I Think We Get Your Point After The Fourth Time …
Just spent a few hours in a meeting talking about how we can take existing church sanctuary space (includes HVAC systems) and modify, change or basically improve upon the current design. The space is over a hundred years old and so some things were designed with how humans were back then (i.e. much skinnier). There were many things mentioned and really this was a brainstorming session. So the general rule is that no idea is a bad one, people should express their ideas in the context of the particular space in question and that’s about it. To run an efficient meeting people need to keep that in mind and not keep echoing an idea over and over like they’re harping over it or trying to get the popular vote to sway the actual outcome.
Some highlights of the suggestions/thoughts were:
- The center aisle is too narrow so weddings can’t be held there. Basically two people can’t walk side-by-side down the aisle. It’s true.
- Place solar panels on the roof and get grants to pay for them. (keep in mind the context of the meeting: church sanctuary)
- Involve an ESCO to help save money and make the church much more energy efficient.
- Enclose the balcony in glass to make them more sound proof and also allows them to become classroom space.
- Create two translation booths and a mothers room in the back of the balcony.
- Remove everything in the sanctuary to make it as multi-purpose as possible.
- Modify the altar in various ways.
- More projector screens (or TVs) and in different locations so people can see what’s on them. This alone kept me thinking about the phrase: More cowbell! I need more cowbell!
- Make pews that slide left-to-right to have a wider aisle.
- Move the soundboard off the balcony.
- Don’t remove the pews or the altar because otherwise it won’t look like a church. You feel like God is present there when “it” looks like a church. Do you feel God presence in a grocery store?
That pretty much sums it up. I’m sure there was other stuff said but I just don’t remember them. Some of the ideas I like, some I could do without. I particularly like the last statement because it really should make you think.
Do you feel God’s presence in a grocery store? Or in a Walmart? Or a McDonalds? Or just a church that looks like a traditional church? If we really think that God is only in a traditional style church have we just taken the most powerful being ever and stuck Him in a box?
Have we become larger than God himself by limiting where our mind think’s He exists? Or even is that the only place we allow Him to be – in a traditional church? Yes, we are human and we are finite. Why do we always put boundaries against those things that are beyond our limitations?
Then while looking at the online version of the Post I noticed that the link for the Orioles was gone. 
It’s good to see how the cost of technology continues to make these laptops even more affordable and available to those around the world. 
