In the first part of this series, we introduced two areas that are particularly impactful on the first impression your church building leaves on guests and members; hospitality spaces and restrooms. We discussed simple renovation techniques that improve these areas and step-up the hospitality of your church.
In the second part of this series, we’re going to explore two exciting areas and ideas for renovation, that will set your church apart by making people feel welcome, comfortable and eager to return.
A Place for the Kids
It’s no secret that children require extra attention, so having the perfect space for them can be a comfort to families who want to bring their kids to church. Children and youth spaces should have their own identity. They should be versatile and feel fun for children—so they want to come back and bring their friends.
Don’t be afraid to use color and themes in these spaces. Color can be inspiring for young minds and themes can be fun and exciting. If you have room in your church building for a full-sized play set, it will provide an energy release outlet for the kids (which helps when the time comes to focus on lessons).
The space pictured here at Westerville Christian Church in Westerville, OH has a playset, as well as tables and chairs for a designated learning and crafts area. The brightly colored vinyl tiles on the floor are visually appealing to children, plus the easy cleanup here makes this a great place to host birthday parties and other events—ones that can bring community families into your church building for the first time.
Another consideration in your church renovation is a dedicated space for young adults, youth or older children. With just a few décor changes, a perfect space for young adults can be designed. Instead of primary colors, use paint to incorporate contemporary and contrasting colors with subtle design accents to create a fresh and youthful atmosphere.
Having hospitable and versatile children and youth spaces is incredibly valuable, and is sure to improve first impressions of your church building.
Church Renovation for the Heart of Your Ministry
All the spaces we’ve discussed up to this point do wonders for your church’s first impression, but we want to take a moment to talk about the space that best represents your church’s vision–the worship space.
Your current worship space may need a complete transformation, but that doesn’t require that you build an entirely new building. In this church renovation at Parma Baptist Church in Parma, OH, we didn’t change the structure of the space at all. We made it more welcoming by reupholstering the pews, upgrading to wood grain laminate flooring on the platform, installing new carpet and adding a fresh coat of paint. The important thing is to make sure that your worship space reflects the style that’s encompassed in your church’s vision for ministry.
If you want to go with a multi-ministry worship space, you can replace the pews with chairs. They can be arranged in different configurations to suit whatever activity you might be using the space for at any given time. Select chairs with finished backs for a cleaner look than exposed metal. You might also want a few chairs with arms scattered throughout the worship space for those who need a little extra support when standing.
It’s even possible to create a space that can be used for athletics as well as worship, like we’ve done at Crossview Church in Grabill, IN. The walls have a split-face block finish, which is durable for sports, and helps with acoustics. On the floor, we’ve installed tightly woven carpet that can be used as a basketball court when the chairs are removed. Look closely and you’ll see the retracted basketball hoop in the ceiling and the out-of-bounds line created by the change in carpet styles.
Church Design that Makes People Want to Come Back
Before you begin your church renovation project, do a thorough assessment of the existing spaces in your church building and decide what hospitality aspects might be lacking. Do you have an area dedicated to hospitality functions? Are your restrooms clean and updated? Do your children and youth spaces create fun and engaging areas for kids? And finally, decide what changes will help your worship space more accurately reflect and support the vision of your church.
Registration opens soon for our 2017 free i3 webinar series, where we share valuable information that can guide you in your renovation or new building project.