Church AV Integration at Fellowship Bible Church
At Fellowship Bible Church, their gymnasium had become a multi-use environment that needed more attention to properly support the events they host for their community. From weekly gatherings to larger events, the room was being used often, but the audio experience was not keeping up. The challenge was clear: the space needed to sound as good as it functioned. This is where Starlite, a leader in Church AV Integration specializing in audio, video, and lighting systems for churches and multi-use spaces, stepped in.
The Challenge: A “Cafegymatorium” in a Church Setting
Large, open gymnasium spaces are known for poor acoustics. Hard surfaces, exposed structure, and high ceilings create reflections that make speech hard to understand and music difficult to control. In these environments, reverberation is not your friend. These types of multi-purpose rooms are often labeled as “cafetoriums” or “cafegymatoriums” because they are expected to serve many functions without fully supporting any of them well.
At Fellowship Bible Church, the room faced the same challenges. As a result, excessive echo. Inconsistent coverage. Structural elements like metal beams contributed to unwanted reflections and feedback. The existing system needed more than a simple upgrade. It needed a thoughtful AV integration and acoustic solution.
Before
After
STARLITE’S CHUCRH AV INTEGRATION APPROACH
Starlite’s Integration Team partnered closely with Fellowship Bible Church to deliver a professional AV integration tailored for a house of worship environment and multi-purpose church spaces. The team focused on improving the gymnasium acoustics while installing the necessary equipment for clear, reliable audio across a wide range of events.
Working within the established system designs, Starlite executed the technology installation with precision, ensuring each system was installed correctly, programmed effectively, and fully operational upon handoff. To support long-term success, Starlite’s Field Engineer, Nick Minieri, also provided hands-on training, giving the church team the confidence to operate and manage their new system day to day.
Acoustic Treatment That Changed the Room
Before any system can perform well, the room itself has to cooperate. Starlite installed 22 acoustic panels throughout the space to reduce reflections and control reverberation, a common challenge in gymnasium acoustics and other large multi-purpose rooms. These panels were strategically placed to address the most problematic surfaces and will be painted later to match the church’s aesthetic.
In addition, acoustic hardware was used to mitigate reflections caused by exposed metal beams. This step played a key role in reducing feedback and improving overall audio clarity across the room.
Once treatment was complete, the room was tuned to balance speech intelligibility and musicality. The difference was immediate. What was once a loud and unfocused environment became controlled and consistent.
System Installation
With the room under control, Starlite installed a professional-grade sound system designed for both power and clarity.
Main System Components:
Amplification and DSP were configured within a Dante-enabled audio network to ensure reliable performance and system flexibility. Additionally, the constant curvature design allows for even coverage across the listening area, which is critical in a wide, open gym. The subwoofer provides low-end support for music-driven events without overpowering speech applications.
The system was tuned to perform consistently across different use cases, from spoken word to full-band playback.
ELECTRICAL AND SYSTEM REFINEMENT
Beyond audio and acoustics, the project included updates to the electrical components supporting the system. These improvements provided a cleaner, more reliable foundation for daily operation.
Before completion, every system was tested, tuned, and verified before handoff. The result is a system the church staff can rely on without needing constant adjustment.
THE RESULT
Fellowship Bible Church now has a gymnasium that functions as a true multi-purpose space. Speech is clear. Music translates well. Events can shift throughout the week without technical limitations getting in the way.
Ultimately, this project was not about over-designing the room. It was about solving the right problems with the right tools and executing the installation with care. As an experienced AV and lighting company, Starlite delivered a solution built for how the space is used every day.
Starlite installed two display systems in our church, and I must tell you they were very professional and had years of experience in this field. From the first communication to the last, what a great team of very experienced staff installed it. I really enjoyed working with them; it was extremely easy to explain ideas to them, and they will supply you with more than just ideas plus actual work. I would strongly recommend Starlite locally and nationwide. Excellent job!!
Starlite is the best !!! Our church has been with them for over 20yrs and they have never failed us.
