Sunday Service Production Setup SOP: ProPresenter, MyDMX3, and Blackmagic Switcher
Original LOOM Link: https://www.loom.com/share/e486dabd3d2346c6bbd69da99020071a
Objective
Prepare all Sunday morning presentation, lighting, routing, and switcher systems so service can run smoothly with minimal manual intervention. This SOP covers clearing last week’s content, loading current-week songs and sermon slides, verifying lighting and video routing, and confirming fallback options if automation fails.
Key Steps
1. Start with a clean Sunday setup 0:00
Open the production workflow with the expectation that you are preparing ProPresenter, MyDMX3, and the Blackmagic switcher for Sunday service.
Understand that these systems work together and should be set up in a specific order.
Begin from a blank state and remove last week’s content before loading this week’s service items.
2. Review shared sermon and support files 2:38
Open the shared Sermons ProPresenter folder on the desktop.
Locate the current week’s sermon folders and ProBundles exported by the pastor.
Shift-select the needed files and drag them into the ProPresenter library.
If slide formatting looks off, open the Theme Editor and reapply the theme to correct it.
Keep the backup DVC file available as the LightQueue/MyDMX profile in case the lighting software needs to be restored.
3. Launch ProPresenter and MyDMX3 before editing slides 4:22
Open ProPresenter first, since it is the main command station for Sunday production.
Open MyDMX3 and let it run before making changes in ProPresenter.
Turn on the lighting software early so lighting changes are visible while you build the service flow.
Use the MyDMX control box to enable DMX pass-through and select the primary preset (for example, preaching alt) before programming cues.
4. Confirm lighting preset behavior and MIDI flow 7:05
Verify that ProPresenter sends MIDI commands to MyDMX3, and MyDMX3 converts those commands into DMX for the lighting fixtures.
In MyDMX3, confirm the correct MIDI mapping for each preset.
Use channel 1, note 0 as the default fallback command for the primary preaching preset.
Set velocity 127 for ON and 0 for OFF.
Enable note off / velocity zero so cues can turn off correctly.
Avoid using note-on/note-off behavior that would cause lights to toggle unpredictably during a service.
5. Add and verify lighting cues inside ProPresenter 10:09
In ProPresenter, open the slide or song and review the lighting cue icons/actions.
Add lighting actions through Actions > Communications > MIDI.
Use MIDI command on for lighting cues, since the lighting software expects note-based on/off behavior.
Keep cue numbers consistent and concise so they are easy to troubleshoot.
Add a proactive cue such as 250 for the Ministry Moment to clear sticky lighting states when needed.
Leave non-conflicting cues in place if they do not interfere with the current lighting behavior.
6. Set up output routing and screen looks 14:23
Review the ProPresenter output styles / looks and confirm the correct routing for all displays.
Verify the five outputs used in the room:
Outside screens
Center screen
Stream feed
Stage monitor
Teaching TV
Choose the correct look for the service segment, such as:
No iMAG lyrics
Lyrics with center screen media
No iMAG teaching
Video no center
Mission guest routing
Confirm whether content should appear on the center screen, outer screens, teaching TV, or stream before moving on.
7. Load and arrange worship songs for the service 23:23
Drag the planned songs into the Sunday service playlist in the correct order.
Confirm the service order matches the planned set list.
For each song, select the correct arrangement/version, usually the Radiant version for Sunday morning.
Compare the arrangement in ProPresenter with the practice software if needed.
Make sure the song order and arrangement labels match the way the worship team will perform them.
8. Apply the correct media background and inspect playback settings 27:23
Open the Media tab and choose the correct motion background from the shared Dropbox folder.
Drag the background into the song and confirm it is set to loop.
Ensure the media is configured as a background, not a foreground, so lyrics remain visible.
Use the Inspector to confirm playback settings such as loop behavior and retrigger settings.
If needed, adjust color, brightness, contrast, or saturation to match the room lighting and theme.
9. Build lyric cues and service transitions for each song 31:12
Add a lyrics on air cue at the beginning and end of each song.
Use the lyrics cue as a flag so the switcher knows when to show or hide lyrics.
Make sure the lyric cue is present on the first and last slide of the song.
Confirm the cue turns lyrics off before prayer slides or other full-screen content appears.
Use the same approach for every song so the camera/switcher operator does not need to manage lyrics manually.
10. Program meet-and-greet, announcement, and video transitions 36:02
Keep the meet and greet cue in place so lighting changes happen at the right moment.
Add markers to videos so lighting and camera changes happen automatically during playback.
Use the video slide to trigger:
Lighting changes
Camera changes
Program routing changes
Set the video as foreground when it needs to clear other content.
Confirm the video action includes the correct Stream Deck command, MIDI cue, and clear-slide behavior.
11. Load mission spotlight content and set audience looks 44:18
Download mission spotlight slides from email or shared files.
Import the slides into the Media Library or mission spotlight folder.
Replace the old mission spotlight content with the new slides.
Set the correct Audience Look so the content appears on the teaching TV when needed.
Verify the following slides use the correct routing, especially for tithe and offering or other room-wide display moments.
12. Configure bumper graphics and teaching TV protection 49:51
Use the generic bumper cue for sermon bumpers so the setup does not need to change every week.
Confirm the bumper plays on the correct screens and triggers the right lighting and camera changes.
Add a teaching TV prop or logo sting so the teaching TV has a clean visual when the bumper is not meant to appear there.
Use the Looks tab to route the teaching TV prop correctly.
Add a clear props cue so unwanted layers do not remain on the teaching TV.
13. Insert sermon slides and start the sermon timer 55:41
Locate the Place Sermon Slides Here section in the playlist.
Drag the sermon slides into the library and then into the correct position in the Sunday service playlist.
Keep the bumper and title graphic above the sermon section so the structure stays consistent week to week.
Confirm the sermon timer starts when the first slide after the header is clicked.
Verify sermon slides use the correct layout:
Centered for main points and quotes
Left-aligned for scripture or longer text
Use the correct theme and text color for readability.
14. Prepare pre-service countdowns and event slides 01:01:29
Use the same slide structure for pre-service and post-service content.
Confirm the pre-service slide triggers:
Lighting cue
Music loop
Countdown to service
Video output to the correct screens
Import current event slides from the shared Dropbox folder.
Ensure all event slides are set as backgrounds, not foregrounds.
Keep the event slide order readable and visually balanced.
Verify the countdown content uses non-copyrighted music if needed.
15. Import and format a new song when needed 01:12:25
In the Songs library, choose File > Import > Song Select.
Search for the song by title and songwriter.
Import the song into the Songs library without adding it to the playlist yet if you want to review it first.
Create a new version from the master before editing.
Reflow the lyrics so verses, choruses, bridges, and blanks are grouped correctly.
Add blank, intro, and outro slides as needed.
Add lighting cues, haze cues, and lyrics cues to the appropriate slides.
Adjust motion graphics playback speed if the background is too visually aggressive.
16. Use fallback lighting and hardware recovery procedures 01:25:20
If MyDMX3 crashes or becomes unstable, switch back to the DMX off / hardware box control.
Use the physical preset box as the fallback lighting control method.
Know the preset order:
1 = all lights on
8 = all lights off
Middle presets = various stage and house-light combinations
Confirm the wall plates will only work when DMX is not actively overriding them.
If software or hardware behaves unpredictably, restart the computer and work backward through the signal chain until the failure point is found.
Cautionary Notes
Do not leave last week’s songs, slides, or cues in place if they will interfere with the current service flow.
Always confirm whether a slide is a background or foreground; the wrong setting can hide lyrics or clear audio/video unexpectedly.
Make sure note off / velocity zero is enabled for MIDI lighting cues, or lights may toggle incorrectly during the service.
Verify that the correct look is selected before service starts; routing mistakes can send content to the wrong screens.
Be careful when importing sermon slides or event slides from Finder/Dropbox, since they may come in as foregrounds by default.
If MyDMX3 becomes unstable, do not keep forcing it; switch to the hardware fallback and continue service.
Avoid using copyrighted music in countdowns or pre-service loops unless licensing is confirmed and the platform allows it.
If a video or bumper is being used, confirm its markers and actions before service so camera and lighting changes happen on time.
Tips for Efficiency
Open MyDMX3 early so lighting changes are visible while you build the playlist.
Keep a consistent song structure with intro, blank, and outro slides to reduce last-minute edits.
Reuse standard looks and song versions week to week whenever possible.
Use markers in videos to automate lighting and camera changes instead of manual switching.
Keep sermon slides and mission slides in shared folders so they can be dragged in quickly each week.
Use the Stream Deck GUI for switcher control when available, especially for video, lyrics, and camera transitions.
When troubleshooting, start with the simplest fallback: basic preaching preset, basic routing, and minimal effects.
If a motion background is too fast or distracting, reduce the play rate in the Inspector.
Keep a backup DVC profile for MyDMX3 so the lighting setup can be restored quickly if needed.