In most church plants, you do not have a media guy who can control your slide presentation during the church service. Often this is the job of the pastor to do as he conducts the service.
This should not be something to fear. PowerPoint or Keynote are simple programs to use and are more than enough to handle what you are doing when you start.
Place the computer close to you, in a way that you can easily see the screen. This acts then as a comfort monitor as well. It is called a comfort monitor because it gives you the comfort of knowing what the people see without having to turn around all the time.
I. What you need
A. Wireless presentation remote
B. PowerPoint or Keynote
C. Presentation software
Some common ones are:
II. Adding music
If you put your hymns on a screen and if you do not have a pianist, you can add music files to your hymns. The music will play as you scroll through the slides for the hymn.
A. Adding music to a PowerPoint presentation
B. Adding music to a keynote presentation
This should not be something to fear. PowerPoint or Keynote are simple programs to use and are more than enough to handle what you are doing when you start.
Place the computer close to you, in a way that you can easily see the screen. This acts then as a comfort monitor as well. It is called a comfort monitor because it gives you the comfort of knowing what the people see without having to turn around all the time.
I. What you need
A. Wireless presentation remote
B. PowerPoint or Keynote
- PowerPoint works on both Mac and PC. However, Keynote is a Mac only product.
C. Presentation software
- There are programs that you can purchase, that are easier to use than PowerPoint or Ketnote. You must purchase them and you need to give yourself time to learn them before use. These are not needed to start with.
Some common ones are:
II. Adding music
If you put your hymns on a screen and if you do not have a pianist, you can add music files to your hymns. The music will play as you scroll through the slides for the hymn.
A. Adding music to a PowerPoint presentation
- Create a title slide for the hymn. This gives you time to have the congregation stand. On the first slide for the hymn add the music. When you are ready for the introduction, click the controller and the first lyric slide appears and the music starts. If you add the music to the hymn title slide, you only have the time the introduction gives you.
- To add the music file, just drag it onto the slide you want it to begin on. Make sure the speaker icon is selected. In the menu bar select “Playback.” In the middle of the playback section is a volume speaker. Beside the speaker is a “Start” dropdown. Select “Automatic.” Underneath the “Start” dropdown check the “Play Across Slides” box. To the right of the “Start” dropdown check the “Hide During Show” box. Then you are done.
- Have you ever been in a service where the lyrics didn’t change with the music? Well, there is a great way to fix that. With just one click of the presenter, your slides will advance automatically to the timing of the music. This is easy to do. Once your music is in place and the settings are in, go to “Slide Show” in the menu. Select “Record Slide Show.” You need to be ready because it starts right away. The intro will start. Listen to the music and when the music takes you to the end of the first slide hit enter. (ex. Music takes you to the end of the first verse hut enter now the words and music for the chorus will play) Continue this throughout the hymn until it is finished. In the top left corner select “End Recording.” Now when you click the remote to start the hymn everything will run automatically until the hymn is finished. You might need to practice this a few times to get it right.
- You can use this in special music also, if your use soundtracks.
B. Adding music to a keynote presentation
- This is much more difficult in keynote. One solution is to make an IMovie of the hymn with the slide transitions set to the timing of the hymn.