church design

  Westwood Community Church began in 1995 as an outreach to the Southwest Minneapolis suburbs by Wooddale Church, originally located in the Loring Park neighborhood of Minneapolis. During the early years, Westwood held services in rented locations until a permanent church home was constructed in Chanhassen in 2003. It didn’t take long for Westwood itself

  Let’s talk about wayfinding. First off, what is it? Wayfinding is anything that helps your guests navigate your church facility with confidence and ease. Effective wayfinding is an essential function that needs to be carefully considered when remodeling or building any kind of project, but especially a church. Wayfinding is a set of tools,

  By Rodney James “We just didn’t know, but we have learned a great lesson from that experience.” That is probably not the quote you want to make during or just after a renovation, expansion, or new construction project. Unfortunately, statements like that are heard far too often by pastors and church leaders who have

  2|42 Ann Arbor is the second campus for this growing church in Michigan. Built on an identity of “community first,” the facilities they live, work, and play in are designed to be more of a focused center of community than a church. Through the completion of renovations and additions to their main campus in

  “We met Rodney James at the Association of Related Churches conference a few years ago when a new building felt impossible to us,” said Pastor Josh Copron. That is where the journey began for Pastor Josh and his wife Brynn of Grace City Church in Albany, Georgia. The first conversation started, “We don’t know whether

  After serving the community of Charlotte, North Carolina, for more than 50 years, SouthPark Church has relaunched its mission with a contemporary facility inspired by its traditional roots. Anchoring a mixed-use development, SouthPark Church demolished its original sanctuary and constructed a 90,000-square-foot church in its place. This revamped modern campus creates a place where

  The story of Milford United Methodist Church is the story of a creative team of dedicated church members who saw the loss of their 88-year-old traditional church building to fire as an opportunity to bring Christ to more of the residents of Otsego County, New York. Led by Chairwoman Lola Rathbone, with the support

  In Columbia, South Carolina, Pastor Travis Greene and his congregants at Forward City Church believe they have found their ideal new location to honor God and build a community—and the size, location, and price tag were all perfect. But, how do you go about converting a big box store into a reverent place of

  In 1952, Christ Episcopal Church of Reading, Pennsylvania, had a series of 51 Mondrian-style windows installed in their attached Parish Hall. The original 60” h. x 38” w. windows featured a single pane, stained glass and metal frames design that was visually interesting. However, over time, they had lost their functionality, becoming drafty and

  St. Richard’s Episcopal Church has been a part of the Round Rock, Texas, urban fabric for decades. It is a well-established entity in the city’s community, known by many as the “Pumpkin Patch Church” because of the 10,000 pumpkins that decorate its front lawn facing Hwy 79 every October. This annual fundraiser pumpkin sale

  The beautiful new St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Friendship, Wisconsin, is the culmination of the congregation’s nearly 15-year commitment to the community and their five-year plan to construct a new building on property they purchased across from the Adams County Fairgrounds. The finished product is an attractive 7,500-square-foot wood-framed building that was completed

  From Temporary Facility to Permanent Spiritual Home Church on the Move’s South Broken Arrow campus was struggling with their temporary facility, which was impeding the growth of their ministry. They needed more parking and kids’ classrooms. The church found an existing 24,000-square-foot space in a shopping center that, when finished, will give them the

  Buildings don’t grow churches, but a well-crafted building solution can have a huge impact on a church’s ability to effectively carry out its mission. As one of the fastest growing and largest multi-site churches in America, Lake Pointe Church had found significant success in growing its ministry across multiple communities. In the growing Dallas

  By David McKnight The past year presented unique challenges to churches along with the rest of the country. While we look forward to the time the restrictions placed on public gatherings are relaxed, and crowds can begin to return to corporate worship in larger settings, what will the lasting effect be on church design

  By Josh Gregoire Welcome to the world of “phygital” church—the blending of the physical and digital to maximize how churches connect with people and help them draw closer to God and others. My colleague, Rob Gordon, and I met on Facebook Live for a conversation about phygital church. Rob and others on our design

  Topeka Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas, needed more space to accommodate its growth, and the addition of an annex proved to be only a temporary solution. The recent construction of a brand-new building not only provided much-needed capacity, but also a modern design that makes it stand out in its community. “We love it,

  Asbury United Methodist Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, needed to make a change. They had completed a ground-up, extensive $27 million campus in 2004, the largest Methodist church building project in the United States. However, church leadership still felt that their congregation was too scattered. At the time, Asbury served a multigenerational congregation with 8,000

  Crosswater Church in Nocatee, Florida, had been worshiping in a 600-seat auditorium constructed as Phase 1 of a multi-phased project. Crosswater Church recently partnered with LIVE Design Group to design the next phase of their facility. The primary feature of the project, opened in June 2020, is a 1,200-seat Worship Center with stadium seating

  When Centerburg Free Will Baptist Church in Centerburg, Ohio, decided to build a new worship facility, the goal was not only to meet immediate needs for more space, but also to support future growth. Located in the village of Centerburg, Ohio, in the geographical center of the state, the church was established in 1952.

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

By Steven Hall Creating an excellent atmosphere for worship is pivotal in our new visual culture. Increasingly in our culture, people communicate and connect through visuals in everything they do. Worship is no different. This creates a need in the modern church to create a visual experience in our worship services. We are blessed to

Rush Creek Church has three different locations across Texas and is known for using technology and staging to fashion an exciting yet comfortable worship environment. The Mansfield Church was in the midst of ground up construction when the contractor became unable to complete the project. Enter Bryan Garvey, chief executive officer of Corbet Design +

The McKnight Group enjoys sharing real-life examples of churches that have used their vision to drive the construction or renovation of their church building. Often such transformations occur as a natural reaction to changes in the community or ministry. But as you will soon see, they can also be in response to catastrophic events—with uplifting

By Gerardo G. Garcia Cremation is becoming more prevalent than a traditional burial. The latest industry studies show cremation is on the rise and is rising steadily. According to the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) News Releases, statistically, in 2015, the rate of cremation was at 48.5 percent and will quickly be rising to 56

By Paulla Shetterly A properly planned and executed themed environment can be an effective tool for any church aiming to recruit new members or bring back former attendees. It’s well understood that the children’s ministry is a key growth engine for any church, and a great way to engage this vital demographic is by articulating

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

Soaring 90 feet tall, Saint John’s Cathedral would be intimidating to anyone, especially the team assigned to re-roof the massive structure. However, the experts at Horn Brothers Roofing jumped at the opportunity to install 245 squares of DaVinci Roofscapes composite tiles on one of Denver’s most historic buildings. “Three main parts of the church were

As their congregational family grew, Holy Infant Parish in Manchester, Pennsylvania, found itself on the easternmost portion of its parish boundary. While their existing two-story church and education building had served their congregational needs well, the parish was faced with aging buildings that were not fully accessible and geographically limited their ability to serve their

By Ryan and Michael Regina 1. Modern Material Advancements While concrete has been around for thousands of years, there are several exciting technological advancements improving this material in new and exciting ways. For starters, there are now multi-functional mineral additives available that create a much more stable and uniform concrete mix resulting in reduced segregation

The vision of Midland Bible Church in Midland, Texas, as “a family of faith lived out in the world” was hampered by old, inefficient and inflexible facilities. At a key moment, the church’s leadership realized that the only way to remain relevant and effective in ministry in the future was to make a bold move

Pulaski, Tennessee Brindley Construction embarked on an extensive refurbishment, restoration and reconstruction of this 8,810-square-foot, wood-framed house of worship pre-dating the Civil War. Early on, Brindley helped guide church elders through multiple design iterations to find ways to affordably address each area of need. The focal point of the church’s interior transformation is its sanctuary.

By Kristin Charles Maybe I just have a thing for aesthetics, but there is something to be said for a warm and welcoming environment. Have you ever walked into a classroom that invites you in with color and comfort and encouragement? These places of learning are organized, interactive, and vibrant. On the walls, you’ll find

By Emily Matchey Cross Lutheran Church of Roberts, Wisconsin, held a dedication service on Sunday, December 17, 2017, for a renovation and new addition to their facility. This celebration was fantastic and meaningful for many, particularly for architect Tim Peterson of Peterson Design Studio and Bill Derrick of Derrick Building Solutions. Cross Lutheran worked with

St. Peter the Apostle Church in Louisville, Kentucky, is a new congregation formed by the merger of five southwest Jefferson County parishes—St. Clement, St. Polycarp, Our Lady of Consolation, Our Lady Help of Christians, and St. Timothy. JRA Architects was selected to provide master planning and design services for the new 1,200-seat church, religious education

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

By Jeff McIntosh The role of a lyric operator in worship services is extremely important. You are so much more than a button pusher – you lead people in worship visually. Providing lyrics for your church not only enables regular attendees to worship more freely, it allows newcomers to comfortably join in on the experience.

St. Mary Magdalene Parish’s first mass was held at the Apex Middle School in 1999, and until recently, the school gymnasium remained the congregation’s makeshift sanctuary. While grateful to its host, the congregation needed a home of its own. At last, after two years of construction, the lovely new St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church opened

When people generally picture post-frame structures, they envision barns, sheds or other more industrial-looking buildings. What you might not realize is that post-frame structures are also perfect for a myriad of commercial buildings. Next time you drive somewhere, look at the buildings you pass. The local pharmacy, the community bank, the post office – all

Founded in 1885, Second Baptist Church in Springfield, Missouri, has moved, built, and rebuilt numerous sanctuaries in the 130-plus years of service to the Springfield community. It completed its current 1,000-seat sanctuary in the mid-1990s. When recent failures further exposed the shortcomings of what had been an unsatisfying sound reinforcement system from the start, Second

Bridgetown Church of Christ in Cincinnati, Ohio, had several design issues and ministry needs. They needed to update their exterior and interior for a better overall first impression. As you walked into the church, the lobby was cramped, dark, and had a low ceiling. The flow of the building was very poor. Upstairs, the church

As part of fulfilling their calling as a church, The Orchard launched four new sites between 2010—2017 from the original Arlington Heights, Illinois, campus. To thrive in this next chapter of their story, the church’s leadership recognized that it needed the Arlington Heights campus to be a vibrant, growing, sending campus—the center of an expanding

St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kronborg, Nebraska, has been through some terrifying weather in its 118-year history. After straight-line winds and large hail struck the church, parsonage and fellowship hall in 2014, the congregation went in search of new siding, windows and roofing. “Danish churches like ours are known for our red and white

  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.,

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

Decatur, Illinois When Aspen Group began to partner with First Christian Church Decatur to address their facility needs, it became clear that limited sanctuary seating had begun to impede the church’s ability to comfortably accommodate new attendees. Additionally, the church’s youth and children’s space lacked the kind of functionality and design that creates a safe,

By Ryan Regina In today’s economy, any church looking to start a new construction project faces certain challenges. Choosing the right construction manager and design/builder using criterion based on individualized, industry-specific needs can make the difference between a successful project and a bona fide disaster. It’s imperative to take a few fundamental considerations into account

South Euclid United Church of Christ began in 1845 in Cleveland, Ohio, with the original stone church being built in 1867. Tragically, lightning struck the church in 2010 and burned to the ground, leaving only a massive carved lintel and bell remaining. In 2012, the church bought a Catholic church and school campus that was

With over 100 years of history, Brea Congregational United Church of Christ has steadily grown built on strong ties to the community. As a self-stated Green Church, Brea Congregational UCC commits to “embrace the responsibility of achieving a sustainable earth” by taking “tangible steps such as adopting a holistic approach for our garden space to

Village Christian Church Minooka, Illinois This 20,000-square-foot facility was designed to be a warm, inviting and multi-purpose space. The exterior features brick, cement board siding and trim, textured insulated metal wall panel, metal trims, stone, and a large volume of glass. There is a large, back-lit, rough sawn cedar cross adjacent to the entrance. A

Fuqua Construction Inc., Inman, Kansas, was recently awarded the 2016 NACDB Honor Award for Projects Less Than $1,000,000 for a church project in Meade, Kansas. Fuqua Construction Inc. is a construction company specializing in church construction. When Max Fuqua began his business in 1979, the scope of the work was residential and commercial. In 1984,

  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