church design

  Looking forward to providing the next generation with an effective home for worship and fellowship, the renovation and expansion to Trinity United Methodist Church in Homewood, Alabama, provides critical upgrades throughout the entire campus. An infill building of new construction provides expanded children’s education rooms and gathering area on the lower floor with the

  Corpus Christi Roman Catholic Church, located in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, sought an affordable solution to meet the space, accessibility, and traffic flow needs of a growing parish. Noelker and Hull completed a feasibility study for a 3,630-square-foot church addition and 7,810-square-foot renovation to the existing historic church and school facility. Corpus Christi is the largest

  Church leaders at First Baptist Cleveland in Cleveland, Tennessee, chose HH Architects for their recent project. They interviewed several firms and felt a tremendous peace with HH Architects and Bruce Woody, president and chief executive officer. It was apparent very quickly that they had found the people who could re-dream with them. They challenged

  Living Stones Church in Crown Point, Indiana, is a spiritual greenhouse where people are loved, encouraged, and equipped to grow into all that Christ has called them to be. Pastor Ron Johnson has enjoyed serving the church family at Living Stones for 30 years in a variety of leadership roles before becoming Senior Pastor

  Whether historic or newly constructed, churches serve as spiritual, social, and community hubs. Over time, the design of church interiors, especially gathering spaces, has evolved to accommodate the diverse needs of congregations. These spaces are dynamic environments that support flexible seating arrangements, functionality, comfort, and aesthetic variety. Whether a church is centuries old or

  St. Paul Catholic Church in Highland, Illinois, and The Korte Company worked closely together to design and construct Trinity Hall – a 9,458-square-foot addition located at their current location. The expansion was designed to connect the existing church, rectory and parish center and serve as a new gathering space for the congregation. The new

  Times are changing rapidly, and the way Americans engage with religious institutions reflects that. To meet these changing times, churches need to balance the traditions that define them with trends that keep them relevant. Construction projects bring these competing ideals to a head, but you don’t have to navigate these challenges alone. In the

Word of Life Christian Center in Newark, Delaware, worked with Nowland Associates on a café and outdoor patio project. This 4,600-square-foot renovation consisted of demolishing the existing bookstore, conference room and baptism space to create a new café and gathering space. This new enlarged space received all new finishes, lighting, a self-serve coffee bar and

  Auburn Community Church in Auburn, Alabama, began with a group of families committed to doing church differently, regardless of where they gather. Established in 2014, the church has held Sunday gatherings in many different locations, including other churches, a hotel, basketball arenas, a livestock arena, and fields. Running four services each Sunday to accommodate

  Clancy & Theys Construction Company worked with White Memorial Presbyterian Church in Raleigh, North Carolina, providing construction management services for a new addition and renovation. The project includes a 16,433-square-foot expansion adding additional sanctuary/flex space, dedicated youth space with new classrooms, and a full commercial kitchen. In addition to the expansion, Clancy & Theys

  Your next sports or multi-purpose facility’s success will depend on careful planning, measuring, and communication. Here’s how you can keep your gym or sports field construction or renovation project under budget and still meet the needs of your diverse congregation. If you are a church pastor, worship leader, or church administrator, your life’s work

  “Well, looks like we’re back in style!” Pastor Joel laughed as he looked at his 75-year-old church building in the middle of a quaint neighborhood. Huge, cathedral-like windows adorned the northern wall. A wide-open sanctuary with a highly vaulted ceiling welcomed worshippers and provided space for remote workers. Some repairs were needed, but the

  W2A Design Group provided full architectural services for a new 18,000-square-foot parish center for Holy Family Church in Nazareth, Pennsylvania. The main component of this parish center is a new 240-seat, 5,000-square-foot banquet hall. The hall can be subdivided into a 1,400-square-foot luncheon room specifically designed to provide a more intimate setting for funeral

  For over 60 years, King’s Way has been blessed to see God work in amazing ways through this church in Springfield, Missouri. What started as a small gathering has become a large church for people to worship Jesus Christ and experience God’s unfailing love together. Lives are being transformed through the work of God’s

  FUMC Sealy, Texas, was established in 1939 with the mergers of several churches. The current sanctuary was constructed in 1956. In large measure, it had not changed much until its 2018 renovation. The building and interior of the sanctuary was still in use but experiencing many repercussions of aging, including roof leaks, mold, and

  At First Baptist Church of Covington in Covington, Louisiana, the architectural aesthetic intentionally hearkens back to quaint, southern building vernacular, while accommodating the grand scale of the building program. The building exudes craftsmanship and attention to detail, paying tribute to early construction methods by using natural wood and aged materials. While the building reflects

  Oak Grove Baptist Church in Cushing, Oklahoma, reached out to Rodney James of Master’s Plan Church Design and Construction, as it was time to begin the process to update their ministry facilities. Like many churches across America, their church was a series of buildings that had been constructed over multiple decades with no real

  First Presbyterian Church, located in the heart of Uptown Charlotte, is deemed to be one of the oldest structures in the city. Originally built in 1857, the church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. The renovation improvements of the project center around a new chancel and choir loft that

  The original sanctuary at Fox Point Lutheran Church in Fox Point, Wisconsin, was constructed in 1955 and has experienced multiple additions in the decades since. In recent years, the church has seen an increase in membership. In an effort to accommodate this growth, a comprehensive capitol improvements project was set in motion. As discussions

  At The Hills Church in North Richland Hills, Texas, the project challenge for Shanks Architects was to remodel an existing worship center to meet the expectations of both a cappella and instrumental worship, while increasing seating capacity, improving sight lines, and enhancing the overall worship experience for the congregation. By creatively using new materials

  GFF developed a new comprehensive campus master plan for Life Fellowship Church (LFC) located in McKinney, Texas. It includes renovation and expansion of their current campus to include a 1,200-seat future worship center, a weekday preschool, additional adult classrooms, and an administrative suite on a very compact site. The master plan enhances a central

  The Gathering was one of the first newly constructed church buildings built within the St. Louis city limits in decades. Thoughtful functionality and flexibility are key to this church design—the worship space can be configured to accommodate either a morning worship service or an evening community event. The central Gathering Space allows for milling

  By Rodney James Two decades later…church design is still adapting…and rightly so! The apostle Paul wrote, “…I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 1Corinthians 9:22 The church that clearly understands the truth of what Paul was teaching has made many adaptations over the

  The church is more than just a building—it’s a sacred space where we come together to worship, to learn, and to connect with one another. The design and construction of a church is, therefore, an essential aspect of creating an environment that inspires and uplifts the congregation. The Pulaski Church of God in Pulaski,

  Studio Four Design has been privileged to design more than 90 church projects in its 20-year history to complete expansion projects, renovations, and new builds. One of those ministries, Faith Promise Church, has partnered with Studio Four Design in a number of projects to accommodate its remarkable growth and to accomplish the opening of

  By Kerry Jones Pastors of healthy and growing congregations excel at building and leading people, but most have limited knowledge or experience in growing facilities. Yet, building a new or expanded worship facility is often the largest investment of capital a church will ever experience. U.S. religious organizations are expected to spend about $3

  Established in 1990, The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, is a faith family devoted to helping one another love Jesus, grow in Jesus, and make disciples of Jesus in Birmingham and among all nations. The design concept for The Church at Brook Hills is centered on the philosophy that what happens inside

  Simpson Gardens 2 was built in response to community requests to provide affordable housing for senior residents of Lansdowne, Pennsylvania. The town has many large Victorian homes that older residents could no longer maintain nor afford, but they didn’t want to leave their hometown. Meanwhile, Simpson, a Methodist senior living provider, and The Garden

  Gateway Church of Christ, located in Pensacola, Florida, is a large-scale new construction and renovation project that was designed by BGW Architects and constructed by The Collage Companies, the exclusive BGW Builder for Central and North Florida. The project involved the construction of a new 33,000-square-foot worship facility along with an additional 12,000 square

  When the staff and elders of Grace Community Church sensed the need and leading to expand their current ministry facilities, they recognized this project would require more than just a builder, they needed a partner to lead them on the entire journey. The desire was for a long-term ministry solution that would not only

  Taking fellowship to a new place At Freedom Church in Owasso, Oklahoma, Pastor Andrew Rankin was inspired to expand ministry opportunities by restructuring existing spaces into multipurpose church facilities and encouraging his congregation’s desire to fellowship. Churches By Daniels worked with Freedom Church to reconfigure their existing church space into a multipurpose facility space

  Unconventional worship center draws many “friends who didn’t like church” Crossroads, after achieving remarkable success with their first two non-traditional worship centers, enlisted Champlin Architecture again for its next venue — intended to serve Cincinnati’s northeast suburbs. A slight departure from its Oakley and Florence locations, this new facility is a former industrial manufacturing

  After celebrating 91 years, Highland Park Presbyterian Church in Highland Park, Texas, selected OMNIPLAN to design a new masterplan that would better position them for the next 10 decades. The congregation was looking to grow and transform the children’s ministries, create a new central gathering space or “heart” uniting all generations, centralize the ministry

  TSW collaborated with Gertler & Wente Architects, LLP for the renovation of an existing office building into a sanctuary and classroom building for ChristChurch Presbyterian in Atlanta. The team created a design for ChristChurch Presbyterian that developed a dramatic new modern sanctuary and renovation design that will incorporate much of the site’s existing building

  Ridgewood Church in Minnetonka, Minnesota, recently sought the help of Station 19 Architects to bring their spaces up to date with their current ministry values of connection and hospitality. The church’s existing building was hidden away with a nondescript entrance behind landscaping and a city retaining wall. While the church was well constructed with

  Shepherd of the Hills Church and School in Eden, Wisconsin, was the answer to effectively consolidating four local parishes. The facility accommodates the demand for increased worship space and the parish’s need for modernization. Its 500-seat worship area, parish offices and K-8 school centralize the functions of the parish, making it more accessible for

  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