The Church of Scotland (C of S), as Scotland’s national church and largest Christian body, recently undertook a review of its operations. This review led to a plan to transform its Fraserburgh parish in Aberdeenshire into a key regional hub, integrating the neighbouring towns of Rosehearty and Inverallochy. This initiative effectively consolidated seven churches into three.
This consolidation was driven by financial constraints and smaller congregations, but it also presented an opportunity for the C of S to overhaul its technological infrastructure. Many existing AV systems were outdated or entirely absent, highlighting a clear need for standardisation and scalability across all locations. To enhance both worship and community engagement, the Church recognised that integrating advanced technology was crucial. The growing reliance on recorded materials in church services further underscored the need for modernisation.
3:16 AVI of Peterhead was selected as the systems integrator for the project due to the company’s strong track record in the sector. A key driver for the direction of the project was the requirement for these spaces to become multi-use whilst respecting the architectural integrity of the buildings. A need for discreet technology that complemented the listed spaces was a challenge needing consideration. Additionally, accessibility and usability for non-technical users were important factors, as these churches aim to be utilised by various groups in the community beyond regular church services.
“A collaborative approach was absolutely essential in crafting a tailored design solution for the worship space,” said Alexander Dixon, Director at 3:16 AVI. “After meeting them at ISE 2025, we recognised that Avocor’s K Series would be ideal for this project. The product blends seamlessly with the church’s traditional architecture, thanks to its slim bezel and discreet design, while ensuring the technology enhances the space and congregation experience. In addition, the ability to integrate with a smart control system allows simple and intuitive use of all the church’s facilities via a simple interface.”
Implementation began with a comprehensive assessment of the AV infrastructure across the three consolidated church locations. The seven K Series installed at the Fraserburgh site deliver superior visual clarity and seamless design integration. With 450 nits of brightness and 90% colour accuracy, the K Series displays provide content options that can be customised according to specific needs. The K Series is equipped with DisplayNote Montage, enabling seamless wireless screen sharing, and Rise Vision, for dynamic digital signage, content management.
With identical setups across all three churches, the new Avocor displays have significantly enhanced the church’s communication and collaboration efforts, allowing for congregations to offer seamless services for anyone in the facility. With creative mounting solutions, preservation of architectural integrity was achieved, particularly through custom pole brackets being used to avoid damage within the listed buildings.
There has been a positive reception with an increase in the expected usage. With schools and local groups now using the spaces for events, turning the church into a community hub has been an additional bonus. With future plans of improvement, including the introduction of mobile AV solutions and increased media use to engage with streaming and interactive content, the modernisation project continues. The C of S in Fraserburgh and surrounding areas, is now well equipped to meet the evolving needs of modern church services and provide spaces for communities to thrive.