LCUMC

Design Concepts

Music Suite Design

April 2008

Overview

In Christian culture worship through music is a vital and necessary avenue in which the modern world can grow in their worship experience. Praise and Worship is most certainly one of the most important aspects in the Christian Church today.

Psalm 100:4 says that we enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise. Psalms 22 says he that He inhabits the praises of His people. In the Old Testament people worshipped at Jerusalem in the temple. When Jesus met the Samaritan woman at the well, He told her that the hour had come when all worshippers must worship the Father in spirit and in truth and that the Father even sought such worshippers (John 21-24). 

As the design concepts committee for the music facility, we realize without addressing the growth aspect physically we will never be able to effectively communicate with the present and future communities in our Praise and Worship. Simply put, we cannot grow without having a place to put the growth.

The Music Design Facility Committee is proposing the following:

Worship Center:

We are assuming that this facility would accommodate all services whether being Traditional, Blended, Emerging, Contemporary, etc.

Music Suite:

We are asking that the entire music wing be placed at the back of the stage and worship area. This includes offices, practice rooms, workrooms, etc, and would be equipped with all of the modern conveniences that the communication committee has proposed.

This entire facility must be have restricted access as all equipment and other worship accessories (ie. robes, music, etc.) will be kept. All entrances would be monitored and secured at all times. We want the choir entrances to the platform be from the back as to access the platform from the music wing would allow people to exit and enter more conveniently.

After much deliberation, we have all decided that in order to allow music activities to occur when other activities are occurring, we are proposing that the entire music facility be sound proofed as we desire to eventually have more than one rehearsal at any given time.

As a committee, we desire a large enough room that is acoustically tuned to the same as the sanctuary with space that is equal to that of the choir loft with moveable seating in the choir room. We MUST have Music Library that holds all ministry music; children, bells, choir, etc, and would desire that it would be separate from said choir room so that it doesn’t interfere with the acoustics of the room, and is aesthetically pleasing. Also, we have decided that if we continue wearing robes that we would like to move to a black robe with more liturgical stoles, as to lessen the eye to “looking at us instead of God.”

We are looking to have the robes and the individuals folders lined up in the hallway of the wing.

I desire a large office for the Music Director with adjoining study that is able to also serve as a conference area for the rest of the music staff, and fellow support staff; I would also desire that I have a full bath as I would appreciate not having to be interrupted by the sea of people on services as I prepare for service.

Additional four offices to accommodate growth in ministry (five total including M.D. office; also sound proof; 1 for organist, children’s music director, and 3 separate offices that would serve as practice rooms until we need them as offices(Growth Area).

We desire that there be a band/orchestra rehearsal hall that is suitable for recording as we grow. Also, wanted to look at having a Mosaic rehearsal room/hall that is also equipped for recording.

As a team we deliberated on a way that we could have a common area that would be used as a gathering area so that people can have fellowship over a cup of coffee, and it be a place that we could have a Music work room with small kitchen, copy machine, table, cabinets, and storage. Also, we must have adequate place to store valuables, music stands, instruments and would like several storage places in the band hall to place these things, i.e. Timpani

In order for our Bells ministry to grow we need Separate bell rehearsal room with tables that remain set up with locked cabinets underneath; this is to mirror the sanctuary setup.

As we grow, and do musicals, weddings, etc, we are going to need Music dressing rooms with showers that would accommodate changes, and also serve as places for the grooms, and brides, bridal parties.

We desire that there be no carpet with the exception of the hallways, offices, and children’s rooms; wood floors in choir room. Nice tile for practice rooms; carpeted hallways except band hall

To acquire growth in our children’s music ministry, we need 1 or possibly 2 Children’s choir rehearsal room, with 2 practice rooms, that are equipped with Midi pianos and guitars for kids in 2nd large children’s music room to do programs, i.e. Kindermusik. Kindermusik is a program that can help this ministry and our church generate profit in the coming years.

As I don’t believe that we addressed this in the Sanctuary planning meeting, we would LOVE to have an electronic/pipe organ in the new sanctuary if at all possible.

Conclusion

We realize that we are not limited by size, and that our only real design challenge may be of monetary value, but believe that the things that have been outlined above would allow us as a ministry to go to the next level as we continue to pursue this area of our lives: worship.