Modernizing House Lighting for Knoxville Area Churches

When you step into a sanctuary, the lighting should do more than just help you see the hymnal or the screen—it should set the tone for worship. However, many churches today are still operating on outdated incandescent systems that are difficult to dim, expensive to maintain, and generate a surprising amount of heat.

Recently, we partnered with two local congregations—Grace Baptist Church and Parkwest Church of God in Knoxville—to transition their house lighting from aging 500W quartz luminaires to a high-efficiency LED solution.

The Challenge: Outdated Quartz Systems

Both churches were using traditional Kurt Versen 500W luminaires. While these fixtures provided a warm glow, they came with significant drawbacks:

• High Energy Consumption: 500 Watts per fixture adds up quickly in a large sanctuary.

• Frequent Maintenance: Quartz bulbs have a relatively short lifespan, often requiring lifts or ladders for frequent replacements.

• Limited Control: Achieving smooth, "black-to-full" dimming without flicker is notoriously difficult with older technology.

The Solution: A Seamless Retrofit

Working alongside Andre Huff of Limelight Design Service LLC, we implemented a house lighting retrofit using our DTN Series Jupiter 50W Down Lights.

We specifically designed these fixtures to drop directly into the existing housings. This "seamless" approach saved the churches significant time and money on labor, as there was no need to tear out the old ceiling infrastructure.

The Results: Better Light, Lower Bills

The transformation at both Grace Baptist and Parkwest was immediate:

• 90% Energy Savings

• Smooth Scene Dimming

• 4000K Clarity

  
  

Want to see the technical breakdown and project photos?  Click here to download the full Church House Lighting Case Study.