments.

• Red – Symbolizes passion, intensity, and urgency. Can be used for dramatic or powerful segments.

• Green – Associated with growth, renewal, and freshness. Sometimes used in nature or healing themes.

• Yellow/Amber – Warm and inviting, creating a sense of joy, energy, and comfort. Great for celebratory moments.

• Purple – A color of royalty, reflection, and deep thought. Often used during Lent and Advent seasons.

• Orange – Represents warmth, creativity, and enthusiasm. Can be used for lively and engaging moments.

Understanding these color meanings can help enhance worship experiences and reinforce the message being shared.

Using the Light Board (ETC Ion)

So the light board we have at the church is the ETC Ion, and is relatively old but is still used in numerous broadway productions. It is made for theatrical productions and not really live productions in which a lot of changes need to be done on the fly.

1. Getting Started

• Plug In: Locate the unplugged cable from the back of the Left control board and plug it in

• Power On: Locate the power button on the right control board and start the console.

2. Basic Controls

• Channel Control: Each light is assigned to a channel. Select a channel and use the intensity wheel to adjust brightness.

• Sub-masters: On the Left control board these are faders that are assigned for quick adjustments of certain light groups.

• Color and Effects: If using LED or intelligent fixtures, use the color mixing and effect controls to change looks.

• Magic Sheet: A custom made guide in which you can trigger effects, lights, and positions more easily on the fly. 

3. Running a Service

• Cue Stacks: Pre-programmed sequences of lights that can be triggered during the service. This is where we can record different looks for the service consisting of colors, and moving light positions and then easily trigger these looks later in the service.

• Executing Cues: Use the Go button to advance through the programmed cue stack.

• Adjusting on the Fly: If needed, use manual controls to tweak settings during the service. This can be done using the Sub-masters or by using the Magic Sheet.

4. Powering Down

• Save Your Work: Always save any changes made to cues or settings in the file menu

• Proper Shutdown: Always clear out all lights to ensure everything is off, and the click file and power off. Finally unplug the Left control board.