Elevating Worship Through Technology.
The Creative Tech Ministry of St. Hilary Catholic Church, Tiburon. We design, run, and maintain the audio, video, lighting, and projection that bring every Mass to the people in our pews and the parishioners worshiping from home.
Our Mission
Elevating Worship Through Technology.
St. Hilary's parish motto is "Making Jesus Matter to Every One." Creative Tech extends that mission into the technical craft of Mass — camera, sound, lighting, and projection — so that every parishioner, whether in the sanctuary or watching from home, can participate fully in the Liturgy.
Liturgy First
Technology serves the Mass. Every choice we make — every cue, every cut — is in service to the Liturgy.
Trained Volunteers
Every operator is a trained parishioner. New volunteers are paired with a veteran for their first weeks on station.
Professional Toolkit
YouTube Live, ProPresenter, Allen & Heath SQ-6, ETC ColorSource, PTZ cameras, and a custom scheduling system.
Meet the Director
Jim Reitzel
Director, St. Hilary Creative Tech
Jim leads the Creative Tech Ministry at St. Hilary, training every volunteer and shaping the technical craft behind every Mass. A career musician and worship leader, he brings the same attention he gives to a song to every camera angle, every microphone, and every cue.
Max Lamar serves as assistant director. The two of them schedule the team, run trainings, and welcome every new volunteer personally.
What We Do
Five stations.
One celebration.
Every Mass at St. Hilary runs through five tech stations — each one operated by a trained volunteer. Together they make the celebration of the Eucharist visible, audible, and present, in the room and beyond it.
Station 01
Audio Mixing
An Allen & Heath SQ-6 digital console anchors every Mass. Lapel and altar microphones, the ambo, the music ministry, and the live-stream output are all routed and mixed in real time.
- Custom channel layout for drums, bass, keys, strings, vocals, and monitor sends
- Independent front-of-house and live-stream mixes
- Pre-programmed scene recalls for each part of the Liturgy
Station 02
Switcher & Camera
Multi-camera live production for the YouTube broadcast. PTZ cameras cover the altar, the ambo, and the choir loft. The switcher cuts the program live, giving viewers at home the same sense of place as the parishioners in the pews.
- Three PTZ cameras with preset positions for each liturgical moment
- Hardware switcher with multiviewer for confidence monitoring
- Live lower-thirds, Mass intentions, and announcements via overlay
Station 03
ProPresenter Slides
Hymn lyrics, responses, and readings on the sanctuary projector, advanced in real time with the celebrant and the music ministry.
- Dual-monitor operator workstation with preview and program outputs
- Parish-curated hymnal organized into per-Sunday playlists
- Pre-built scripture screens for every reading and the Liturgy of the Word
Station 04
Lighting
An ETC ColorSource console drives the sanctuary lighting rig. Each part of the Liturgy has its own pre-programmed look, with cue lighting for special celebrations such as Christmas, the Triduum, and parish missions.
- ETC ColorSource console with full DMX rig integration
- Pre-programmed scenes for every liturgical moment
- One-touch transitions coordinated with the music ministry
Station 05
Teleprompter
Used for parish announcements, special-series introductions, and guest presentations. The teleprompter keeps the speaker on message while remaining invisible to the congregation.
- Operator console with live-edit and variable scroll speed
- Talent-side beam-splitter glass display
- Customizable parish-themed backgrounds and pacing cues
Join Us
The team behind every Mass — could include you.
No experience needed. We pair every new volunteer with a veteran for their first few Masses, and you only solo a station when you're ready. Sign up in 30 seconds.
How it works
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1
Get invited Reach out and we'll add you to the volunteer list — you'll get a welcome email with the next step.
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2
Set up your account Create a quick password for the scheduler. That's all you need to sign in week to week.
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3
Pick your Masses Browse upcoming Masses, pick stations you're trained on, lock in your spot.
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4
Show up + serve Monday morning reminder, gentle nudge, and a welcoming team when you arrive.
In the Booth
The team, on the job.
Sunday mornings, Saturday vigils, parish missions, weddings, funerals. Adults and middle schoolers, side by side. This is what serving the Liturgy through technology looks like.
Common Questions
Before you sign up.
Do I need tech experience?
No. Most of our volunteers started without any. We pair you with a veteran for your first few Masses; you only solo when you tell us you're ready.
How often will I serve?
It's up to you. Some volunteers cover one Mass a month; others sign up every weekend. The scheduler shows what's available — pick what fits your life.
What's the time commitment?
Arrive 30 minutes before Mass, stay until breakdown — about 15 minutes after. Two hours per slot, roughly, including Mass itself.
Can teenagers serve?
Yes. Many of our best operators are high schoolers. We follow the diocese's safe-environment policies and chat with a parent first.
Where do I go?
Upper parking lot, sacristy entrance, then up the choir loft stairs to the tech booth. We'll walk you through it your first day.
Who leads the ministry?
Jim Reitzel is the director of Creative Tech, with Max Lamar serving as assistant director. Both can be reached via the contact form — they personally welcome every new volunteer.
Support the Ministry
Equipping the ministry.
Cameras, microphones, mixers, lighting fixtures, software licenses, and replacement parts. Your gift to St. Hilary Creative Tech directly funds the equipment we run each weekend and the training we provide to new volunteers.
Donations are processed by Tithe.ly on behalf of St. Hilary Catholic Church and are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
Creative Tech Shop
Ministry merchandise.
Apparel and accessories printed with the official Creative Tech logo. Every order is produced on demand by our fulfillment partner and shipped directly to you. A portion of every order goes back into the ministry.
Printed on demand. Every order ships within 5–7 business days. Questions? Email us.