New Building Task Force

January 2009 Focus Group Workshop

On Sunday, January 18, 2009, the NBTF hosted a Focus Group Workshop facilitated by members of the Task Force. The workshop saw attendees break out into four Focus Groups to address questions related to what functions and activities would support the kind of church they individually imagined. Each Focus Group was facilitated by one or more members of the NBTF.

In response, some 230 ideas and comments were captured during the sessions and shared with the entire group at the conclusion of the session. It was a fruitful and stimulating event that fostered creative notions of what form our new church should take.

Summary

All the comments and ideas recorded during the sessions were consolidated into a summary as a record of “What we heard” members of the congregation declare were the kinds of things that should be considered. A wide range of types of activities and functions were identified. Important qualities of the space which relate to mood and character were raised and discussed, as well as functional concerns about the practical and efficient operation of the spaces.

The types of spaces specifically mentioned could be grouped into broad categories of space, including:

Shown below under the heading “Full Listing of Spaces,” is a comprehensive listing of the types of spaces suggested by one or more members of the Focus Groups.

In addition, broad issues were raised and discussed that apply to virtually all of the spaces, including:

Full Listing of Spaces Wished For

Participants in the Focus Groups creatively developed a long list of the kinds of spaces they would like to have, ideally, in our new church facilities. An extensive list resulted: