On September 7, Imagine Church gathered at All Saints’, Atlanta, for its first-ever live, in-person recording — a Eucharistic service that included a mix of traditional music and liturgy, together with gospel and contemporary music, a meditation from Bishop Rob Wright, and communion in the round.
The congregation gathered under an outdoor tent with approximately 75 people in attendance, representing the Episcopal Church and many other denominations. The service was recorded in real-time, utilizing professional-grade video and audio equipment and production software.
Begun in August 2020, Imagine Church is an expression of online worship and digital evangelism in the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta. Until now, Imagine Church has never filmed with more than a handful of people behind the camera.
The Rev. Zack Nyein, Imagine Church Director of Worship said, “This experiment seeks to innovate out of our cherished traditions while celebrating the God-given diversity present among the people of God. Imagine Church is native to this season of COVID and racial reckoning and seeks to be a bridge from isolation to connection. We see video as an art form, not just a content delivery mechanism. So we’re leaning into the technology, even when it scares us a little.”
The recording of the service will premiere publicly on September 19 at 7 PM ET on the Imagine Church YouTube channel, Facebook page, and website.