Churches Go To The Movies

Released on = December 5, 2006, 3:09 pm

Press Release Author = Morgan Cloward / Heavenly Wood

Industry = Entertainment

Press Release Summary = Heavenly Wood offers equipment for the growing number of
congregations who are holding Sunday services at the local cinema instead of the
local church.

Press Release Body = KAYSVILLE, Utah, November 2006: Now praying at a theater near
you - Sunday school. A number of churches across the country are abandoning wood
pews and stained glass for plush stadium seating and silver screens showing previews
of second coming attractions.

According to The Leadership Network, in Dallas, 250 churches nationwide are holding
religious services in movie theaters. \"We have confirmed that churches in at least
36 states, including D.C., use local cinemas for church services,\" says Warren Bird,
Director of Research. \"Locations cover the country, from Alaska and Hawaii to
Florida and New Hampshire.\"

Sitting in a darkened theater, congregants hear about Jesus instead of Will Ferrell.
Instead of popcorn and soft drinks church theatergoers enjoy coffee and bagels.
Admission isn't paid at the door but donation envelopes fill the cup holders. And
like all conventional trips to the movies, cell phones still go off at ill-timed
moments.

It takes approximately 3 hours to convert a theater into a solid rockin' and holy
rollin' church. The Church must provide its own equipment for the services.
Lecterns are brought in for speakers, and sound systems and projection equipment are
setup for displaying multimedia sermons on the big screen.

Heavenly Wood, a church furniture distributor, offers equipment for cine-churches
that is easy to move, setup, and store: including portable lecterns and speaker
stands (http://www.heavenlywood.com/pulpits.htm), free-standing collection boxes
(http://www.heavenlywood.com/126-collection-box.htm) for cine-church's fundraising
efforts, and countertop display racks (http://www.heavenlywood.com/db5.htm) for
church literature, tracts, bibles, and worship CD exhibits.

Ryan Lind, Lead Pastor of a church that meets in a movie theater in Layton, Utah,
explains the appeal of a cine-church. "It's got comfortable chairs," jokes Pastor
Lind. "Movie theaters are generally a hospitable atmosphere. People expect to have
fun when they come to the movies."

"Our theaters make an ideal, cost-effective place for churches to grow, and the
unique theater environment, is a big draw for newcomers," says Mike Schonberger,
vice president, CineMeetings & Events. "In fact, 84% of our church clients report
that attendance has increased since they started holding their services in a movie
theater."

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Web Site = http://www.heavenlywood.com

Contact Details = Heavenly Wood
1142 West Flint Meadow Drive
Kaysville, UT 84037
800-257-2968
marketing@heavenlywood.com

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