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Author Topic: FWD: Coming to a theater near you: Praying
William Hooper
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1879
From: Mobile, AL USA
Registered: Jun 99


 - posted 07-02-2003 12:58 AM      Profile for William Hooper   Author's Homepage   Email William Hooper   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
From another list:

===========================

--------------------
Coming to a theater near you: Praying
--------------------

By David Cho
The Washington Post

June 26, 2003

The marquee outside the Regal Countryside Cinemas in Sterling, Va., reads "X2:
X-Men United." But inside, rock music blares and the big screen in Theater 14
is displaying not action-figure heroes but lyrics about Jesus. For an hour or
so each Sunday morning, the sound of worship displaces the soundtracks of
Hollywood in this unlikely setting.

From their cushioned stadium seating, members of New Life Christian Church call
on God, lifting their hands in prayer while a live band leads them in song.

From the sticky floors to the buckets used to collect monetary offerings, New
Life is bringing God to the box office.

And soon He could be coming to a theater near you. Regal Entertainment Group,
owner of the largest theater chain in the country, started the year with 10
churches meeting in its auditoriums. Now it has 50.

The venture has shown so much potential that Regal officials are looking to
attract more congregations, said Ray Nutt, executive vice president of Regal's
marketing division.

In the past, churches might rent theater space but only until they could afford
a building of their own. But now there's a trend of congregations moving into
cinema multiplexes because the locations are well-known in their communities
and the atmosphere is more appealing to people who consider traditional
churches intimidating -- or boring, leaders say.

Church at the Mall, for instance, moved into Crown Theaters in Annapolis, Md.,
in April, leaving behind the red-brick, white-steeple church it built in 1965.
Attendance had been dipping for two decades, said senior pastor Bill
Chamberlin, but it started picking up again just two weeks after the mall move.

"Our motto is, `Change the way you think about church,"' he said. "It was
evident to us that people that we want to reach out to feel very uncomfortable
about coming into a traditional building."

Many theater churches have been successful in drawing young adults by
emphasizing a spiritual experience over religious rituals. To that end,
traditional hymns have been replaced by Christian rock, and sermons dip into
pop culture.

"We try to bridge a cultural gap that a lot of people have with the church
today," said David Drake, an associate pastor of New Life, a non-denominational
church. Holding services in a traditional church setting "doesn't fit a
casual-dress, rock 'n' roll church," he said. "We don't want people to have
preconceived notions . . . that church is stuffy."

For multiplex owners, hosting churches makes financial sense.

"On Sunday mornings when movies aren't playing, why not? It's just more money
for theaters," said Lynn Marschke, who heads the special events division for
Loews Cineplex, adding that he has been fielding lots of inquiries from pastors.

Copyright (c) 2003, Chicago Tribune

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Don Bruechert
Mmmmmmmmm, bird!

Posts: 340
From: Manitowoc, WI, USA
Registered: Jan 2003


 - posted 07-02-2003 08:55 AM      Profile for Don Bruechert   Author's Homepage   Email Don Bruechert   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Hell, I can go there....

One of our near-downtown theaters was purchased and converted by the Triumphant Christion Church, and was operated for several years as their church - they are one of those "jump, holler and clap" groups. That ran for several years until they bailed out of it and it was purchased by someone else and turned into a budget house with a full "bar food" menu (in addition to the usual theater fare).

They used to advertise all their sermons on the marquee.... It was a "different" concept, that's for sure.

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Scott Jentsch
Phenomenal Film Handler

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From: New Berlin, WI, USA
Registered: Apr 2003


 - posted 07-02-2003 11:21 AM      Profile for Scott Jentsch   Author's Homepage   Email Scott Jentsch   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Marcus Ridge Cinema in New Berlin, WI does this with a Presbyterian church, I believe. Each weekend, there are lawn signs near the theater publicizing the services on Sunday.

The Paradise Theater in West Allis is currently being used by a church group as well. The Paradise was a classics house that couldn't make a go of it by the operator and his volunteers.

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David Stambaugh
Film God

Posts: 4021
From: Eugene, Oregon
Registered: Jan 2002


 - posted 07-02-2003 12:05 PM      Profile for David Stambaugh   Author's Homepage   Email David Stambaugh   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
This actually sounds like a good way for theatres to generate additional revenue at little expense or risk to the facility (not like hosting, say, a screening of a rock concert or sporting event).

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Rachel Craven
Madam Moderator

Posts: 2190
From: Pensacola, FL
Registered: Dec 2000


 - posted 07-02-2003 12:43 PM      Profile for Rachel Craven   Email Rachel Craven   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Hollywood Hits in MA, the theater I used to work at rents out space (4 theaters) every Sunday morning to a church group. They've been there quite a while. They don't advertise or anything for it, its just a rental of space that they do. I only had to work it once...fun fun! [Smile]

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Aaron Mehocic
Jedi Master Film Handler

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From: New Castle, PA, USA
Registered: Jun 99


 - posted 07-02-2003 06:05 PM      Profile for Aaron Mehocic   Email Aaron Mehocic   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
NO! Churches are churches and theatres are theatres! I can understand maybe the local church burns down and the pastor needs a quick fix for the following Sunday, but this . . . no way. I'm not overly religious, but when I do go to church I expect certain traditions, relics, and accustics that cannot be reproduced inside a theatre auditorium.

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Mark Lensenmayer
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1605
From: Upper Arlington, OH
Registered: Sep 1999


 - posted 07-02-2003 06:47 PM      Profile for Mark Lensenmayer   Email Mark Lensenmayer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
AMC Lennox 24, near The Ohio State University campus (for some reason, they are VERY picky there about capitalizing the "THE") has a church group in every Sunday. I've run into them a few times as we like to go to early shows. Looks like they use 3-4 auditoriums there, and set up a table to sell tapes and shirts. Looks like they are trying to attract a young crowd, which is a good idea since it is just across the river from OSU. They have had a few hundred people there the times I have been there.

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John Spooner
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 186
From: South Australia, Australia
Registered: Jan 2003


 - posted 07-03-2003 01:25 PM      Profile for John Spooner   Email John Spooner   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
In one of our smaller theatres which we only run 3 nights, a group from a local Church hold services on Sundays.
All works very well.
John Spooner.

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Dennis Benjamin
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1445
From: Denton, MD
Registered: Feb 2002


 - posted 07-03-2003 05:08 PM      Profile for Dennis Benjamin   Author's Homepage   Email Dennis Benjamin   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
It's all about the almighty dollar. The film companies have forced exhibitors to get revenue elsewhere.

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William T. Parr
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 823
From: Cedar Park, TX
Registered: Nov 2000


 - posted 07-06-2003 10:20 PM      Profile for William T. Parr   Email William T. Parr   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
The Highland 10 used to rent out several auditoriums for Church on Sunday Morning. This of course was back in the General Cinema days. So far we have not been approached about renting out for this, however we have been approached about renting out an auditorium Sat Mornings early for showing Indian Films.

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R. Andrew Diercks
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 232
From: Marion, Iowa (In the middle of everywhere)
Registered: May 2003


 - posted 07-07-2003 12:05 AM      Profile for R. Andrew Diercks   Email R. Andrew Diercks   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
This is an interesting concept and a couple of our theatres do this on Sunday mornings. I love to hear the words Church and Revenue together. It SCREAMS American Values. I would be all for it, especially if we retain a percentage of parishoners as patrons. I would ask the pastor to run until about 30 minutes to showtime and at least sell popcorn on their way out. My theatre is in a very religious Dutch community and it may help business on Sunday. Until a few years ago even Wal-Mart wouldn't open on Sunday. We just opened in April and I got calls asking why I was running a rated R movie in this town. We opened Identity.

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Randy Stankey
Film God

Posts: 6539
From: Erie, Pennsylvania
Registered: Jun 99


 - posted 07-07-2003 09:40 AM      Profile for Randy Stankey   Email Randy Stankey   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
A theater I used to service in Chessapeake, VA does this same thing. I have no problem with it at all. Anybody can come and rent/buy-out a theater for their group. Why not a church group?

If some rich guy can come in and buy a four-wall for his kid's birthday party what's the difference? Actually, it's even better! They come in before opening so you don't have to "put out" any other customers.

I don't care what people want to do. (As long as it's legal and doesn't hurt anything.) Once I have the money in my hand they can go inside the hall and close the doors. Nobody will be bothered, nor should they care.

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Christopher Duvall
Jedi Master Film Handler

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From: Denver, CO
Registered: Dec 1999


 - posted 07-08-2003 03:19 AM      Profile for Christopher Duvall   Email Christopher Duvall   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Randy, where in Chesapeake? I used to be an assistant at a couple of theatres in that area
1. Greenbier 13 (Cheasapeake)
2. Pembroke Mall 8 (Virginia Beach)

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William Leland III
Master Film Handler

Posts: 336
From: Charleston, SC,
Registered: Aug 2002


 - posted 07-08-2003 10:37 AM      Profile for William Leland III   Author's Homepage   Email William Leland III   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
A theatre in Charleston had a church group also. Thought it was an odd idea, but maybe if a church is doing some remodeling or construction it's not a bad idea. As for a peminant, i wouldn't like it but of people are fine with it, it doesn't bother me.

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Aldo Baez
Master Film Handler

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From: USA
Registered: Mar 2001


 - posted 07-09-2003 02:13 AM      Profile for Aldo Baez     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
We have one of these groups every Sunday morning. They setup drums and stuff and a projector and rock out to different songs. Better than doing drugs I guess...

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