The stirring sounds of gospel hymns, the sight of a packedcongregation swaying to the music and a rousing sermon by the Rev.James Meeks are typical for a midweek service at Salem Baptist Churchin Pullman.
But Wednesday the sights and sounds traveled beyond Salem's wallsvia the Internet.
"It's exciting to be able to reach out to people all over theworld from one spot, people in South America, Australia, Africa,"Meeks said. "There aren't many churches or civic organizations thatcan do that."
Meeks teased members before the sermon, admonishing them to"behave" because they were being seen live.
Salem, one of Chicago's largest African-American churches, isbelieved to be the first in the city to broadcast live audio andvideo from its services via the Web. Salem officials said they knowof only one other church, Cathedral of Hope in Dallas, thatbroadcasts on the Internet.
The church held a trial run Sunday, "but we didn't say anything(publicly) because we didn't know if it would work," Meeks said.
Bill McToy, a church member and computer expert who helped set upthe cameras, sound equipment and computer monitors with friend LeeMichaels, said the Internet beats out television. State-of-the-arttechnology called "streaming video" is used for live Web broadcasts.
"This is definitely better. You can reach the world," McToy said.
Salem, at 118th and Indiana, will broadcast all of its services,held Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. Meeks declined to say how muchthe broadcasting costs.
The video and audio will be stored for three months so viewers canwatch services they've missed. And those with high-speed Internetaccess will see images as sharp as those on TV, Michaels said.
Irene Coleman of Richton Park, a member for 14 years, said she wasso excited about Wednesday's service that she e-mailed her Ameritechco-workers and friends to tell them to tune in.
"Any medium we can use to spread God's word is all right with me,"she said. "I never thought 20 years ago that we would be using thismedium. We used to go door-to-door and now we're using this."
Salem's Web site is www.sbcoc.org
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