A Backroom Blueprint post from d|c|t — practical systems thinking for semi-clued-up churches.
Spoiler: It’s not just a laptop on a table. And no, you probably don’t need one. But someone’s going to ask eventually — so here’s what to say.
Meetings are better when they work
Whether it’s the parish council, the national board, or that hybrid synod meeting where half the room forgot to unmute — church life involves more meetings than most of us care to admit.
And increasingly, those meetings are hybrid.
So the temptation is real: what if you could fit out a room so people just walk in, press one button, and the hybrid meeting actually works — clear audio, consistent camera angles, no laptop limbo or nostril cam?
That’s the dream Zoom Room is selling.
So what is a Zoom Room?
It’s not a subscription plan. It’s not a fancy new version of the app.
A Zoom Room is a room-based conferencing system — a set of hardware and software that connects a physical meeting room to Zoom calls without needing a laptop in the middle of the table.
- A touchscreen controller (e.g. iPad or proprietary tablet)
- A mounted camera and microphone setup
- A large display or TV
- An always-on mini computer or room console
- Optional scheduling panel outside the room
You walk in, tap the screen, and the room joins the meeting — often pulling calendar data directly from Outlook or Google Workspace via an integration with your church’s shared calendar system.
In short: it’s a video boardroom, not a portable kit.
⚙️ Note: Microsoft offers a similar setup called Teams Rooms, and Google Meet has its own flavour too. The branding and hardware may differ, but the strategic scenarios — and trade-offs — are basically the same.
Where it shines
If you’re running frequent hybrid meetings in a consistent space, room-based systems like this can be:
- Reliable: One-button join. Minimal faff.
- Clearer: Fixed microphones and mounted cameras usually beat a laptop mic from across the room.
- Professional: Particularly useful when meeting funders, denominational leaders, or the bishop.
- Integrated: Book the room in your church calendar, and the video call link is already there.
It’s also brandable, secure, and surprisingly slick — when it’s installed right and your internet doesn’t hiccup mid-motion.
Where it gets awkward
But here’s the thing. For most churches:
- Cost is high (the gear + the Zoom Rooms or Teams licence)
- Setup isn’t plug-and-play — expect an AV tech or integrator
- Flexibility is limited — designed for meeting rooms, not rearranged parish lounges or multipurpose halls
- Platform lock-in: You’re committing to Zoom or Teams. No hopping over to livestream the AGM.
And if anything fails — camera, mic, network — you still need someone who knows where the cables go and what not to panic about.
🧠Blueprint Considerations
Before you spend the vestry’s annual biscuit budget on a touchscreen panel, ask:
- What platform does your diocese or denominational office use (Zoom, Teams, Meet)?
- Is the meeting space wired for consistent power, internet, and display?
- Will this room be used by tech-fluent staff or rotating volunteers?
- Can your budget stretch to setup and support?
So… do I need one?
Probably not.
If your main meetings are:
- Monthly vestry in the lounge, with someone dialling in from their campervan = stick with a laptop and a decent mic.
- Quarterly boardroom sessions, sometimes hybrid, sometimes not = you might want to simulate a Zoom Room with some carefully set up gear.
- Frequent, high-profile, multi-location meetings with time-sensitive decisions = then yes, maybe a room-based system is worth the investment.
Just don’t assume that a one-button solution means a no-brainer decision.
Smarter spending
If your hybrid meeting experience is painful, ask:
- Are your audio and camera setups the real problem?
- Is someone in charge of the tech during meetings?
- Are you expecting one solution to work for both worship and meetings? (Hint: they’re different beasts.)
Sometimes a USB boundary mic and a volunteer with a checklist beats $7000 of gear with no one to run it.
Got a hybrid setup that works?
Tell us in the comments — what’s working in your church hall, vestry room, or boardroom? We’re collecting real-world examples for future Backroom Blueprint posts.
Peter Lane is Principal Consultant at System Design & Communication Services and has over 30 years of experience with Technology systems. We invite your questions, suggestions and ideas for articles. These can be submitted either through the editor or by email to dct@dct.org.nz. We also operate a website focused on building a community of people interested in improving how we use technology in churches, located at dct.org.nz.
