This meeting ended sometime around 1 am, and again a lot of it had to deal with the renovation project.
We looked at the current structure of this project – the use of the executive committee and wanted to see if it was 1) good structure 2) needs improving and how 3) change the whole thing up.
We also talked about the different options again (probably for the 1000th time – it sure feels that way). BUT in the end an experienced member stated this, our design should be based on the program book we complied.
This program book went through many hands and was revised several times to try to reflect church life – its current needs, how the church currently functions and how it expects to function in the future. With that we came up with this design. We looked at church function and future vision and designed from there.
But we are going to review it again to make sure it does meet the function of this church with the minimalist cost.
Just a side note, a FYI- EC and the architects has had many meeting in which we did not talk about design but just about church programming. We studied
1) fellowship attendance and how many small groups are in the fellowships
2) church service attendance
3) Children sunday classes and how many rooms they used
4) youth fellowships how many rooms they use
5) English classes
and a whole lot more. I don’t think we have left any stone unturned. We had excel sheets of all the space usages and times. We did not only study how many rooms/spaces is needed but also what times they are needed. From there the architects designed. Once they designed the 9 story building we put that against the program and checked to see if it meet the needs of this church.
Right now we are trying to arrange a meeting with the architects to review the different options again.
I have heard criticisms that we did not give equal weight to different options. I have heard we have not given enough time to study the different options (talking about double height sanctuary). I would beg to differ, we have spent many times and hours looking at different options and reviewed it to see if it can work with our needs. In the end, it still appears people don’t necessary believe we looked at all the options. In the beginning, all the options has equal weight, but once we look at the program book, EC does believe that one design (or option) can meet the church’s need and therefore we should put more weight to it and study it further. That’s where we are now, but due to some congregation member’s concerns, we will look at all the options of the sanctuary again.
