Moveable Walls, COVID, and Religious Facilities
Other than educational facilities, the religious/worship vertical market has been affected the most by the pandemic. But religious facilities, especially existing, are faced with very unique space division issues. The premise of a worship facility is based on “congregating,” to meet together as a unified body to worship and praise. But how do you
Post COVID-19: Re-Entering His Gates
By Tim Cool Though some of us are not entering into a church building yet, I trust many people have “entered His gates” emotionally, spiritually or even virtually. But what about the “re-entering” of the physical gates? It is no surprise COVID-19 has flipped our worlds completely upside down. In some way, shape, or
How to Adapt Large Multipurpose Spaces for Medium-Sized Gatherings
By Derek DeGroot As COVID-19 restrictions ease in various states across the country and congregations start to regather in their church facilities, many churches are facing a new realization: their building isn’t designed with spaces to accommodate groups of 10 to 50, the range for church gathering sizes in the initial reopening phase for
Converting a Multipurpose Room into a COVID-Friendly Space
By Mark Rustad As America works to rebound off the Coronavirus and open our lives back up, questions remain as to the safety and health of all commercial spaces. American ingenuity has begun to kick in, as these spaces become redefined and re-purposed for use. Case in point would be a larger gymnasium space
Now Is the Time to Overhaul Your Floor Cleaning Protocol
The current pandemic has facilities managers everywhere rethinking business as usual. One dirty little secret that’s been exposed? Before COVID-19, many of us weren’t giving our floors nearly enough attention. As Derryl Yeager, founder and artistic director of Odyssey Dance Theatre in Draper, Utah, says, “A lot of times, the floor wouldn’t be deep-cleaned
Mitigating Infection Transmission in HVAC Systems
By Robert F. Goodfellow
Working with Non-Traditional Worship Spaces
By Dr. Tom McElheny Historically, church services have been held in a dedicated worship facility. In the 21st century, anything can be a worship facility. From converted gyms to old retail spaces, many congregations are meeting in non-traditional spaces. The cost for renting or buying these is often cheaper than a traditional church building,
How to Enhance Social Distancing in Your Church
By Katie Albrecht Since the world is at a challenging time with sickness, job loss, and grief running rampant, churches are needed more than ever. Many people look to their local church as a form of solace and community, and without it, they can suffer greatly. Although video streams of Sunday Mass and prayer
How Churches Can Reopen Safely
By Marc Ferguson As this is being written, we are witnessing an alarming increase in COVID cases around the United States. Some states are on the verge of shutting down once again, while others are looking to see if they can take incremental steps to help bring the case numbers down. As a faithful
3 Ways to Add Function and Flexibility to a Worship Space
The role of the modern church is evolving with places of worship expanding their reach and impact by serving as gathering places outside of the traditional Sunday morning service. In fact, the new role of the church building expands far beyond the classical context of religion. When the time comes, many churches will once
The New Reality of Staging and Seating Design After COVID-19
COVID-19 has led to a new norm of social distancing that will no doubt play a major role in how we gather at events in the coming months and years. As worship congregations slowly return, it’s likely that many of these venues will make efforts to adapt their settings to accommodate new social spacing
The Financial Benefits of Going Green
By Aaron Schafer In an effort to be good financial stewards during the COVID-19 crisis, many churches have turned to an unlikely ally: energy efficiency. Across the country, churches are grappling with a new reality as a result of COVID-19. While many churches have begun to transition back to in-person gatherings, there are still
Church Facility Reopening: 4 Phases You Need to Navigate
By Tim Cool As with the many phases of state and federal reopening, our team has been developing the phases for reopening. We have developed 4 phases that we think every church should consider. Before we dive into the 4 phases, let me reiterate that there is no crystal ball or magic wand. No
Why You Need an LED Sign for Your Church
Today, many churches are competing with local markets for visibility and relevance. As we all know, the landscape in modern marketing is more competitive than ever. So, the question becomes, “What can a church do to compete in this competitive landscape while not breaking the bank?” Traditionally, LED signs were extremely expensive marketing tools
Parking: A Key to Church Growth
By William E. Pike It’s Friday night. You and your family have tickets to see the latest blockbuster movie at 7:30. First, you need to grab a bite to eat. After driving home, changing clothes, and wrangling the kids into the car, you head to a family-friendly restaurant on the edge of the mall
Mistakes Churches Make When Theming for Children
By Joe McCullough Since the turn of the 21st century, churches across the world have embraced the idea of theming children and youth spaces to attract new visitors and foster community through intentional, purpose-driven design that teaches Biblical truths in a fun, visually rich environment. As facilities grow in size and popularity, it is
How LED Displays Help Churches
When you think of digital LED signs, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Car dealerships? Bowling alleys? Restaurants? Many of these businesses have discovered the benefit of using an LED sign to advertise their products and services, but LED signs can be just as important for churches looking to increase visibility and
Church Cleaning in a Post-COVID World
By Terry Schawe To better understand the impact a pandemic can have on church facilities, it might be a good idea to see what happened during the last pandemic back in 1918. On March 4, 1918, a cook at an army training center in Kansas was coughing and complained of headaches. Initially, he thought
Does Your Church Space Meet Your Ministry Needs?
Every year, we hear a lot of discussion about new trends and changes in church ministry. Ideas such as how do we reach the next generation, should we restore traditions, and what worship style works best for our congregation are often at the forefront of these conversations. As a result of these potential
Can Churches Afford Not to Embrace Sustainability?
By Stephen P. Ashkin To answer this question, let’s look at the following case study. It should help church administrators better understand the reasons they should embrace sustainability. It involves one of the largest family-operated distribution company in the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware area. Recently, it became involved with a program sponsored by
Acoustic Design for Multipurpose or Repurposed Worship Spaces
By John Stein As malls empty out, these retail spaces are being repurposed, and churches are taking advantage. Worship spaces are a common reuse for these abandoned stores, gyms and restaurants. It’s almost commonplace now to see faith communities worshiping in repurposed gyms, shoe or sporting goods stores, even movie theaters. One clear consequence
3 Critical Questions to Ask When Going Multi-Site
By Doug Foltz Most multi-site churches begin with the dream by a visionary leader. Sitting with these leaders and hearing the dream is an energizing experience. I remember a couple of years ago sitting with Danny Schaffner, lead pastor of First Christian Church in Champaign, Illinois. His dream was big. The church had grown
Carpet: A Traditional and Versatile Flooring Option
Flooring will be one of the most important finishes in your new church building. Modern manufacturing processes have produced some great new options, but that doesn’t mean you should pass by one of the most traditional and (especially recently) versatile flooring options: carpet. Advantages of Carpet Put simply, carpet is quieter and more affordable
How Much Do Modular Buildings Cost?
Modular worship buildings & religious facilities are perfect for churches, synagogues, temples and mosques to use as administrative and training space. With your growing attendance, modular buildings are a perfect solution for additional classrooms and office space. When your congregation needs additional flexible space quickly, permanent or temporary modular church buildings can bring you
How to Get Dressed to Lead Worship
This article originally appeared in the January 2005 issue. By Ken Collins The Rev. Kenneth W. Collins is the pastor of Garfield Memorial Christian Church in McLean, Va. You can visit him on the Internet at www.kencollins.com. Vestment is the term for special clothing worn by the people who conduct a worship service. Vestments have
Why More Facilities Are Choosing Electric Hand Dryers
By William Gagnon Imagine it like a prize fight: paper towels vs. hand dryers for the high-speed, energy-efficient, cost-effective, hygienic hand-drying championship of the world. The fact is, when it comes to an eventual decision about the way to dry hands after washing, it’s not much of a contest. Across the globe, facilities of every
6 Tips for Amazing Church Stage Decoration
In the last few decades, church stage design has become an influential trend that can have an enormous effect on entire congregations. Increasingly, churches that employ this modern and updated decorative strategy attract a wide audience, all worshipping together in a contemporary setting. As multi-sensory worship experiences and creative sermons become more and more popular,
Top Five Church Themes for Kids in 2019
Incorporating themed environments and wall murals continue to be popular for kid’s church rooms. They’re great ways to hold a child’s attention, perfect tools for teaching stories and concepts, and they almost always guarantee a child will come back to the church for multiple, long-term attendance. It’s no wonder children’s ministries continue to use theming
Top Tips for Marketing with Church Signs
Church signs can be a very powerful marketing tool, and, in fact, many church leaders have noticed an increase in attendance after putting up their signs. Looking for ways to improve your marketing with signage? Wondering how to use your church sign as a marketing tool? For a bit of inspiration, check out these ideas:
The History of The Church Steeple
This article originally appeared in the February 2007 issue. By David England David England is the national sales manager for Campbellsville Industries, Inc., www.cvilleindustries.com. He has been assisting churches and church architects for 27 years in the design, anchoring and installation of church steeples. We frequently receive e-mail messages and letters from around the
Components of Operable Partitions
By Terry Fontaine Operable partitions, also commonly known as airwalls, are versatile, movable wall systems that are produced by several manufacturers. While they’re known as walls and partitions, they’re actually entire systems that have a variety of components and parts. Across the variety of manufacturers and styles, there can be a massive amount of difference
Maximizing the Use of Public Space
By Steve Cohen The key to creating a facility that adds value beyond Sunday lies in the design of public space—the areas where people meet, eat, learn and relax. In the modern congregation, there are many types of public space, including lobbies, social halls, recreation rooms, youth lounges, coffee shops and corner nooks. While each
Facility Maintenance: What Distributors Bring to the Table
By Michael Wilson According to an August 2017 study by Forrester, a research organization that conducts surveys into business trends and directions, today’s business buyers are increasingly self-directed. By this, they mean that business-to-business (B2B) purchasers such as church administrators making buying decisions for their churches, increasingly rely solely on their own judgment. These buyers
10 Considerations for Designing Multipurpose Rooms
This article originally appeared in the November 2011 issue. By Eric MacInerney, AIA Eric MacInerney is managing partner with Heimsath Architects, www.heimsath.com. Cafetorium. Sanctatorium. Sanctunasium. Family Life Center. Multipurpose spaces of all types are very common elements in church design. And, why not? They make great first-phase buildings, they allow you to fundraise from
5 Questions to Ask About Your Multipurpose Room
By Julie Wenckowski Like you, I’ve participated in plenty of church planning meetings where we’ve asked ourselves: Where can we get more space for the youth group? How can we better serve our community? What is the best location to store the worship equipment when not in use? Questions like these prompted our leaders to
Nursery Room Floorcare Challenges
By Matt Morrison There are several types of floors that church properties can select from for their nurseries. Many select carpet. It helps “quiet” a nursery room. Plus, we now know that carpet absorbs airborne pollutants, helping to prevent them from being inhaled, which helps protect health. Carpet also helps prevent slip and fall accidents from occurring and is softer under
Top 10 Most Popular Outdoor Digital Sign Trends for Churches
Every industry has its trends, and churches are no exception. As 2018 has gotten well underway, there are a few trends we’re seeing in church signs across the country If you’re trying to keep your church’s signage relevant during the upcoming warm months when you’ll have plenty of passersby paying attention to what you have
A Guide to Modernizing Your Dated Sanctuary
Those once gleaming benches and bright colored walls of your sanctuary now look pretty dingy. You know that the whole vibe of the space is several years out of date, too. It might be hard to justify the update when it comes to looking at your budget, especially if it seems to be working just
Ask the Pro: Mobile Stages
For a traveling ministry, effective use of time, space, and physical labor are of utmost importance when trying to bring their message to as many people as possible in a given time period. A mobile stage provides a safe, durable, reliable, and efficient venue for this purpose. Apex Stages is a leading manufacturer of mobile
5 Tips for Managing Church Facilities
By Neal Peters “God entrusted these facilities to you. They are His and He expects us to be diligent.” –Tim Cool, The WHY behind the WHAT: Church Facility Management Churches are so much more than buildings. They are places of worship, community, and connection. They have great meaning beyond simply floors, walls, and windows. That’s
Maximize Your Facility with These Four Modern Church Design Concepts
Trends in church architecture are seeing a shift towards digital integration and bringing the community to the church through non-worship activities. As time passes, the design of the churches and worship areas must evolve with the people who utilize them. Trends in modern church-building look much different than their predecessors. Here are 4 trends we’ve
Why Luxury Vinyl Should Be Your Choice for Church Flooring
Designing a religious institution, whether it’s the construction of a new church or renovation of an existing facility, requires a delicate and poignant approach — one that pays tribute to the authenticity and history of the space, but is also mindful of the events and activities that take place within these religious environments. The most
High-Speed, Energy-Efficient Hand Dryers Put Paper in Its Place
By Rick Ritacco For anyone in charge of a high-traffic building, the perpetual, twofold mission is clear: go green and save green. The facility’s keeper makes no move without the mission in mind, always on the lookout for opportunities to support it. When facility managers think about potential areas for eco-friendly improvement, restrooms may not
Love Finds a Way: LED Signs and Permits
By Jess Bern Outdoor LED signs appeared in the mid-1990s. Churches quickly realized how this cutting-edge technology supports an ageless message. The content on an outdoor LED sign inspires and informs church members and nonmembers alike. An LED Sign—Part of the Ministry An LED sign gives passersby some insight into all the good things going
Equipping Your Restrooms and Nurseries for Babies
By Amy Seretsky About 10 years ago, a New York man wrote columnist Dear Abby (Abigail Van Buren) the following letter: Dear Abby, I’m a single father of an 18-month-old and am wondering why so many public places have no baby-changing stations available in areas where men can use them. I find it hard to
Protective Covering Can Destroy Your Stained Glass Heritage
This article originally appeared in the May 2012 issue. By Ron Bovard Ron Bovard is author of the book Windows for the Soul, published by Waddell Publications, holder of the US Patent for 21 aspects of glazing and framing systems designed for the preservation of stained glass windows, and owner of Bovard Studio, Inc.,
7 Ways to Make Your Church Signage Guest-Friendly
By Melanie Smollen My husband was leading worship at a church I had never been to before. I planned to join him and attend the later service. When I arrived, I had no idea what door to enter, and I ended up walking in a side door that opened right up into the sanctuary while
Theming Your Facility
By Paulla Shetterly Church leaders throughout America search for ways to reach and inspire the “unchurched generation.” They invest a large amount of time and energy developing approaches for inviting those persons searching into church. As they strive to recruit new members or returning former attendees, these leaders also look for methods that effectively articulate
Beyond the Stage: A Holistic Approach to Church Design
By Ryan Nelson As the former art director at Mars Hill Church, Eleazar Ruiz is sensitive to how physical elements of a room or a service affect our posture towards God, our attitude towards worship, and our experience of a sermon. “I visited an Episcopal Cathedral in Seattle, and the design and silence of the
Making the Best Use of Your Multi-Purpose Room Through Design Elements
Multi-purpose room, family life center, fellowship hall, church hall or parish hall. Call them what you want, they are a key part of a church’s interior design scheme. Over the years, the multi-purpose room has evolved from a gathering space for donuts and coffee to gymnasium style rooms that host sporting events, classes, team building,
Organizing and Arranging the Church Office
This article originally appeared in the January 2011 issue. This article is courtesy of Lifeway Christian Resources, www.lifeway.com. Does the layout of your church’s office help or hinder the work of the staff? Could you be more effective as a ministry assistant if your space was better arranged? What impression does the office have
Tips for Selecting Church Steeples
This article originally appeared in the August 2014 issue. This information is courtesy of Quality Church Furniture, www.qualitychurchfurniture.com. Church steeples are the standard church exterior décor product that is considered to be very important. The church steeples are basically referred to as religious standings. As any of the church needs chairs and benches, it
Steeple Selection Guide
This article originally appeared in the February 2010 issue. By Larry Lydick Larry Lydick is director of marketing and sales for Fiberglass Specialties, Inc., www.fsiweb.com. Any church purchasing a steeple is often entering into a major project with a limited amount of experience as to what questions to ask and what items should be
17 Promotion Ideas for the Church Library
This article originally appeared in the August 2008 issue. By Sandra Burrowes Before you plan the next promotional activity for your church library, consider these helpful suggestions and guidelines. Welcome all to an open house. Plan an open house once a year. September? Advent? Springtime? Serve light refreshments. Give away bookmarks. Let the congregation
Church Steeple and Cupola Considerations
This article originally appeared in the February 2008 issue. This information is courtesy of Bowling United Industries, www.buichurch.com. Does your church building have the majestic and dignified appearance a church should have? Or is it plain and unassuming? The transformation from plain to impressive can be easy with a fiberglass steeple. A beautiful steeple
Church Library Basics
This article originally appeared in the December 2006 issue. By Vernita Kennen Our church library needs a mission statement? You must be joking. It’s no joke! Much like the old wisdom says, “If you don’t know where you are going, how will you know when you have arrived?” Every church library needs a reason
Baptism and Church Architecture
This article originally appeared in the November 2006 issue. By Joan Huyser-Honig Joan Huyser-Honig is a writer for the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship. Bowl, font, pool. Sprinkle, dip, soak. No matter what age your church baptizes people, ask yourself this: How consciously are you living your baptism as a way of life, not
Choosing Classroom Flooring
This article originally appeared in the September 2006 issue. By Gary Nicholson Gary Nicholson is an architect and the director of Church Architecture at LifeWay Christian Resources, www.lifeway.com. What’s the best floor to use in your church classrooms for children? Carpet or tile? This question has been around for many years. Some people
Equipping the Church Kitchen
This article originally appeared in the March 2005 issue. By Frank Leadley Frank Leadley is a food facilities consultant. If you need to feed large groups of people, what could be better then outfitting your church kitchen with restaurant-quality cooking equipment? The fact that you can have 35,000 BTU (British Thermal Units) burners in