By Rodney C. James Nearly every church selects a group of people to lead a renovation or building project. You might call them a “vision team,” “building committee,” “expansion board,” or some other creative name, but their role will be the same: to assist the staff and leadership in the myriad of decisions the church […]
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Exterior elements • Fellowship spaces • Children’s + Youth areas • Community-focused design • Multi-site design • “Green” elements • Revenue generation Let’s start from the outside in. What exterior / outdoor church design elements are popular? Thomas Small, AIA/NCARB: Most churches we work with are contemporary by nature; therefore, they’re looking for clean/modern designs […]
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Faithlife Survey Shows Churches are Returning to In-Person Gathering but Disunity Regarding Policies BELLINGHAM, Wash., September 23, 2020–New survey data from Faithlife, the church technology company behind Logos Bible Software, reveals that while the majority of churches are returning to in-person gatherings, leaders face numerous challenges to church unity within their congregations. “COVID-19 has necessitated […]
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41% of congregations reported declines in donations in early months of pandemic while 28% saw increases, according to survey by Lake Institute on Faith & Giving INDIANAPOLIS — Many U.S. religious congregations currently are entering their annual fall fundraising and budget-planning season with uncertainty about their finances and reopening plans as the COVID-19 pandemic and […]
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By Sam S. Rainer III The lockdowns did not shorten the workweek. Many people in a variety of professions are working more hours. I wanted to know how COVID-19 affected the workweek of pastors. At Church Answers, I asked a simple question of our community of pastors and church leaders. How many extra hours have […]
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From Church Mutual Insurance Company, S.I. This year, it has become especially difficult to navigate “business as usual” with the ever-present threat of COVID-19. Depending upon where you live, trick-or-treating might not be safe or even possible this year. There is an alternative that can give members of houses of worship a safe way to […]
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Pushpay, the leading payments and engagement provider to the US faith sector, today announces ChurchStaq™, an all-inclusive suite of end-to-end engagement solutions including a comprehensive church management system (ChMS), mobile app, donor management and giving solution, to help churches know, grow, and keep their people. Today, ChurchStaq™ combines Pushpay’s giving and app solutions with Church […]
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By John H. Wright Jr., MAI, and Martin H. Aaron, MAI, SRA The role that religion plays in the midst of this pandemic is a philosophical matter. However, the role that religious facilities play is a decidedly practical matter — particularly for church mortgage lenders. Before the pandemic, 36% of Americans attended religious services weekly, […]
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released Commercial Buildings and Onsite Renewable Energy, a 15-page report summarizing data on the self-reported use of onsite renewable energy among a subset of U.S. commercial buildings. The information, including comparisons by building type, location and energy generated comes from the EPA’s ENERGY STAR® program, whose ENERGY STAR […]
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By Brittany Kuhn Worship facilities design and construction is going through a renaissance of sorts. In recent years, there’s been a growing yet prominent trend toward increasingly versatile spaces. Traditional single-worship venues are being transformed into (or sometimes replaced by) modern community hubs that present clean lines, promote larger gathering spaces and offer appealing multifunctional […]
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