|
The Sub-Committee on Parish Programs met on four occasions and has completed its work. Attached are the recommendations the sub-committee is making regarding space needs for the parish. Our process for gathering needed information was to invite parishioners involved in the various programs at St. Thomas’ to attend our meetings; if they were unable to attend we asked for written information. All programs responded in some fashion, except for the Outreach Committee which did not respond and therefore whose needs and recommendations could not be included in this report. Several themes emerged as the sub-committee began to put together the information we received. First, many groups were insistent that a fully functioning kitchen be included in any design or redesign of the space. Second, the sub-committee acknowledged the need for space to be used by groups representing defined age groups (e.g., Sacred Grounds, Society of St. Thomas) and we have been clear in our recommendations that space and furnishings allow for growth in these areas, for example as the parish’s children age into Journey To Adulthood space would be identified and converted for their use. Last, we would like to emphasize that space should be “expandable” and designed so that it can be used for many different purposes (with the exception of Godly Play and the Choir Room). In considering this last theme, the sub-committee decided to include the recommendations from all programs with the understanding that the architect would be able to design the space so that these needs could be met without necessarily designating rooms for only one purpose (parish support groups would likely also be the same space that a Sunday Salon would use for educational purposes). The needs are included here and the sub-committee’s report includes them as specific recommendations. Our group included Topher Bengtson, Dustin Cole, Brock England, Wayne Floyd, Bettina Hager, Mary Hager, Dennis Hobb, Trey Rhiddlehoover, and Eric Tipler. On behalf of the Sub-Committee on Parish Programs, we would like to thank you for the opportunity to participate in this process. Parish Programs Sub-Committee Recommendations to the Discernment Committee June 19, 2008 | Program | | Considerations | | Recommendations | | External Groups (AA, NA, Chinese School, etc.) | | - External groups are welcome to use St. Thomas’ space, but sometimes there is competition for quiet. New construction should make soundproofing a priority.
- Space should be available for chairs to be stacked in each room, or for chairs to be available via a centralized location off a main hallway.
- Attention should be paid to being able to partition large spaces into smaller areas via movable walls.
- Space is likely to be vertical, so two elevators will be necessary.
- If storage space is built, it should be designated for certain groups and reserved for their use so as to minimize clutter.
| | Continue to allow external groups to use the church’s space, but these considerations should be secondary to the needs of the parish. The following recommendations are made regarding external groups whom St. Thomas’ hosts: -
- “Zone” the building both for security purposes and for heating and air conditioning. This would allow external groups to have access to certain areas without granting access to the entire building.
- Zones should allow ready access to restrooms.
| | Parishioners from Infancy to Young Adulthood | | - There are many infants and toddlers in the parish now, but fewer children in the various age groups as the children age. This could indicate that the parish serves infants and toddlers because their parents live in the immediate area, but might move to the suburbs as their children begin school.
- Space for children’s programs should always be exclusive space.
- Walls should be “fun”, ensuring that it’s OK to have murals, maybe some walls of chalkboard, etc. These rooms should be carpeted and there should be toilets nearby. It would be helpful to have a sink in the Nursery.
- Consider a miniature indoor “playground”, close to where parents and other adults will have coffee hour.
- Space should be made available for recreation and other forms of entertainment age-appropriate for teenagers and young adults.
| | There should be separate and distinct space for the Nursery (with direct access to a restroom and a sink), and a separate Cry Room or Quiet Room for infants. These should be close to where worship services are being held and designed so that parents can hear and/or see the service. Godly Play space needs to conform to the standards set by the Diocese (these need to be thoroughly researched by the architect). Space should be identified for Journey To Adulthood. Even though the parish has but one teenager currently, perhaps ‘if we build it they will come’. At any rate, space could be created and used for something else until our current children age into JTA and new teenagers join the parish. | | Adult Parishioners | | - Spaces that expand allow for flexibility. St. Patrick’s Church has large glass panels at the rear of the sanctuary that open up the space and doubles it.
- Social space could front onto the park (or a terrace) and sliding glass doors could open up the space so that the outside and inside meet. It was mentioned that people seem to need twice the social space as they do worship space.
- As often as possible, allow for multiple uses of space. Special consideration should be given for how age-specific groups (JTA, Sacred Grounds, Society of St. Thomas, etc.) will use the space.
- Outside space, such as is found at Western Presbyterian, should be incorporated into the design.
| | Education/Formation needs three different types of spaces: -
- Private space for small groups to meet, such as for Sunday Salons, that could also be used as the parish library.
- Whether or not combined with education space, a combination library and resource center.
- A large space for parish events (such as a speaker like Gene Robinson) that could seat 100 people and be audio/visual ready.
The Music Program needs a Choir Room, at least as large as their former space, and it would have room to partition space for the Music Director’s office. This space would not need to be adjacent to the sanctuary. Sacred Grounds will use space the parish uses for social purposes but asks that it is welcoming for social events, such as appropriate floor surface and contemporary furnishings. Inclusion Committee, Parish Life, and Pastoral Care Committees all recommend an industrial kitchen where food could easily be cooked, served, and stored. There would be a pass-through window to the social space so that serving could be easily accomplished. The kitchen needs substantial freezer space, roughly 16 cubic feet, so that meals could be prepared and stored for delivery to parishioners in need. Pastoral Care needs space to meet, along with file drawer space, and also needs the following:1. Have storage for equipment (crutches, wheelchairs, and other equipment for those who have mobility problems), a rough estimate being a 60 cubic foot storage closet.2. Space available for a formalized pastoral counseling ministry that would allow for privacy, one-on-one meetings, and space for group supervision sessions. 3. Meeting space for support groups for parishioners sharing some life challenge or condition (being HIV+, depressed or bereaved, divorced, etc.). In order to do such groups we would need meeting space. Parish Life has requested that space remain available for outside events, and that a gas line be run outside for cooking purposes. In addition to other kitchen requests, Parish Life requests the following: - Locks on dishwasher, oven, refrigerator, and freezer.
- Ice maker separate from the freezer.
- Obtain Energy Star ® Green appliance that are higher end so they will last.
- Multiple outlets for water so that water can be supplied for coffee makers and water coolers without heavy lifting.
- Hidden closets/storage space for tables.
|
|
Parish Programs