As technology increasingly intersects with tradition, Pasir Panjang Church of Christ in Singapore has embraced modern AV solutions to enhance its worship experience.
For centuries, churches have been sanctuaries of tradition, fostering spiritual growth through the spoken word, music, and shared experiences. In the modern world, with a more multimedia-savvy generation, the way churchgoers engage with faith is changing. Having a reliable tech infrastructure is no longer a luxury for churches but a necessity for enriching the worship experience.
Recognising this need, Pasir Panjang Church of Christ (PPCOC) in Singapore actively sought to upgrade its AV setup. For this project, Resonate Solutions, a Singapore-based systems integrator, was appointed to design and install a comprehensive AV system. Irvin Wan from PPCOC details how Resonate Solutions got onboard the project: “We put out a tender which a few integrators bid for, including Resonate Solutions. I’ve known the guys at Resonate Solutions for a while from their previous works. The church committee eventually discussed and agreed to appoint Resonate Solutions as they displayed strong knowledge on how to navigate the acoustic challenges of the church space in order to ensure that the acapella worship would be delivered well.”
Moreover, PPCOC emphasised the importance of a system that would be easy to operate on a day-to-day basis. Wan notes: “The AV team members in our church are relatively young; they’re mostly secondary school volunteers. As we had decided to scale up, we also needed a simple setup that would be intuitive and easy for the team to utilise.”
Acapella amplified Unlike many churches that incorporate musical instruments into their worship services, PPCOC follows an acapella style of worship. This focus on the human voice places a significant demand on the church’s AV system: ensuring precise sonic reproduction for both performances and sermons.
Luther Ong, founder of Resonate Solutions, says: “There is not a single musical instrument being used in this church, which makes it a unique situation as compared to the other churches we have worked on in the past. Though it sounds relatively simple, this also meant that there was higher attention paid to vocal clarity. You want the choir’s vocals to sound clear yet natural, which meant we needed to control the reverberation and manage the acoustics of the church well.”
In light of these demands, Steve Zhang, project engineer at Resonate Solutions, takes us through the audio system designed for PPCOC: “For the FOH of the church hall, we deployed the Nexo ePS12 passive loudspeakers. As for delays, we decided to go with the ePS8 passive loudspeakers. We chose these speakers because they offer wider front-angle coverage, reducing spillage into other areas while ensuring that the sound projection will be more focused. The ePS series was the only model that was capable of meeting our needs and budget.”
Zhang elaborates the thought process behind the choice of speakers: “If we were to use regular point source speakers, because of the height at which we would install the speakers, the dispersed angle would be very wide and there would be a lot of unnecessary sound reflections from the walls. The alternative would have been to use line array speakers as the sound would be more focused but they came at a much higher cost. As I mentioned previously, the church does not have a band so the amplification needed is mostly for voice. So if there’s some natural reverb, it’ll be beneficial as fewer effects would have to be added to their voices.”
Alongside the Nexo loudspeakers, a Nexo digital amplifier with DSP has been installed. Two Yamaha stage monitor speakers are strategically placed on the stage for additional reinforcement when needed. An Allen & Heath digital mixer and digital expansion box complete the audio system. Zhang comments: “The SQ mixer was ideal for this project because it’s relatively affordable while also offering capabilities that would work on an intermediate level. At this price point, I don’t think there are competitors with the same capabilities.”
For microphones, Sennheiser’s wireless handheld and headset microphones are being utilised. The church choir specifically uses Shure KSM137 cardioid condenser microphones. To complete the microphone system, Xvive wireless transmitters are used. Zhang explains how the system works: “The transmitter allows you to convert any wired mic into wireless, which makes it a flexible option for the church. Wireless microphones are essential because we wanted to avoid having long cables on the stage. We also chose to go with the Shure KSM137 microphone as it has a natural sound reproduction, which is much needed for acapella.”
Bright and clear visuals In the centre of the stage, an LED screen from Clair Illumination with a 16:9 aspect ratio is mounted on the wall — offering churchgoers bright and dynamic visuals during worship services.
Ong shares why Clair Illumination — a local company in Singapore — was chosen as the solution provider for the LED wall: “Because they are local, they run workshops which allow us to better understand their solutions. Since they are our partner, we’re able to vouch for their products and there is mutual trust. For LED, typically, you’ll inevitably get some bad batches of panels. The team at Clear Illumination was diligent in providing support during the deployment stage and helping us recalibrate the panels.”
Why did Resonate Solutions opt for an LED wall? Zhang answers: “Our client had the necessary budget to spend on an LED wall and had wanted the visuals to be as big as possible. Initially, we planned to build an even bigger LED wall. However, the LED wall was installed right at the end of the project. Because of the way the speakers and lights had been installed, parts of the LED screen would have been blocked if it was bigger in size.”
He continues: “LED is also on a totally different level as compared to projectors when it comes to brightness and vibrancy of the visuals. In terms of maintenance as well, it would be easier to maintain LED because you can adjust and replace individual panels if necessary. For projectors, the entire projector system would have to be replaced and this would be troublesome and not cost-effective.”
To complete the video system, a broadcast switcher bundle, cameras, and a camera controller from Datavideo are being utilised. An 85-in Sharp LED TV screen is mounted at the front of the mezzanine level for people on stage to look at the content on the screen. Structural constraints Implementing a new AV system always comes with challenges, and this project was no exception. One of the initial hurdles was the positioning of the console system. According to Zhang, the original plan proposed by the church’s rebuilding committee was to place it in the corner of the hall, but this was not ideal from the sound team’s perspective. Zhang details the issue: “To be able to hear sound well, you want the console to be in the centre to ensure that there won’t be any unwanted reflections from the walls around you. However ideal it was to place the console in the centre of the mezzanine, it would have undoubtedly caused certain issues. Cabling would have been a big challenge as a lot of hacking would have to be done on the ground. Moreover, the console system would block the view for churchgoers sitting at the back of the mezzanine level. Hence, we reached a compromise and chose to place the console system at the back of the mezzanine level, which eventually still led to a successful outcome.”
Another significant challenge was the height at which the speakers needed to be installed. Zhang explains: “To make adjustments to the speakers, we had to do some scaffolding. Since the church hall was located on the second level of the building, we couldn’t bring in a scissor lift or a boom lift to help with the deployment.”
Timing and logistical issues also played a role in the project’s complexity. The installation of the LED wall and other stage elements faced delays due to structural constraints. Zhang says: “We were initially supposed to install the LED wall in December, but only did so in February. This is because the stage actually has a motorised cover that houses the baptism pool. Before the cover was installed, there was a hole in the stage. Hence, we weren’t able to work on the LED system until it was safe for us to do so once the hole had been covered. Despite the slight delay, we were able to get it up in time and make the necessary adjustments.”
To ensure the church team could effectively use the new system, Resonate Solutions provided thorough training sessions. Zhang highlighted the importance of this training: “Since this is a new system for the clients, it took some time for them to get used to it. We helped to simplify the workflow and setup for them by providing at least two training sessions for the church’s AV team — one before the handover, and the rest after a month of utilisation.”
Reflecting on the project, Zhang highlights: “Music is core to the mission of worship for many churches, and so a lot of the houses of worship that we work with place a strong emphasis on a high-quality sound system. At the end of the day, churchgoers visit the church every week to practise their faith through music. The PPCOC team recognised the importance of AV and engaged us early into the project, so we were able to give them recommendations concurrently during the renovation stage. I believe this is what made the entire design and installation process a seamless one.”
The successful AV upgrade at PPCOC serves as an example for how traditional worship spaces can adapt to modern needs without losing their essence. Wan concludes: “The Resonate Solutions team did a really good job with the AV system given our modest budget. I believe we were able to project sound very evenly and clearly from every corner and to every corner. Considering the fact that the mezzanine level had actually posed a big acoustical challenge, we are very impressed with the outcome."