OGBBC Sermon Streaming Experiment

Project Overview

Objective: Replace the Midwest Conference Line with a cost-effective, reliable worship service streaming system for Old German Baptist Brethren Church, New Conference (OGBBC) congregations.

MVP Scope: Single congregation implementation with host-controlled broadcasting and listener call-in functionality.

Usage

Prerequisites

• Node.js (v14 or higher)
• SignalWire account with a phone number

Setup

1. Clone the repository.

2. Create a .env file in the root directory with your SignalWire credentials:

   SIGNALWIRE_PROJECT_ID=your_project_id_here
   SIGNALWIRE_TOKEN=your_token_here
   SIGNALWIRE_SPACE_URL=your_space_url.signalwire.com
   SIGNALWIRE_PHONE_NUMBER=+1234567890
   HOST_PIN=12345
   PORT=3000
   

3. Build and run with Docker:

   docker build -t sermon-streaming .
   docker run -p 3000:3000 --env-file .env sermon-streaming

4. Configure SignalWire:

   • Create a Relay Application in SignalWire dashboard
   • Set the topic to "ogbbc-sermon"
   • Assign this application to your phone number in Phone Numbers > Your number > Settings > "Handle Calls Using" > Select the Relay application.

How to Use

• Host: Call the SignalWire phone number and enter the host PIN (default: 1234) to start the conference.
• Listeners: Call the same number to join as muted participants.
• Recordings are saved locally in the recordings/ directory (created automatically).

Development

• Run linting: npm run lint
• Add tests in future phases.

Requirements Analysis

Functional Requirements

• Host authentication via PIN
• Host-controlled conference initiation
• Muting of listeners enforced
• Live audio broadcasting from host to listeners
• Automatic recording of services
• Conference state management
• Basic administrative dashboard

Technical Requirements

• Phone line input (landline/cellular)
• Scalable to multiple concurrent listeners
• Recording storage and retrieval (local initially, cloud in Phase 2)
• Simple administration interface
• Cost-effective operation
• Secure PIN handling and data encryption

Architecture

Technology Stack

• Backend: Node.js with Express
• Telephony: SignalWire Realtime API
• Frontend: Svelte with @immich/ui
• Storage: Local storage (database in future phases)
• Hosting: VPS (DigitalOcean)

Key Components

1. Call Handler - Processes incoming calls and routing
2. Authentication System - PIN-based host verification
3. Conference Manager - LaML-based conference control
4. Status Tracker - Real-time conference state management
5. Admin Dashboard - Web-based monitoring interface

Implementation Phases

Phase 1: MVP Development

Goal: Working single-congregation conference line

Step 1: Core Infrastructure

• Set up SignalWire account and phone number
• Implement basic call handling logic
• Create basic Express server structure
• Implement call routing logic
• Build host authentication system
• Test basic call flow

Step 2: Conference Management

• Implement conference creation/management
• Add participant tracking
• Build recording functionality
• Create conference state management
• Test multi-participant scenarios

Step 3: Admin Interface & Testing

• Build basic admin dashboard
• Add real-time status updates
• Unit and integration testing
• Comprehensive testing with church members
• Documentation and user guides
• Production deployment

Phase 2: Production Hardening

Goal: Reliable production system

• Error handling and logging
• Environment configuration
• Migrate recordings to cloud storage
• Backup/failover procedures
• Performance monitoring
• Security hardening
• Cost analysis and monitoring

Phase 3: Multi-congregation Expansion

Goal: Support multiple OGBBC congregations

• Multi-tenant architecture
• congregation-specific configuration
• Centralized administration
• Recording organization by congregation
• Bulk testing across congregations