Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, CA
While it may not be sitting by the dock of the bay, the majestic Grace Cathedral does reside in beautiful downtown San Francisco just a few miles away from the famous Bay. Its regal architecture is a welcome beacon for worshipers from all over. In fact, the church’s website reminds us that “The cathedral is a house of prayer for all.”
Key to the success of all churches is its ability to reach out and speak to current as well as prospective members of the church. Upon entering the cathedral, in addition to the stunning architecture and stained glass, you can find something the staff calls “the spaceship.” This is where guests will find Welcome information printed in some 10 different languages along with newsletters, bulletins and material outlining the history of the great church.
One need not go any further than the “spaceship” to see how dedicated Grace Cathedral is to the concept of “outreach”. The printing at Grace Cathedral is commandeered by Office Services Assistant Mike Bradshaw. And the printer of choice for the past 10 years at the church has been and continues to be the RISO ComColor Inkjet printer.
In March 2018, the church installed a new GD7330 with Multi-Function Finisher for Saddle-Stitching and Stapling. The ComColor Express FS2000C Fiery from EFI rounds out the configuration and provides Mike with all the power needed to enhance photographs and manipulate images to his liking. “The Fiery is easy to use and greatly improves the images I am asked to print. The output is of high quality and our parishioners love the consistent flow of printed material”. The copy volume averages about 72,000 impressions per month of which most is in color. And while many religious organizations and churches have deemed color toner to be cost prohibitive, some seek out alternatives to toner that make color affordable for its congregation. That alternative today is Inkjet. With no heat or toner to slow it down, the RISO GD7330 at Grace Cathedral prints at speeds of 130 pages per minute. 1000 color flyers for a Grace Cathedral fundraiser is printed in less than 8 minutes. “I can print 1000 copies in less time it takes for some people to brew coffee” jokes the lively Bradshaw. “I’ve been printing with a RISO since joining the church and cannot imagine using any other type of technology”.
In a recent visit, Mike showed us how he had programmed color profiles into his Fiery and how easy it was to “drag and drop” print jobs. “It’s the easiest thing and the quality is great. We print our own envelopes, invitations and a variety of church publications, most of which are on Letter size paper and in color. We create a large (11×17) print version for those whose eyesight demands a larger scale font”.
Lori Coleman is Chief Financial & Operating Officer at Grace Cathedral and is well aware of the high cost of printing color on Toner technology. “That’s why we use Inkjet. It’s reliable and much less expensive than Toner”.
Sharing the right message is key to any non-profit organization and churches are no different. If your church or religious organization relies on printing its message to members or seekers, consider the low-cost color capabilities of RISO Inkjet as a solution. Don’t let anyone tell you color is a luxury.
