Aspen Project Portfolio–Champaign Apostolic Christian Church

Project Details:

750 sq. ft. addition expanding the
dining space and improving kitchen layout
Renovation of entry to a more welcoming foyer, with better traffic
flow, and connecting spaces

Renovation of sanctuary
Renovation of nursery and children’s space
Updated restrooms

Project Background:

After almost three decades of use, Champaign Apostolic Christian Church’s facilities were in need of renovation. “Everything in the building was original from 26 years ago,” comments Building Committee Chairman Brent Young. “All of our finishes had reached the end of their service life. The roof needed replacement, and with many new, young families in the congregation, support for infants and nursing mothers was inadequate.” The church desired to improve the utilization of their space, while making their facility warmer and more welcoming to members and visitors alike. Wanting to take a holistic look at their building, Apostolic Christian Church, located in Champaign, IL, brought in Aspen Group to analyze the church’s ministry use of their facility and create a plan to bring the building into better alignment with their needs while freshening up the interior appearance.

“We now realize that people hang out longer after services because people have space to linger in….”

Company Name

Pastor Brian Coffey, Senior Pastor

Project Results:

With the Sunday corporate worship and meeting time being a multi-hour event including a mid-day meal, the kitchen and dining areas play a critical role in the relationships within the church. Out of space in the dining area, and frustrated by a less than ideal kitchen layout, one priority was to add 750 square feet to this space. This improved the workflow of the kitchen layout and added an additional 30 seats to the dining area.

To make the main entry more welcoming, interior walls were moved to remove the narrow corridor that used to connect the entrance to the foyer, so congregants, and more importantly, visitors, flow directly into the foyer area, improving traffic flow and the first impression of the facility. “This is the biggest triumph of this project,” comments Young. “It feels far more welcoming and draws people in towards the sanctuary.”

The nursery, formerly two separate spaces within the building, was not working well for them. Now one larger space, serving the church’s children has been enhanced. “The nursery changes make it easier for young families to attend,” adds Young. In addition to better utilization of their space, the interior received new color schemes and layouts to modernize and freshen the overall appearance of the facility.

“We recognize that a building can never fix social or spiritual problems,” says Young. “But the renovated space is making it easier for families to attend, and has jump-started conversations about improving and building upon the many ministries of the Apostolic Christian Church of Champaign.”