By Rodney James Remodeling church facilities can be a painful process — but it doesn’t have to be that way. If the church takes the right steps (in the right order, with the right partner), a renovation project can flow smoothly, stay on budget, and have a positive effect on the ministries of the church […]
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By Mark R Ashcraft with Bruce Woody, AIA Getting people to engage in today’s fast-paced culture is challenging, with all the competition for attention we carry with us. Yet, at our core, we’re all social creatures seeking connection — real connection. As church leaders, we need to break down barriers and create authentic spaces that […]
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By Jim Peckham Building committee members and church leaders often face a dilemma when developing building plans for church facilities. Planning should begin by addressing two fundamental questions: What’s the mission for the church? And What type of facility is needed to support the mission? However, the answers to these two questions often lead to […]
Read More >By Don Mahoney I’ve come across many articles in recent years that speak to what’s “in” and what’s “out” in terms of current church design trends. As an architect who has worked with hundreds of churches over several decades, I’ve been on the front lines of this massive conceptual shift — especially over the last decade — […]
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Building a facility: making informed choices Decisions concerning building new facilities — or expanding existing ones — are among the most important issue any church leader will have to consider. As experienced decision-makers at any church have learned, it is concern beyond funding; building decisions must consider questions such as: • Is the space large […]
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The commission and design processes for a stained glass window aren’t as mysterious as they might seem at first glance.
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For an 18,000-square-foot worship center for the new Oklahoma Assembly of God State Youth Camp in Sparks, OK, a metal building system made the most sense. Here’s why.
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Visiting a church for the first time can be quite daunting. Often, long-time church members take for granted that visitors “just know” which areas to park in, where the easiest entrance is located, and how to navigate the church campus.
But, for a first-time visitor, a church campus without clear wayfinding elements can be difficult to navigate — and make it less likely they’ll return.
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The core elements of stained glass have remained unchanged for more than 1,000 years.
In their own era, our contemporaries designed, cut, leaded, delivered and installed the stained glass windows. Standing on the traditions of the past, the history and traditions of our specialized artistry inform the present. Artists are designers of composition and form; the form relays a symbolic message which we can understand, or which will pique our imaginations.
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Acoustical, audio, video and lighting systems can drastically influence — positively and / or negatively — the entire built environment of a worship space.
Regardless of the type, size, style and so on, these systems today are much like the story of an old minister of music colleague: No one would ever allow a pianist to consistently miss notes while playing for worship.
The same is true for the technical staff and the equipment used.
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