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Transform your worship environment with a sleek, center-stage display that keeps your congregation focused and engaged—without the bulk of traditional projection systems.
Back to allLyric ribbon LED screens offer churches a compelling way to display song lyrics while unifying the congregation’s attention. Unlike traditional side screens that can divide focus, these center-stage displays create a more cohesive worship experience.
Church at Viera in Melbourne, Florida recently installed one of these systems. Their experience provides valuable insights for churches considering similar upgrades.
The primary advantage of lyric ribbons is centralized focus. When everyone looks to the same spot above the worship team, it creates a more unified experience.
These screens also clean up stage aesthetics compared to traditional projection setups. The slim profile integrates naturally into the stage design without dominating the space.
The system at Church at Viera features impressive specifications:
The screen measures half a meter tall by four meters wide (approximately 1.5 feet by 13 feet). This long, narrow format works perfectly for displaying one or two lines of lyrics.
A 2.6mm pixel pitch ensures text appears crisp and clear, even from the front row. This resolution is crucial for readability without eye strain.
The lyric ribbon installed at Church at Viera cost $7,200 for the LED panels. Additional rigging materials, including fly bar and cabling, added approximately $600 to the project.
This investment includes a guided DIY playbook, enabling technically inclined church teams to handle installation themselves.
Kai Jurasik, from Church at Viera, explained that they previously used a backlit screen with projection. The LED ribbon was part of a larger stage redesign aimed at cleaning up the visual space.
Sam Henry, who handled the installation, found the process straightforward. The system arrived with basic printed instructions, supplemented by detailed online documentation.
Even with some prior video wall experience, Sam noted that the system was “almost like it’s pretty self-explanatory,” suggesting that dedicated volunteers could manage the installation.
Getting content from ProPresenter to the lyric ribbon requires specific configuration. Church at Viera uses a Blackmagic DeckLink Duo video card to output video to the LED processor.
They created a custom output target in ProPresenter matching the screen’s dimensions: 1,536 pixels wide by 192 pixels tall. These dimensions also serve as specifications for creating custom graphics specifically for the ribbon.
One of the most powerful features is the ability to apply different looks to the ribbon throughout the service. Church at Viera accomplishes this using ProPresenter macros.
During worship songs, they use a theme that centers lyrics both vertically and horizontally on the ribbon. This theme is triggered by a macro when moving to worship segments.
For sermon content, they switch to full-screen graphics on the ribbon using another macro. This utilizes ProPresenter’s masking feature to display specific graphics that complement the message.
The flexibility of the system allows for contextual usage throughout the service:
During worship, it displays centered lyrics in a clean, readable format.
During sermons, it can show key points, scripture references, or thematic graphics.
Before and after services, it can display announcements, welcome messages, or church branding.
For churches interested in similar systems, Altitude LED offers these ribbon screens with guided DIY installation support. The company provides consultation to ensure proper sizing and integration with existing systems.
The relatively straightforward installation and configuration make this technology accessible even to churches without dedicated technical staff.
Lyric ribbon LED screens represent a meaningful upgrade for churches looking to enhance worship experiences through technology. By centralizing focus and providing clear, readable lyrics, they help congregations engage more fully in corporate worship.
The combination of aesthetic appeal, practical functionality, and manageable installation makes these systems worth considering for churches of various sizes looking to refresh their stage design.
For more information or to request a quote for your church, visit altitudeled.com.
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Grab the LED Screen Budgeting Kit for Small to Medium Sized Churches.
