Carrie Pasfield originally planned to work in children’s television, evenattending the Disney College program and earning her “Ducktorate,” a step above “Mouseters.” But web development, motherhood, and a writing career landed her in church tech. Her path was winding, but she says it all fits together now.
“When we come out of thisquarantine, we will no longer be tackling all tasks the same way because ‘that’s the way it’s always been done.’ It’s been a great time toreinvent ourselves.”
CPM: How did you find church tech?
PASFIELD: I started volunteering on my church’s production team. I fell in love with working in the video control room and juggling the details of making a flow sheet into a reality. I would go in on my days off to learn as much as I could. When we launched a new campus, I submitted my resume as a long shot. That was four years ago and I still love my job.
CPM: Tell us about your role as production team project manager.
PASFIELD: For quite a while, I was the acting tech director for one of our campuses. The project manager position is a new role that involves hands-on tasks like running cables, set changes, video directing, and running lights. But mostly it’s juggling all of the little details. I create the slide bundles of lyrics and message notes for all campuses and I get to be the touch point for all of the volunteers, onboarding new volunteers and making sure current volunteers have the training that they need to be successful. I also coordinate events and jump between campuses to pitch in wherever needed.
CPM: Does your background in web development help in your current position?
PASFIELD: I used my computer background as a selling point when I interviewed for my position. The concepts of debugging a computer program are the same as tracking problems when a piece of gear fails—same methodology.
CPM: How do experiences like working at Disney help you today?
PASFIELD: One of the first things taught at Disney is to make eye-contact and smile. Disney empowers all of the cast members to do everything in their power to make the guest experience magical. I distinctly remember my trainer taking me to the front gate of Epcot and pointing to the ticket prices to say people expect to get their money’s worth. Those customer service lessons have helped me in every single job I’ve had since, but those skills are even more essential at a church.
CPM: Did the quarantine change your outlook on church production, your tech team, and tech ministry moving forward?
PASFIELD: I have a newfound respect for my teammates. The people I work with are moving mountains and taking it all in stride. I love that we’re using this time to revisit our workflows. When we come out of this quarantine, we will no longer be tackling all tasks the same way because “that’s the way it’s always been done.” It’s been a great time to reinvent ourselves. It’s also been a terrific time to reach out to volunteers and let them know they’re valued. The one big takeaway from this time has been rest. Yes, we’re still working hard but the pace is different, which will definitely help us when we get back to “regular church.”
