Church Design

Each year, Aspen celebrates Safety Week on our job sites. This gives our construction teams the opportunity to learn, support each other, and get connected through a series of learning topics, demonstrations, and fun events! Safety is a critical component for the wellbeing of our teams and clients, as well as the success of our church projects, not only during these special events, but year-round.

Is it possible to build excitement and momentum within your staff and congregation during a church construction process, even when things get a little dusty? The answer is yes! The construction process can grow ministry in unexpected ways. Our team partnered with The Bridge Church in Bradenton, Florida on a sanctuary renovation recently. Goal one was to help them keep their sanctuary open during construction, an approach we refer to as “Ministry in the Dust.” Now, the team looks back on the project with a fondness for how it energized their congregation. What did it take to build ministry amid construction?

Many churches have construction, in some form or other, going on throughout the year. It might not be a full-on building project, but teams are often building sets for sermon series, VBS and youth events may call for lumber, paint and power tools, and of course, normal facility maintenance calls for safety protocols. We recently celebrated Safety Week and offer these tips you can share with your staff and volunteers to keep them safe on the job, no matter how big or small.

While churches and schools often have similar facility-related challenges, like adapting to meet the next generation's needs, each one has unique goals, challenges, and a story to tell. Recently, Aspen Group completed a major renovation and addition at Benet Academy, a Catholic college preparatory high school nestled in suburban Lisle, Illinois.

Creating space for ministry impact extends beyond church buildings, especially as we consider what it means to disciple the next generation. Shaping the future leaders of the church means that we need to create space for forming people in the midst of rapidly changing culture. 

In this Thanksgiving season, we'd like to extend our sincere gratitude to the 2017 Alignment Conference Partners, who helped make this year's event possible. Please take some time to review this year's roster of partners who play vital roles in supporting our clients throughout the year.

The Time Was Right Central Christian Church was booming. With a strong presence in Carmel, Indiana, a thriving suburb of Indianapolis, attendance was nearing 600. The facility was designed to house 300-400 people. As space grew tighter, it became increasingly clear that the outdated facility no longer matched the needs of the young families, children, and youth that Central Christian was attracting. It was time to make a move. In 2001, however, Central Christian had purchased an 82-acre parcel of land in Westfield, Indiana, to prepare for future growth. The church began making plans for a new building on this site in 2004-2006. Budget constraints and other stressors thwarted their plans, however, and the church suffered severe losses within the staff and congregation.

Henry Ford once famously said, “If I had asked them what they wanted, they would have said a faster horse.” Of course, Ford introduced people to the automobile, and the rest is history. Ford’s quote is one I live by. As an architect, I love helping churches dig for those diamonds in the rough—those important conversations on vision and DNA, the fearless assessment of opportunities for ministry. Fresh thinking happens over creative conversations with partners who allow for space to dream and make discoveries together.