Over the course of my life, I have worshipped in a wide variety of “sanctuaries.” Throughout my childhood, I worshipped in a church in which I sat on a pew, surrounded by stained glass and tradition. When part of our congregation spun off to form a new church, I temporarily worshipped in the living room in the home of our pastor; a short time later, I sat on a folding chair and worshipped in the one-room facility that was the brief new home of our new church. Later, in college, I primarily worshipped in a auditorium-style classroom, in stadium seats, with the campus ministry that was my “church” away from home. Now, I worship at a large, contemporary church, sitting in a theater seat and watching the service unfold on large projection screens.

The evolution of my own worship experience over the years is reflective of a movement among some churches to re-define the traditional image of a sanctuary. Today, there’s no universal right or wrong; it’s all about finding out and implementing what’s right for your own church.   

In our annual focus on outfitting the sanctuary, writer Rick Emmelhainz offers some guidelines for churches as they embark on building or renovating the sanctuary.

“Start with a plan that includes asking lots of questions that will head off confusion later,” he says. “By agreeing upon, and focusing on, the answers to these questions, you and your committee will share a common vision. Write answers boldly on large paper and keep them posted during subsequent meetings. Refer to them regularly to keep the compass pointing in the right direction.”

A sanctuary is defined by the dictionary as a “sacred or holy place.” How your church defines it from there is a matter of making it your own space, unique to your particular congregation and worship style.

As always, we have packed this issue with lots of other great information, as well, including tips for making your worship facility a magnet for children, ways to improve and control acoustics, and trends in church directories.

I’m always interested in hearing from you. You can reach me at jill@rpnmag.com.

God Bless,

Jill Pinheiro
Managing Editor