As houses of worship of all denominations continue to embrace the fundamentals of audio, lighting, and video technology, and some large facilities are installing rigs that cost millions of dollars, the focus is on creativity that enhances the service and reaches out to the congregation. Houses of worship around the world need to be up-to-date with today's technologies and how to use them.

With this in mind, LDI and Technologies for Worship Magazine (TFWM) present a series of in-depth seminars at LDI2008 in Las Vegas, where professional training kicks off on Monday, October 20, and the show floor is open from Friday, October 24 through Sunday, October 26.

Since 1992, TFWM has been a leader in the field of educating churches and ministries about technology. Designers, technical staff, religious leaders, and congregation volunteers who want to add production excellence to the church-going experience will benefit from these sessions. TFWM also offers a series of mini-courses and hands-on training in their large-scale technology pavilion on the LDI show floor.

The following is a brief rundown of the TFWM conference sessions at LDI2008:

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23

Moving Lights 101
Lighting designer/system consultant Tony Hansen of Techni-Lux will interpret the jargon and discuss the types and uses of intelligent lighting in today's houses of worship.

Introduction to Standardized Talkback Protocols
Miles Dudgeon of Wybron presents an informative introduction to RDM and ACN. These protocols are now a reality, so what do these acronyms actually mean? How can they change the day-to-day operation of a lighting system?

Church vs. Theatre Lighting: What's the Difference?
Stephen Ellison, designer for commercial and church lighting systems at AVCON, will explore what makes a church system different from a theatre. Churches are embracing lighting more than ever. Get help adapting theatrical tools for church events.

Bridging the Communication Gap Between the Architect and Today's House of Worship
One of the main concerns for growing churches today is finding the “right” architect to communicate with who understands the technical requirements of such a facility. David Rauch, president of Bridge Communications, discusses this issue, including the importance of the technical media consultant to bridge the communication gap between the architect and the local church, and combining these three entities for success.

Producing A Worship Service: Create Content and Build Dynamic Drama Teams
David Rauch, president of Bridge Communications, and performer/vocalist Yvette McGregor concentrate on building “idea/green-lighting teams” and “programming teams” to help create content for services, with a special emphasis on building drama teams and stage techniques for using drama in the worship experience.

Even Deeper Into Talkback Protocols
Lee Schlais, vice president of engineering at Wybron, reveals how the new standardized talkback protocols (RDM and ACN) will change the way lighting systems are configured, wired, and controlled.

Don't Remodel. Re-Light!
Lighting designer/system consultant Tony Hansen of Techni-Lux Lighting can offer far more enhancement than just lighting a stage or platform. This seminar will address the use of lighting for architectural, project specific, special production, and psychological needs.

Communications Design 101
Bob Boster, director of North American sales for Clear-Com, and Mike Rucker, regional sales manager for Clear-Com, help attendees assess production communication needs and understand the process for making the right intercom choice.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24

Using Color to Enhance Your Services
Terry Taylor, worship market specialist at Wybron, and Jon Griffin, lighting designer at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, CA, explain how to use color as a tool for inspiration.

Safe Rigging Practices for Houses of Worship
David McCauley, director of the northeastern division for Audio Ethics Inc., presents an overview of safe rigging practices and liability, and talks about how we are to lead people to Heaven and not give them an express ticket.

Church Lighting Designer Q&A Panel
Jon Griffin, lighting designer, at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, CA, and Terry Taylor, worship market specialist at Wybron, give attendees the opportunity to ask an LD from a prominent house of worship how he works his magic.

Lighting for SD and HD Cameras in Worship
Stephen Ellison, designer for commercial and church lighting systems for AVCON, explores the difference between the eye and the camera and explains why lighting is such a vital component in the production of great video.

For additional information on the TFWM sessions and all other LDI2008 professional training opportunities, visit www.ldishow.com.

And beginning this year, brought to you in a fully online version by the editors of Live Design, is The LDI Show Daily—featuring show news on a daily basis.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25