This project consisted of a new church building that houses a sanctuary with balcony, narthex with a clerestory, parish hall with adjacent kitchen and operable partitions to accommodate a variety of group sizes, administrative office suite, adult education and meeting spaces, a nursery and multiple children's education spaces. The church was built adjacent to the existing Bethel Lutheran School. As part of the project, the existing parking lot was expanded to provide over 200 new parking spaces to be used by both the church and the school occupants.

The sanctuary was designed and built to house multiple styles of worship: traditional with organ, traditional with bell choir and contemporary with band. Acoustic treatments, sound system, theatrical lighting and a custom pipe organ were included.

NEEDS:

• Wanted the church and school on one campus

• A sanctuary that works well for different styles of worship

• Multiple types and sizes of spaces for gathering of adults and/or children

SOLUTIONS: 

• Built a new church adjacent to the existing Bethel School. By using stone on the outside corners and emphasizing the entry with a tall stone front, the church has its own aesthetic identity from the school, but by using a similar brick ties the two buildings together.

• Designed acoustics, sound system, projection system, and lighting system for both styles of worship service and added a control booth with full control of each system

• Created a Parish Hall with 2 operable walls that allow for the room to be divided into 2 or 3 different sized rooms, or open as one large gathering space. An adjacent full-service kitchen provides support for meals. Multiple types and sized rooms serve as adult meeting spaces for quilting, a music and study room, a prayer room, and 2 conference rooms. There are also separate Christian education spaces for children and Junior/Senior High groups.