UNTO US

Michele Peterson from Crow Hill Bible Church in Bailey, CO, proves that you don’t need a big budget—or a big stage—to create a stunning worship atmosphere.

Inspired by larger church Christmas stage designs, Michele and her team decided to bring that same festive flair to their small worship space with a creative twist. When their worship leader fell in love with the look of hanging lights, they got to work improvising a solution that would fit both their space and budget.

Michele began by purchasing a few simple supplies:

A pack of black tacks from their local Ace Hardware – $5

Four boxes of 90-foot small bead LED Christmas light strands – $20 each

A star and wood letters spelling “UNTO US” from Hobby Lobby – about $30 total

To create the look, she placed tacks at the top and bottom of each sound panel. The light strands were then looped over the tacks—first across the top, then vertically, and finally along the bottom—wrapping each panel in a beautiful glow. All the cords were plugged into a single power strip and neatly secured with Gaff cable tape.

To enhance the warmth and depth, Michele used existing down lights (truss warmers) for a colorful wash across the stage. She also added finishing touches with a star suspended from above and the “UNTO US” lettering mounted to the wood wall. To complete the scene, garland and LED candles—repurposed from their storage—lined the edge of the platform, adding a cozy, welcoming vibe.

This creative, low-cost design shows how thoughtful planning and a little bit of improvisation can make even a small stage shine brightly. It’s a great reminder that sometimes, less really is more.