By Katie Albrecht
As a church leader, there’s always a variety of factors to consider when it comes to your facility. Regardless of the size or style of your space, facility managers likely face something new every day.
For this reason, there are several lines of portable partitions to help churches and other facilities manage their space dividing needs. The list of uses for these moveable walls continues to grow constantly.
For more ideas on how freestanding, portable walls can impact your own space, here are some examples of how other church leaders are utilizing partitions in their worship facilities.
Bible Study Classrooms
One of the most common uses for room dividers in a church is creating more classroom space for Bible studies, Sunday School, and other fellowship groups. Since these groups tend to be smaller than your average Sunday service, your facility needs to reflect that size. By using movable walls, you can adjust the size of your room to make it feel full with fewer people in it.
Sectioning off part of a room can allow multiple study groups to be in the space at once while offering privacy to each one. Although the panels of movable walls are not entirely soundproof, they help absorb sound and excess echoes to help limit distractions between the groups.
Gym or Multipurpose Room
While every church looks different, the gold mine of your event space is usually the gymnasium or multipurpose room. Typically, these spaces work great for most events because of their larger size compared to the rest of the facility. The beauty about these rooms is that they have untapped potential for ways to use them.
Event Flipping
By utilizing portable walls within this space, you can quickly flip the room to accommodate each event. Some church leaders use room dividers behind the last row of seating in an auditorium-style setting.
In this scenario, temporary walls frame the space nicely and allow ticketing or check-in before guests enter the event. Other times, congregations use moveable walls as stage backdrops for a sleek and professional presentation.
Backstage Area for Pastors/Musicians
Regardless of being in a gym or an auditorium, a stage needs a backstage to accompany it. This type of space offers privacy to the pastor or other presenters scheduled for stage time during service. While some modern churches are built with an entire auditorium, numerous ministries have to improvise as they go.
Creating your own backstage area is simple with moveable walls. Since these dividers can fold into various shapes, they can help you customize your space to partially or entirely enclose an area. Having a backstage provides privacy and allows more professionalism to the audience as you can hide instruments or other necessary items and not look cluttered.
Youth Group Activities
It’s no secret that having a thriving community starts with the youngest members of your congregation. For this reason, the structure and activities of your youth groups have become more and more critical. While the primary purpose of these groups is to learn about and cherish our heavenly Father, kids ultimately still need to be kids.
By adding a physical element such as fun activities in the gym, you can help keep your youth engaged. Temporary walls can create a boundary to limit distractions from other groups using the space and keep the kids together as they play. Partitions have self-leveling casters that lock on the end frames to ensure stability in situations with high foot traffic.
Child Care Space
In addition to your elementary-aged kids, you may also have a small population of babies or toddlers in your church. For this reason, many churches offer a daycare space while the parents tend to their other responsibilities. While some churches have a dedicated room for this purpose, others create an enclosed area that allows clear sightlines.
Some room dividers can allow the average adult to supervise over the top while keeping the toddlers in one spot. Fabric-covered panels will also enable you to pin children’s art, signage, or other decorations to make the space feel more personal. A180-degree hinge feature allows the panels to act as a doorway for easy access to and from the room.
Storage Space
As your congregation continues to expand, you may see the need for more storage space. If you don’t have a dedicated room for storage, you can create allocated spots in your larger rooms for storing furniture and other items. These areas can be either against one of the walls or in the corner of the room.
Moveable partitions are an excellent tool because you can place them in front of the storage and keep the items organized and out of sight. After all, no one wants their storage out in plain view at all times.
Entryway Barriers/ Directing Foot Traffic
If your church is in a cooler climate, you may sometimes notice a draft entering the building when members of the fellowship come in and out. Some churches use dividers as a barrier to block this chilly breeze emitting from the entryway.
This tactic helps keep your members comfortable and happy. To get multiple uses out of these weather barriers, you can also display signage to help direct the flow of foot traffic to the designated areas.
The use of moveable walls varies depending on the facility. Regardless of your church’s size, shape, or style, partitions can assist you in customizing your space.
Katie Albrecht is the marketing coordinator for Screenflex Portable Partitions, a leading manufacturer of portable room dividers for over 30 years, www.screenflex.com.
