Science behind the seat: floor planning makes all the difference
Congratulations! You and your congregation have made the decision to invest in new sanctuary seating.
Now what?
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How to avoid cost overruns: tried-and-true strategies
Often, when a church decides it wants to build, the first step is to get a set of plans designed and then bid out with several contractors. Nearly every month, we encounter churches where — after bidding the plans — the project is over budget and cannot be completed.
Other church leaders tell us their buildings were built using this process … and yet they ended up spending a significant amount more than the contractor’s original bid.
You might ask how this could happen. The answer: cost overrun.
Read More >Designing worship areas: expansion takes shape
In this installment, we’ll focus on three types of alternative site selection:
#1: Expansion on one site (current or new)
#2: Expansion on multiple sites
#3: Expansion through church planting or new starts
Church transportation: survey the safety landscape
Good bus drivers avoid potholes, speedbumps and potentially dangerous conditions on the road.
Church leaders should be just as vigilant about heeding potentially dangerous conditions — for themselves and their precious cargo.
Read More >Church accounting basics: EMPLOYEE — to be or not to be
If your church is anything like mine, you are constantly trying to navigate the requirements of our nation’s employment laws. When researching the topic of “employee versus independent contractor,” what I find is consistently inconsistent. It’s easy to get lost in the lack of interpretation.
Read More >Small, but mighty: key elements of effective small group classroom design
Small group classrooms are integral to the spiritual life of the contemporary Church. They’re spaces of discipleship, where members and guests can digest the heart of what Christ is teaching us. They’re also places of prayer and intimate growth.
As such, it’s important that small group classrooms accommodate a great range of activities and group sizes. Yet, they must also be intimate enough that individuals feel comfortable expressing their doubts, questions and struggles surrounding faith.
It’s a delicate balance of familiarity and flexibility.
Read More >The St. Andrew’s mission for new video displays
When St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church in Mahtomedi, MN decided to upgrade its audiovisual system, it included extensive research into new video screens.
Having rented projectors for special services in the past — and because the sanctuary has an abundance of natural ambient light — church leaders knew projectors weren’t the best fit.
“We didn’t really want to take this beautiful space and darken it order to see something,” explains Dale Bakken, Director of Buildings and Grounds.
Read More >Climate change: a better way to deal with bullying
Schools are understandably concerned about bullying. It can create a corrosive school environment, disrupt learning and have a long-term effect on everyone involved. Recent research shows that schools can help reduce the rate of bullying if they put students in a safe, connected environment that teaches them how to manage conflict and stand up for what’s right.
Read More >Sound (system) decisions: why you need a consultant
If you were ill, you’d seek a qualified doctor to diagnose and treat what ails you. After all, trying to diagnose and treat yourself — without medical expertise — is likely to lead to a bad outcome.
When you have problems with the sound in your church, the same reasoning applies.
Read More >How to plan church events using mobile messaging
Planning and organizing an event for a large number of congregants introduces many variables. Dates, times and locations are all subject to change, often on short notice.
For churches reliant on volunteers (and with limited financial resources), the need to quickly communicate schedule changes is even greater.
Enter: mobile messaging.
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