Located in Anaheim, California, River Church is a Pentecostal church member of the Assemblies of God that primarily serves the surrounding is a Pentecostal assembly that primarily serves the surrounding Latino community. The church is housed in a spacious, 3,000-seat venue featuring a 360-degree stage, which was once a theater for live performances and events. Leading the congregation is Pastor Dante Gebel, a renowned Argentine writer, pastor and talk show host. In addition to hosting a vibrant live crowd every Sunday, the church maintains a vast online audience with up to 50,000 devices connected during live services and more than a million views each week following the service.
For several years, River Church relied on front projection technology for their display needs during services. The systems had become outdated, prompting the church to explore new options. “When one projector fails, others that are the same age are likely to follow,” said River Church Executive Pastor Daniel Darling. “Ours were from different manufacturers and it was impossible to maintain color consistency across them. We needed to find something better.”
The church conducted demos of various projectors but was not convinced any of them could meet their needs. Their search eventually led to Planar. “Planar’s website caught our attention because it’s so well done-we could tell that it was a professional, well-established company,” Darling said. “We looked at the products and knew this was what we wanted.”
At the end of Sunday services in late March, the projectors were taken down and by Friday, Planar technicians had a new solution in place. Supported by a truss system and suspended above the church’s stage is a four-sided cube installation featuring four 13-foot-wide by 8-foot-high (8x5) Planar® CarbonLight™ CLI VX Series LED video walls with 2.6mm pixel pitches (CLI VX 2.6).
Live Engagement and Online Appeal
The new Planar LED video walls-mounted prominently over the 360-degree stage-create an engaging environment throughout the venue. According to Darling, the new setup immediately impressed the congregation. “Once the service started and we began using the video walls, the atmosphere was really enhanced. The image quality is so natural and vibrant.”
And consistent. “The colors are perfect and they all match across each screen,” Darling said. “The video walls are bright but not disturbing. In terms of production, it gives us peace of mind-we don’t have to worry about a display going out.”
During services, River Church utilizes the new LED video walls to display a variety of content, from live camera feeds of Pastor Dante Gebel and the audience to videos showcasing their missionary work around the world, which include projects in Uganda, India and throughout Latin America. “It’s important to spread the word and it’s also important for our congregation to know how their donations are being spent,” Darling said.
The upgrade has enhanced the in-person worship experience while promising to boost the church’s appeal with online worshipers. “The video walls are amazing,” Darling said. “The quality is exceptional, and it makes a real.
