Reference Publications

Encountering God through modern church architecture

Lutheran, The, Aug 2004 by Gugel, John R

The use of light played a critical role in designing Faith in Des Moines. "We wanted our church to be a place of inspiration," says Dick Witt, a member of the building committee. The award-winning design features a large open space of crisscrossing timbers and clear windows high over the heads of worshipers, bathing the worship space with light by day and serving as a glowing lantern to the surrounding community at night.

As in many contemporary churches, Faith's worship space has little ornamentation so worshipers' faces might stand out. "The assembling together is the important thing," Edwins emphasizes.

Today technology also helps congregations express the faith. Worshipers at Christ the King, Charlotte, less than a year old, sing hymn stanzas projected onto two huge screens. The words are superimposed over constantly changing background pictures. Three TV cameras catch all the action, be it the sermon, a choir anthem or a children's message. A control panel mixes the sound and visual inputs.

And flexibility in the worship space is a critical aspect of much contemporary church design. Chairs, chancel furnishings-even the platform-can be moved. The room can be reconfigured in different ways for the seasons of the liturgical year or for changing worship attendance patterns.

Maximum flexibility also allows space for drama; different sized musical instruments such as handbells, pianos, drum sets, bongos and tympani; choirs and singing groups of various sizes; or for nonworship purposes.

Trends and emphasis

"People have rediscovered the focus on baptism," Edwins says. This has led to a burst of creativity in the size, design and placement of baptismal fonts.

Fonts may be stationary or portable, low to the floor or standard height. Immanuel's font (Eden Prairie) is deep enough to immerse children.

"Living water" designs that feature flowing water are increasingly popular. Fonts may be located at the entrance to the worship space or found in the gathering space/narthex.

That is where baptisms take place at Milwaukee's Capitol Drive. "The font is a place where people can gather around as we welcome children and adults into the family," Timm says.

If they've done their job, Kleiber says church architects achieve this for clients: "If a talented architect designs a contemporary worship space and if it's a successful space, we just may be able to encounter God in a new way."

* To view a slideshow of church architecture: www.thelutheran.org/0408/pagc32.html.>* The Mission Investment Fund helps build churches: www.thclutheran.org/0408/mif.html.>* ELCA Renewing Worship resources include principles for worship space: wvvw.renewingworship.org/resources/principles/html/principles_for_worship_5.html.

Gugel, an ELCA pastor on disability retirement, is a free-lance writer in Muskego, Wis.