Constance (Connie) Stella is Director of Saving Grace Productions at The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas.

Constance E. Stella Bio

• Charter member, Church of the Resurrection
• Founder, Saving Grace Productions, January 1998
• Life-long United Methodist
• Studied writing, film and television production at Cambridge University
• Interned at BBC-TV London; graduate of Stephens College, Columbia, MO, with B.S. in Film & Political Science
• TV news producer at NBC stations in Detroit and Kansas City
• Produced video projects for Church of the Resurrection as volunteer for 7 years before joining church staff to launch Saving Grace Productions
• Serves on National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) national Committee on Church Media
• Leads workshops & seminars on Video in Worship, Technical & Creative Team Development, Media Ministry Leadership; visits medium-large churches nationwide each year
• Married to Reid, an advertising creative director
• Mother of 3 young teenagers

History of Saving Grace Productions

Saving Grace Productions is the media ministry of Church of the Resurrection; SGP has a very broad scope and produces both new media and live productions.

Scope of Work & Resources

• Produce award-winning new media for main weekend worship
• 5 services, average worship attendance of 7,000 – 8,000 per weekend
• 5 cameras, Producer’s ‘skybox’ in house, separate FOH booth
• Back of house—Control Room, ENG room, studio, audio control room, voice-over booth, conference room, 2 edit suites, and offices
• Produce new media, predominantly video illustrations, for sermons
• Produce all types of new media—graphics, audio pieces, videos—for worship, often collaborating with music department
• Produce Capital Campaign & Stewardship Campaign projects, helping to raise approximately $75 Million in 12 years
• Produce all technical aspects of main weekend worship, including graphics, 5 cameras, audio, theatrical lighting
• Produce media on DVD, CD, VHS, Audiotape—sermons, small group video-based curriculum, etc.
• Produce weekly worship & programming events for COR’s other ministries—Singles, Students, Adult Discipleship
• Provide technical facilitation of audio-video & other media systems for COR campus facilities
• Produce special projects: special worship events, concerts, special video projects for COR ministries, and video projects for other churches and church organizations

History & Staffing

• Founded in January 1998
• Began with one part-time staff, no volunteers
• Began 2^nd year with one full-time & one 10-hour-per-week staff and 10 –15 volunteers
• Currently: 10 staff positions and 175 volunteers