Sacrament Meeting

Discussions around receiving conferences and broadcasts for the meetinghouse via Internet.
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drepouille
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Sacrament Meeting

#1

Post by drepouille »

Last week, my bishop asked me if we could stream or otherwise record Sacrament Meeting for those who will not be able to attend when we resume meetings. I replied that we do not have a camera, and we have been told never to record or broadcast Sacrament Meeting. Last night, my bishop told me that the stake had given us permission, directed us to do so, and the STS would be willing to help set it up.

Now what? We don't have a camera or any other equipment to broadcast from our meetinghouse. We do have a live RJ-45 outlet on the podium, and we may have an audio output under the Sacrament table.
Dana Repouille, Plattsmouth, Nebraska
lajackson
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Re: Sacrament Meeting

#2

Post by lajackson »

Before you follow one of the next two suggestions, please read all the way to the end of this post.

I would let the STS set it up for you. He will know right away that to do video you will need a camera and an encoder or software on a laptop. I would ask if the stake is willing to furnish those items for you, along with the necessary cabling for combining video, sound, and connecting to the Internet.

Or you might offer to do an audio recording from the audio output near the sacrament table, an audio output from the A/V rack, or even a plain old microphone on a good cell phone. Then email the MP3 file to the affected members.

As for video of sacrament meeting, I believe your stake president has exceeded his authority.* But I would not go there at the moment, I am aware that other wards and stakes who say they are planning to do it because to our present circumstances.

Our Area Seventy has made it clear that video streaming of Church meetings from the chapel (sacrament, Sunday School, priesthood, Relief Society), other than stake conference, is not to be done. He said this instruction came from the area presidency or higher.

The First Presidency has granted a temporary exception for baptism services.

Keep it simple. I would not challenge the stake president. Let the area take care of him or let the bishop discuss the Handbook* with him. Let the stake do the heavy lifting if they are directing the effort. Support them as best you are able.

*General Handbook 35.4.15
russellhltn
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Re: Sacrament Meeting

#3

Post by russellhltn »

I would suggest you seek clarification on one detail: What do do about the sacrament ordinance itself. Nothing that I've read or that others have posted have indicated that's acceptable. Some broadcast the meeting, but blank out the sacrament portion. People at home can do their own during that time (circumstances permitting). Normally, broadcasting from the chapel for anything but stake conference wouldn't be allowed, but of course this is anything but normal.

As for the equipment, I think the stake should have an encoder and camera, but only one. So, there'll likely be some kind of sharing arrangement.

If no one supplies a camera and encoder, this becomes a moot issue.
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drepouille
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Re: Sacrament Meeting

#4

Post by drepouille »

From Meetinghouse Technology Policy:
8.3.3 Local Unit Provided Equipment: Under the direction of the stake president, local units may purchase additional webcasting equipment with local unit funds. The costs for maintaining, upgrading, and replacing this equipment are the responsibility of the local unit.
Dana Repouille, Plattsmouth, Nebraska
drepouille
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Re: Sacrament Meeting

#5

Post by drepouille »

Stake president informs me that this is directly from the Q12, the Seventy, and the Area Presidency as an exception to stated policy.
Dana Repouille, Plattsmouth, Nebraska
lajackson
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Re: Sacrament Meeting

#6

Post by lajackson »

drepouille wrote:Stake president informs me that this is directly from the Q12, the Seventy, and the Area Presidency as an exception to stated policy.
Having presented my knowledge base to him, I will never argue with a stake president. Enjoy it while it lasts.

Unless I have missed something, we do not enjoy the benefits of such an exception in our area. Perhaps official word is still forthcoming to us.
russellhltn
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Re: Sacrament Meeting

#7

Post by russellhltn »

The church did supply a encoder to the stakes awhile back. A camera magically showed up in our library at some point. So, we only had to pay for cables and other "glue" items. Thankfully the camera had a HDMI output, so we could go direct from the camera to the encoder.

As always, YMMV.
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drepouille
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Re: Sacrament Meeting

#8

Post by drepouille »

More clarification from the stake president:
We are planning on a Zoom call, muted for all participants, with it focused on the podium. The ordinance of the sacrament will be muted.
I wonder how we are supposed to send out Zoom invitations to only those households that request them?

Note on audio from the stake clerk:
the mic on the laptop to pick up the speaker. It should be sufficient to pick up the organ as well.
It seems to me that a laptop microphone would pick up every part of the ambient noise in the vicinity.
Dana Repouille, Plattsmouth, Nebraska
russellhltn
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Re: Sacrament Meeting

#9

Post by russellhltn »

drepouille wrote:It seems to me that a laptop microphone would pick up every part of the ambient noise in the vicinity.
True. The question is where are you going to put the laptop? I'd suggest creating a stand about podium height in front of the podium.

Since it's zoom, you can give it a trial run and see what the results are like.

Some of our local newscasters have been anchoring from home, apparently using the laptop's microphone. The sound quality is about what you'd expect. (Really? They couldn't get a lavaliere and plug it in??) But it seems to be what passes for "acceptable" these days.

While it irks me, I'd go along with it unless I was willing to provide better.

You could try running a cable from the audio out (it might need an attenuator). For the organ, plug in a mic on a stand to the PA auxiliary mic input. I believe most chapels have automatic mixers that would switch between the auxiliary and podium mic.
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drepouille
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Re: Sacrament Meeting

#10

Post by drepouille »

I think it would be easier and less obvious if I set up my camera and laptop on the pew behind the deacons' bench.

I need to connect the 3.5 mm stereo "Record Out" signal (located under the Sacrament table) to a laptop. My Dell Inspiron 5770 has a "headset" jack, but I don't know how many connectors the jack has. I don't know if it can be used for both input and output of audio signals. I suppose I can test it using my cell phone ear buds, which have a four-connector plug to provide both input and output audio.

So how do I connect the 3.5 mm stereo "Record Out" jack (three-connector) to a "headset" jack (four-connector)? Is there an adapter I can buy that converts the three-connector stereo plug into a USB connector for audio input to the laptop?
Dana Repouille, Plattsmouth, Nebraska
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