Article Published in the York News Times on 6/25/2005
A Modern Spiritual Connection: Fairview Manor residents are able to attend worship from the comfort of home.
By Jessica Luebbe
Staff Writer
Dark Fiber Solutions and Galaxy Cablevision of York have teamed up to provide the United Methodist Church in Fairmont with a one-way video system, connecting the church with the Fairmont Manor. The system will allow residents of the manor to receive live audio and video feeds directly from the church at any time. Before the installation of the video system, the church's pastor preached her Sunday sermon to the local church congregation then traveled across town to deliver a second sermon to the members of the Fairview Manor. With the new system in place, not only will the Fairview residents be able to receive Pastor Drake's sermon directly from the church, they will also have the pleasure of experiencing the presentation of the local choir and any other activities that occur during the normal Sunday worship service.
Pastor Drake's time at the manor will now be used to provide more of a one-on-one environment with the residents. The system is not only limited to the Sunday morning sessions but will be in place around the clock. This will allow for future presentations such as Christmas and Easter programs, to be shared with the manor residents as well
" . . . We had a wonderful gift from the Taust Foundation to the church so members of the choir and the administrative council thought about how we could use this kind of a gift to make a worship service available to those people who cannot be a part of these services," said Rev. Drake. "We have 10 to 15 members out at the local nursing home."
Chris Karn, state manager of Galaxy Communications stresses the importance of working together.
"Galaxy Cablevision is committed to being a part of the communities we serve," he said. "It is important for us to find ways to bring new services to people that may not otherwise have an opportunity to experience the broad spectrum of services broadband is able to offer. Our partnership with Dark Fiber Solutions is very important and the team at Dark Fiber Solutions was instrumental in getting this project off the ground. This project is a wonderful example of what Galaxy Cablevision and Dark Fiber Solutions can do together to bring services to our local communities."
Pastor Drake didn't ask for the cameras, instead the congregation came up with the idea.
"This is not a pulpit-driven congregation . . . " she said. "What is so vital about this church is they are driven. This idea didn't come because I said we should do it. This idea began as a dream of the choir and others who were interested in the ministries at Fairview manor. . . I didn't push for it and I didn't ask for it. For a matter of fact I was probably like 'we don't want to go that far do we?' Because I'm a little camera shy." United Methodist's pastor also hopes to expand on the current configuration in the future.
"Right now it is one camera. We are experimenting. We've only had a few Sundays with the camera. It will take some time and some tweaking to get everything just perfect. We have gotten some feedback. People would like to get more angles during worship. Some people would like a camera that is focused on different elements, like the children's story, or the choir and even the congregation."
Fairview Manor resident, Marbella Johnson, also agrees with Drake.
"You can have church and not have to get out and go," Johnson said. "It's nice to be able to go to church to be with people. But it is nice that we are able to have the community here. I do wish they could zoom in closer."
"I think the most obvious benefit is people who are unable physically to be a part of the worship here at church are not barred from participating in the worship of the church," Drake said. "That because of this technology and because of these gifts, people who are physically inhibited are now spiritually connected. They are a part. They are touching us and we are likewise touching them. That is the biggest benefit. They get to experience that Jesus is alive at Fairmont Community United Methodist Church."
John M. Dixon III, president of Dark Fiber Solutions is pleased with the new use of technology. "Dark Fiber Solutions is eager and welcomes the opportunity to offer our support in assisting the elderly and homebound in connecting to the outside world through the use of technology," he said.
