Notes from “Worship Space and Experience”

Pilgrims:

Following worship on August 1, 2010 we had an open meeting of the Communications and Evangelism Ministry to discuss ideas folks have about the worship space and the worship experience. Remembering that this is just a discussion and not a decision-making body, we came up with the following observations and recommendations.

• Our sanctuary is a beautiful room and it has excellent acoustics. Whatever we might do to alter the design we want to preserve its aesthetics.
• Our efforts to worship in the chancel are not working well. We don’t want to sit with our backs to the band. Sitting in the choir pews can end up feeling cramped. We have been able to sit closer to each other but there are many people who are more comfortable out in the pews than up in the chancel.
• We want to remember that the most important qualities about Pilgrim come from how we are with each other (warm and friendly) rather than from what nice things we have. Nevertheless, the sanctuary needs a major overhaul. We have peeling paint and frayed carpet and crumbling tile.
• It doesn’t make sense to renovate the room if we aren’t going to stay in the building. We are also in the process of deciding what sort of pastoral leadership we are looking for. We have some bigger decisions to make before we decide on the paint color. We will not know what direction to move until we have settled the larger questions.
• Some of the ideas we have for renovation of the space are very expensive. Others can be done simply by working together. We should not abandon ideas for what we need just because we don’t yet see how God will provide.

Given all of these considerations and aware that the Sunday morning worship event is the central event in the life of the congregation and that the quality of that experience depends to a very large degree on the space in which we meet, we can move ahead on designing what we would like to have the space be like and what we want to be able to do with it. Therefore we may recommend that:

A team be empowered to consult with an architect to develop a master plan for renovation of the sanctuary which will respond to certain considerations:

• Create greater flexibility in the chancel such that there are fewer barriers and greater freedom of movement without losing the elegance of the current design. This might include options for moving the lectern, pulpit, and altar as well as the choir seating and modesty panels; and creating handrails or ramps to provide greater accessibility.
• Give a sense of a space within the space so that we can have a sense of intimacy even within the big room.
• Exercise care that the choice of materials (wood, tile, carpet) respect and preserve the auditory as well as visual characteristics of the room.

Complied by Mark Lee Robinson

August 1, 2010