Thanks to the Microsoft Donations Program, he got it. With Microsoft technology, Rev. McHugh maximises opportunities for his 100-strong congregation and the wider community to make positive contributions to local life — while his programmable midi file player is revitalising church music in congregations across Australia. 

Challenge

The Proserpine Whitsunday Uniting Church in Northern Queensland is a vibrant and highly active community organisation. The church runs regular services at multiple locations – including on the Whitsunday islands – and performs weddings and funerals for the local community. To ensure the church remains well connected to the wider community, it is vitally important they remain up-to-date with technology, particularly in these modern times.

“Our 100-strong congregation is involved in virtually every community organisation in the Proserpine area,” says McHugh. “Our aim is to inspire everyone in the community to make a positive contribution: from professionals who work in local schools and hospitals to volunteers at annual events. We believe our church should be a catalyst for high community involvement.” 

To manage multiple activities, the Uniting Church relies on a team of volunteer administrators. Until Rev. McHugh arrived, the team was dependent on outdated technology and ad-hoc technology purchases to manage all church activities. Fortunately, the new pastor guided the church to the Microsoft Donations Program and could utilise his skills as an ex-IT professional to update the technology used by the church. 

“Church technology typically has a reputation for being pretty bad. However, churches need technology or we can’t relate to the world around us. Some of our old technology was almost useless, which was unsustainable as communication in our church is continuous”, says McHugh.
 

Solution

The Microsoft Donations Program is committed to helping not-for-profit organisations gain all the benefits of top-grade IT systems and up-to-date communications technologies. Via Connecting Up, an online application service quickly establishes eligibility for the Microsoft Donations Program. Once deemed eligible, the organisation is provided with the relevant product keys to download the Microsoft technology.

“We’ve often found that software donation programs open to charities are not open to churches—but this one is,” says McHugh. “We requested Office 2013 Professional and Windows 8.1, and the order was processed within a day. We secured licences for my devices and machines used by our volunteers, which they can also use from home.”

Today, the church’s third-party email service is managed through Microsoft Outlook, which enables the church volunteers to deftly manage email distribution lists. The volunteers also use the Microsoft Publisher desktop publishing tool to publish weekly news-sheets, and the church’s quarterly contact magazine. The church also uses specialist software ‘Easy Worship’, which enables McHugh to pull in Microsoft PowerPoint slides for presentations, and edit software for commemorative videos.
 

Benefits

With donated software from Microsoft, The Proserpine and Whitsunday Uniting Church can build a stronger connection to the local community, enhancing its ability to stimulate community involvement — resulting in positive contributions to local regions.

Helping local volunteers be proactive
Easy-to-use and up-to-date email systems means that the members of McHugh’s congregation communicate as effectively as employees in any commercial operation. “Now, everyone is communicating efficiently, which helps us all to be more proactive in the community.”

Inspired church music
Rev.McHugh hasn’t stopped at improved email systems. Through the Microsoft Donations Program, he has also acquired Microsoft programming tool, Visual Studio, and used his professional C++ programing skills to create a transformational digital music-playing application. “I used Microsoft Visual Studio to code a midi music player, designed specifically to meet the needs of churches,” says McHugh.

Called MyMidiPlayer and available for free, McHugh’s application enables service leaders to stipulate any number of verses for a particular hymn, and to play it in a variety of styles — including up to a full orchestral setting. “Now we have a reliable accompaniment to hymns and songs, and great music to complement our musicians,” he says. 

Global congregation
Prosperpine’s tech-savvy vicar has found a ready audience for his midi-player across Queensland and overseas. “We have supplied the midi player to the whole of the Uniting Church across Queensland, whose members also struggle to bring great music into their services,” says McHugh. “Churches in UK, US, South Africa, Brazil and India have also downloaded the application.”

“With help from the Microsoft programming tool, we are helping under-resourced congregations to enrich their worship. As a church leader, I’m always batting for the people who generally miss out. Using donated Microsoft products, we’ve managed to create something good that churches everywhere can share.”
 

About Prosperine Whitsunday Uniting Church

Led by Rev. Wayne McHugh, the Proserpine Whitsunday Uniting Church operates from two churches – St. James’ in Proserpine and St. Martin’s in Cannonvale.
www.proserpineuniting.org.au

Region: Queensland
Industry: Faith-based organisation  

Software and Services:
Windows 8.1
Microsoft Office Professional Plus
Microsoft Visual Studio