Communication Department
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Produces articles and curates news content for the Union Outlook Monthly Magazine, ensuring our conference stories reach the broader Seventh-day Adventist community
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Develops engaging content that highlights ministry activities and events throughout the Conference, sharing stories of faith in action across Iowa and Missouri
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Collaborates with all Conference departments to maintain consistent branding standards, ensuring our visual identity reflects our mission and values
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Oversees Conference social media platforms and maintains current website content, keeping our community informed and connected through digital channels
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Develops and integrates video content across all communication platforms, expanding our reach through dynamic multimedia storytelling
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Facilitates ongoing connection and communication among Conference members, strengthening our church community through effective information sharing
Latest Videos
Useful Resources
AV Hardware & Production Guide
This guide covers recommended audio, video, and lighting hardware for churches. It is designed to provide a starting point for common purchasing decisions.
Important Note on Purchasing: Please contact us before purchasing to ensure you select the best option for your specific use case and to ensure you get the best prices. We offer an excellent non-profit discount with bhphotovideo.com, typically ranging from 15% to 20%, sometimes more off MSRP.
Audio Equipment
Sound Boards
- Behringer Wing - Full Size – Top-tier features and flexibility for the price.
- Behringer Wing Compact – Same features as above, smaller footprint.
- Yamaha TF1-TF5 – Good quality boards, but simple and lacking in features compared to the above for the price.
Stage Boxes
- Behringer SD16 – 16 inputs and eight outputs.
- Behringer SD8 – 8 inputs and eight outputs.
- Yamaha Tio1608-D2 – For the Yamaha, required.
Microphones
- Shure SLX-D – Best mic system.
- Sennheiser EW-D 835-S – 2nd option.
- Shure SM57-LC – Best instrument wired mic.
- RODE NTG2 Shotgun – Best choir mic or room audience pickup, also suitable for pianos.
Speakers
- QSC LA 108 (1300W Active 8" Line Array) – For installed sound, the best option for larger churches.
- QSC K12.2 – Portable but also good for installation in smaller churches.
- JBL EON712 or EON715 – Cheapest option that is still very good.
Video Equipment
Video Switcher
- BlackMagic Design ATEM Mini Extreme – Live streams and records.
Cameras
- Canon Vixia G70 – Camcorder, not as good of a sensor as below, but easier to use.
- Blackmagic Pocket Cinema 4K – Best option, but you need to buy a lens.
- PTZ Cameras – Expensive and small sensors, also need a controller.
- Canon PTZ CR300-CR500
- PTZOptics Move SE 20x
Tripods
- SmallRig AD-50 – The best budget option with fluid head.
- SmallRig FreeBlazer – Taller option.
Lighting Equipment
- CHAUVET DJ EVE P-140 – Best light for the price.
- CHAUVET DJ COREpar Q60 ILS – Best color light for the price.
Production Computer & Displays
Graphics Computer - ProPresenter and Live Stream
- Apple Mac Mini M4 (16GB RAM, 256GB storage) – Nothing beats its price and performance.
Monitor
- 1440p monitor is recommended, but any 1080p monitor around 27 inches would be fine. LG and Acer typically cost about $100.
Projectors - Best for larger than 100-inch screens or for large spaces
- Epson PowerLite L890E – Highest brightness (8K lumens) for the price and true 4K.
- ViewSonic LS740HD – Best projector for the price point, but only 5K lumens and Full HD.
TVs - Best for everything if a 100-inch works
- Hisense Class - U7 Series – Comes in various sizes, max 100in.
- Hisense - Class QD7 – Same as above.
Audio Resources for Churches
This guide covers recommended audio music resources for worship services, videos, and other church content.
Important Note on Subscriptions: Below are resources that are both free and paid. For paid options, please email us as we might have a subscription at the conference that we can use for your project.
Audio Music - Free
- Audio Library – Free music for videos and presentations.
- Free Music Archive – Curated collection of royalty-free music.
Audio Music - Paid
- Soundstripe – Unlimited downloads of royalty-free music and sound effects for video production.
- Artlist.io – High-quality, curated music library with simple licensing for video creators.
Graphic & Background Resources for Churches
This guide covers recommended graphic design resources for worship visuals, social media, and print materials.
Important Note on Subscriptions: Below are resources that are both free and paid. For paid options, please email us as we might have a subscription at the conference that we can use for your project.
Adventist-Specific Graphics
- Adventist Hymnal Text Files Designed for ProPresenter – Pre-formatted hymnal lyrics ready to import.
- NAD Branding – North American Division branding guidelines and assets.
Graphics - Free
- DaFont – Free fonts for designing graphics and print materials.
- Church Motion Graphics – Free motion backgrounds and worship visuals.
- Unsplash – High-quality, free stock photography for any use.
- FreePik Free – Free vectors, photos, and PSD files for design projects.
Graphics - Paid
- Envato Elements – Unlimited downloads of graphics, templates, videos, and audio.
- Pro Content by Renewed Vision – Premium worship backgrounds and media for ProPresenter.
- Igniter Media – High-quality church video illustrations and countdowns.
- Motion Array – Video templates, stock footage, music, and graphics for creators.
- Adobe Stock – Professional stock photos, vectors, and videos integrated with Adobe Creative Cloud.
- FreePik Pro – Premium access to millions of vectors, photos, and templates.
- 123RF – Affordable stock photos, vectors, and footage.
Essential Software Guide for Churches
This guide covers recommended software for handling everything from Sunday morning presentations to daily administrative tasks.
Important Note on Purchasing: Before purchasing any paid software, please contact us. We often have access to non-profit discounts, educational pricing, or existing licenses that can significantly reduce your costs and ensure you get the best value.
Spotlight on Free Powerhouses for Non-Profits
Free Adobe Alternative: Canva Pro (completely free for registered non-profits) and the Affinity Suite provide a powerful alternative to Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign for professional graphic design and publishing. https://www.affinity.studio/
Free Pro Video Editor: DaVinci Resolve's free version is a Hollywood-grade editor—the best free option for sermons, announcements, and promotional videos. More powerful than many expensive alternatives.
Core Productivity Tools
Office Suite
Recommended: Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, LibreOffice
Use: Word processing, spreadsheets, slides, bulletins, reports
Why It's Useful: Core productivity tools for creating and sharing documents, reports, and presentations. Cloud-based options make collaboration simple, while offline tools keep access reliable.
Presentations & Worship Display
Recommended: ProPresenter
Use: Slides for worship lyrics, sermon points, or announcements
Why It's Useful: Ideal for Sunday services and visual presentations with integrated media and scripture support. Industry standard for churches.
Note Taking / Idea Organization
Recommended: Evernote, Google Keep, OneNote
Use: Sermon prep, planning notes, meeting minutes
Why It's Useful: Helps organize sermon outlines, meeting notes, and planning documents in one accessible location. Great for keeping a running record of church projects, creative ideas, and long-term ministry goals.
Communication & Collaboration
Team Communication
Recommended: Microsoft Teams, Slack
Use: Keep pastors, staff, and ministry leads in touch
Why It's Useful: Provides chat, file sharing, and video meetings in one place for effective communication. Both offer generous free plans suitable for most church teams.
Video Conferencing
Recommended: Zoom, Google Meet
Use: Virtual meetings, small groups, remote volunteers
Why It's Useful: Reliable and easy-to-use for remote meetings, online Bible studies, or team check-ins. Excellent free versions available with non-profit discounts for paid plans.
File Sharing & Cloud Storage
Recommended: Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, Dropbox Basic
Use: Store and share documents, graphics, and files among staff
Why It's Useful: Keeps shared files organized and accessible for staff and volunteers from any device. Free storage included with non-profit plans from Google and Microsoft.
Creative & Media Production
Graphic Design & Communication
Recommended: Canva, Adobe Express
Use: Flyers, sermon series graphics, announcements, social media
Why It's Useful: Easy-to-use design tools for creating professional visuals for bulletins, screens, and social media. Canva Pro is completely free for most registered non-profits.
Video & Streaming Tools
Recommended: OBS Studio, DaVinci Resolve
Use: Record or livestream services or announcements
Why It's Useful: Powerful, professional-grade tools for recording, editing, and broadcasting church content. OBS Studio is 100% free and the standard for streaming. DaVinci Resolve's free version is professional-grade.
Music & Audio Editing
Recommended: Audacity
Use: Edit sermons or simple music recordings
Why It's Useful: 100% free tool, perfect for cleaning up sermon audio, removing noise, and producing podcasts with professional sound quality.
Printing & Publishing
Recommended: Canva, Affinity Publisher
Use: Create bulletins, newsletters, posters
Why It's Useful: Allows for quick, professional print-ready materials using customizable templates. Canva Pro is free for non-profits. Affinity Publisher is a low-cost, one-time purchase.
Ministry & Administrative Tools
Forms & Surveys
Recommended: Google Forms
Use: Gather input, registrations, or prayer requests
Why It's Useful: Simple, powerful, and free tool for collecting feedback, event registrations, volunteer sign-ups, or prayer needs from your congregation.
Graphic / Background Resources
Below are Resources that are both free and paid. For paid options, please email us as we might have a subscription at the conference that we can use for your project.
Adventist Graphics
Adventist Hymnal Text Files Designed for ProPresenter
Graphics Free
DaFont - Free Fonts for Designing
Graphics Paid
Software Resources
Below are Resources that are both free and paid. For paid options, please email us as we might have a subscription at the conference that we can use for your project.
Software Free / Paid
For all those who are paid, don't hesitate to get in touch with the Communication Department for Access, as we can help. Anything not listed, please also reach out as we get discounts on many software, not limited to the below.
Free Adobe Alternative File Editor for Non-Profits
Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign. And Canva Pro.
Best Slide Control and music lyrics program.
https://renewedvision.com/propresenter/
Best Video Editor Compared to Adobe or Final Cut for free.
