By Kathy Koches
The Lake Chapala Unitarian Universalist Fellowship was selected as the Needs Assessment Contest Winner for small congregations by the Hybrid Ministries Tech Forum. This Forum is a group of UU technical and ministerial people from US, Canada, Europe and Mexico. It is run by eight professional media consultants who support UU and Jewish congregations and other groups doing video production and presentations. The Forum conducted a Needs Assessment for LCUUF on YouTube
The contest was held to support the many congregations who started online video services during the pandemic, and who now see that they want to continue to offer video services even when in-person services resume. This combination of online and live services is called a Hybrid Service. Many congregations have found during this time of pandemic that online services make their services more available and attract both members and to new audiences who maybe lived too far away. Discovering this, many congregations want to continue with their online services, even when they reopen.
Contestants provided a detailed description of present audio and video equipment, control systems, networking, facility, present production of Sunday services, what they want to be able to do in the future, and their budget to accomplish this. The prize for the contest was a free professional analysis of the present technical situation and equipment, and professional recommendations of what could be done with equipment and processes to be able to meet the needs with the budget available. Because the situations are so different in larger congregations, they divided up the congregations into three groups, a congregation of less than 100 members, then 100-249, then over 250.
As the Needs Assessment Contest winner for small congregations, a two hour broadcast was held on Thursday, April 8, where the forum publicly reviewed LCUUF’s needs assessment submission and then showed the usually private consultants’ recommendations. A written document with their recommendations will be provided and will help LCUUF continue to produce quality Sunday services for both the “in-person” and online attendees.
LCUUF was selected as one of the three congregations out of the 400 members of the UU technical forum. This is quite an honor, especially considering that most of the work required to put on these online Sunday services is done by volunteers from the congregation. Special recognition goes to Charlie Jacobs, Richard Clarke, Roy Haynes, Rev. Matt Alspaugh and the rest of the tech team for their excellent work in producing the on-line services.