Empowering churches and encouraging people to develop and use their God given gifts to glorify God, edify His people, and reach the lost.
Kids Day 2019
Most churches have a Vacation Bible School (VBS) program during the Summer months. Not all of them feature a closing presentation that features every child in a musical derived from a powerful scriptural lesson! Enter, Kids Day!
The two day event is a balancing act because we are only revealing parts of the story to the kids as they learn the songs so that during the finale they become part of a story that they are helping to tell but they haven't seen the end.
The concept is the brainchild of Sharon VanWyk who has personally written more than 20 of the amazing programs with themes as divers as astronauts and cowboys.
LaFontaine Foundation provides technical services for the Kidz Dayz programs including audio, video and lighting. "It can be challenging because all of the music is original so the music has to be pre-recorded and many times, the sessions run up to the day of the presentation! It can be stressful." laughs Ike.
"The best part is that the kids are totally immersed in an interactive musical drama that leads them right to a bedrock Godly principal."
Potentially dangerous electrical issues
When Elder Ronnie Nelson II called and asked us to check out an electrical issue they were having with their Hammond organ, we had no idea that would end with a trip to the ER!
Elder Ronnie Nelson II has served faithfully at GNPC for more than ten years and a musician and is well respected as one of the best church organists around. Because a circuit failure on an old A100 Hammond organ, every time he would touch another piece of equipment (like a microphone to his lips) it would release an electrical shock that was big enough to knock the music right out of most.
We were able to come in and rewire the entire audio system including adding grounding and power conditioning to every component in the audio system. "Unfortunately, we assumed that the electrical problem was corrected and I touched the keys of the organ before testing it with a multimeter." Said Ike. "I was shocked, (literally) to find that the problem persisted. We were able to have an organ tech come out to start repairs right away.
The lesson here is never to assume. Always, use a meter to check for voltage after surges and power events. We use electronics everyday and musicians play electronic instruments all the time so we forget that the power that is running through them could be dangerous. Keeping your equipment properly maintained is very important.
New Keyboards for the Philippines
We were happy to contribute, along with others, to provide two new keyboards to a church in the Philippines. This church was unique in one very special way. There's more than one great young musician coming up in this church. "It's exactly what we're looking for." says Executive Director Ike LaFontaine.
"LaFontaine Foundation loves to find the hidden gems that are faithfully serving as musicians in their church and bless them. We love to see gifted musician's eyes when they sit down with a quality instrument for the first time. Sometimes they are overcome with emotion as they play and the tears flow as freely as the beautiful music. It's magical."
Current Projects
Toledo
Sound/Video System Install
Perfecting Church Toledo is currently remodeling a new church building that they have purchased. Pastor Marvin L. Winans is a multi Grammy award winning and nominated Gospel singer with countless other awards and accolades for his singing and songwriting. Obviously, when it comes to installing a sound system for this church, unwavering quality was most important.
"I grew up on the Winans music," said Ike LaFontaine. "I can still sing every word of songs like, Bring Back the Days of Yea and Nah, Tomorrow, and Everything You Touch is a Song." He added, "When the LaFontaine Foundation was asked to do the sound and video system for the new church I was very excited."
This church in Toledo is an extension of Perfecting Church Detroit where Pastor Winans serves and where they are currently constructing a beautiful new building.
We are using every piece of their old equipment that we can, integrating it with the new equipment. They moved into the new building on Easter Sunday!
Although the main campus in Detroit is huge the smaller church plant in Toledo is just starting. So, although the quality of the system needed to be high, the budget had to be manageable for a congregation of 200.
New Wireless Mics for Second Baptist
Nothing can disturb and church service like a noisy or malfunctioning sound system and that's what was happening at Second Baptist Church in Monclova, Ohio. The Pastor called on us to replace six wireless microphone systems that were a source of constant trouble.
We put six new Shure systems in with wireless SM58 mics and they have been "working great!"
