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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                        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 To that end, traditional hymns have been replaced by Christian rock, and sermons dip into pop culture.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 -------------------- Improved archives! Searching Chicagotribune.com archives back to 1985 is cheaper and easier than ever. New prices for multiple articles can bring your cost down to as low as 30 cents an article: http://www.chicagotribune.com/archives  |  IP: Logged Don Bruechert Mmmmmmmmm, bird! Posts: 340 From: Manitowoc, WI, USA Registered: Jan 2003 posted 07-02-2003 08:55 AM                        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.  |  IP: Logged Scott Jentsch Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1061 From: New Berlin, WI, USA Registered: Apr 2003 posted 07-02-2003 11:21 AM                        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.  |  IP: Logged David Stambaugh Film God Posts: 4021 From: Eugene, Oregon Registered: Jan 2002 posted 07-02-2003 12:05 PM                        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).  |  IP: Logged Rachel Craven Madam Moderator Posts: 2190 From: Pensacola, FL Registered: Dec 2000 posted 07-02-2003 12:43 PM                     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!  |  IP: Logged Aaron Mehocic Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 804 From: New Castle, PA, USA Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-02-2003 06:05 PM                     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.  |  IP: Logged Mark Lensenmayer Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1605 From: Upper Arlington, OH Registered: Sep 1999 posted 07-02-2003 06:47 PM                     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.  |  IP: Logged John Spooner Expert Film Handler Posts: 186 From: South Australia, Australia Registered: Jan 2003 posted 07-03-2003 01:25 PM                     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.  |  IP: Logged Dennis Benjamin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1445 From: Denton, MD Registered: Feb 2002 posted 07-03-2003 05:08 PM                        It's all about the almighty dollar. The film companies have forced exhibitors to get revenue elsewhere.  |  IP: Logged William T. Parr Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 823 From: Cedar Park, TX Registered: Nov 2000 posted 07-06-2003 10:20 PM                     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.  |  IP: Logged 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                     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.  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-07-2003 09:40 AM                     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.  |  IP: Logged Christopher Duvall Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 500 From: Denver, CO Registered: Dec 1999 posted 07-08-2003 03:19 AM                     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)  |  IP: Logged William Leland III Master Film Handler Posts: 336 From: Charleston, SC, Registered: Aug 2002 posted 07-08-2003 10:37 AM                        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.  |  IP: Logged Aldo Baez Master Film Handler Posts: 266 From: USA Registered: Mar 2001 posted 07-09-2003 02:13 AM                    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...  |  IP: Logged

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