From the very beginning 20 years ago, Zionsville Fellowship in Zionsville , Indiana , was committed to the idea of community and ministry, both to each other and neighbors. These philosophies shaped Zionsville Fellowship's teachings, ministry efforts and worship services.

It also attracted a lot people, causing them to grow from a small group to more than 900 average attendees. As a result, their previous facility was out of space.

The leadership at Zionsville Fellowship wanted a new building, not just for the needed space, but also to allow them to conduct their ministry as they felt called to do.

Aspen Group designs facilities that meet goals and exceed expectations. Aspen Group architects attended services at the previous facility to gain an in-depth understanding of Zionsville Fellowship's distinct worship style.

Next, they met with church leadership to learn more about ministry goals and desired architectural features.

As Pastor Thomas Streeter says, "We believe that there is a relationship between art and architecture, and community and church life and civil life. We had some overriding theological views that we wanted incorporated into the building."

Several guiding ideas emerged.

They thought the design should:

* Be friendly and inviting

* Demonstrate God's transcendence

* Allow for audible participatory worship throughout the sanctuary

* Provide a place for church and community events

* Encourage a sense of community amongst the body

* Establish a visual identity for Zionsville Fellowship

* Complement the historic character of surrounding Zionsville

Aspen Group architect Scott Lee crafted a design that met all of these requirements. He developed a phased master plan to allow for the project to be done a bit at a time. The reaction to the finished design was so positive, the congregation decided to build the entire facility at once.

The finished facility "exceeded our expectations. It was beyond what anybody had as a vision...of what it was going to look like," said Larry Summers, a building committee member.

Ample natural light streams in throughout the building from large windows and lantern-like cupolas. This provides both a sense of the Divine and warm, attractive friendliness. High ceilings also provide that feeling of transcendence. Wide, 12-foot hallways give a sense of openness and allow for smooth traffic flow from one area to another.

A large fellowship hall opposite the sanctuary provides an ideal place for receptions, church dinners and other events that draw the church body together. And, it provides a place for events that can ministry to the wider community, such as conferences, youth events and concerts. A private courtyard and elegant cafe provide comfortable areas for people to interact.

All of these help build the fabric of community that Zionsville Fellowship desires.

The sanctuary acoustical design was painstakingly analyzed to ensure that it worked with Zionsville Fellowship's worship style. The finished room worked even better than expected, allowing everyone to hear as people throughout the large sanctuary offer spontaneous prayers and comments—without the aid of electronic amplification.

"It just works!" said Patty Blakley, a building committee member. Like the rest of the church, she is "so thankful to have a facility designed for the way we do ministry."

The exterior works, too. The stone and white clapboard exterior complements the historic colonial architecture in Zionsville so well that many in the town have expressed their appreciation.

Since Zionsville Fellowship previously met in a converted office building, they had low visibility in the community. One of the goals of the new facility was to visually establish themselves as a church to all who drive by—to provide a visual beacon. And, they wanted to do it in such a way that people are inspired and attracted.

Aspen Group architects incorporated several design touches, such as a towering steeple that immediately identify the structure as a church. The design also consciously presents the church in visual sections, rather than as one large, intimidating, 61,000-square-foot mass. The result is a building that looks appealingly intimate and much smaller that it actually is.

Aspen Group's efforts paid off so well that people from the community, attracted to the building, just spontaneously stop by to tour the facility.

Aspen Group is a leading design/build firm with more than a decade of experience serving the church market, www.aspengroup.com . Aspen Group is also a founding member of the Cornerstone Knowledge Network, a national group of church construction-related companies that strive to develop and disseminate meaningful knowledge that radically improves how church facilities impact ministry.

In a Nutshell

Church: Zionsville Fellowship

Location: Zionsville , Indiana

Congregation Size: More than 900 average attendees

Project Goal: The leadership at Zionsville Fellowship wanted a new building, not just for the needed space, but also to allow them to conduct their ministry as they felt called to do, reflecting their distinct worship style. Another goal was to provide a visual beacon to the community.

Facility Size: 61,000 square feet