Elim Mission Church Construction - Approach and Canopy Progress

Progress has continued beautifully on the church over the course of these last months. In this post, I would like to focus specifically on how the approach and canopy of the building have been shaping up.

The sloping forms of the roof are one of the most striking elements of the building when approaching from any direction. These roof shapes, with their wing-like quality, rise above the horizon line from certain vantage points as the only visible pieces of the building.

Their sloping lines draw your focus to the center and main entry of the building.

This is where the entry rises up as an element in itself, a distinct gate, as well as a base for the cross.

Although the full church is visible from the highway when driving into town from the east, this particular view, from the bottom of the main entry drive, is partially concealed by the natural topography. This allows the roof forms, with cross and tower at the center, to rest on the horizon line, being clearly framed between earth and sky.

At this central entry, those sloping, wing-like roof forms are continued in a sheltering gesture over the approach.

This canopy form, further communicating the idea of a sheltering wing, is folded, almost aerodynamically and draws those approaching the doors up under the roof in a purposefully active motion of protection.

The unified finish renders the canopy into a single folded form. The white color will ultimately reconnect it with its sloping counterparts in the other roof forms, that will likewise be white both in covering and on their edges.

As control joints are filled with sealant the effect of the continuous sloping form will be complete.

I am looking forward to posting further progress here - especially as the cladding is attached to the entry form.

Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings! Psalms 61:4

Elim Mission Church - Steel Progress

Its been a wet construction season, but I am glad to see real progress being made on site. Looking up to this hilltop site and seeing the church take form is wonderful. The views from the highway are great, both approaching and leaving town, as well as from nearby neighborhoods as shown below. Steel beams and joists have roughed out the sloping roof lines and the light gauge framing is quickly following. It will be moving toward enclosure as steel deck, exterior sheathing and roofing are completed in the coming weeks. Until then, the interior spaces are only hinted at. Your eyes, unable to focus on the immediate structure, quickly shoot out from inside the framed building into the expansive landscape of farm fields, winding highway and neighborhoods surrounding. From this hilltop, the views are quite amazing, but what I seem to notice most whenever I visit the site is the sky. Both the landscape and now the quickly forming church frame a vast engagement with the sky. I think the cross, when it enters this composition, will be a perfect statement.

A view up the hill from a nearby neighborhood street.

Looking across the site after foundation walls were poured.

Elim Mission Church Groundbreaking

This month I was honored to participate in the ground breaking ceremony of a new church, which is a very special project to me. I have enjoyed working with Elim Mission Church, and their amazing building committee, for over two years now. A church building process, that relies on fundraising from within their own church body, can often stretch and strain the hope for a project reaching reality, but this church has shown true perseverance and is now about to see the fruit of all their hard work and dedication. This building committee has become like family and I am excited to not only walk through this construction process with them, but to get to witness their church body taking this big step. Larson Building did a fabulous job serving the church at this ground breaking, just as they did in leading those final big steps to begin construction. I am thankful for their expertise and the chance to team up on another project together.

As part of the celebration of growth into the future, we enjoyed seeing the youngest generation of the church pick up shovels and throw some dirt. These are the ones who will pick up the mantle of leadership in the years to come and will truly get to enjoy the fruit that comes from this new location and building.

My family was on site to celebrate with the church and we took the opportunity for a little photo op of our own.

I am happy to see dirt getting pushed around out there and I will do my best to share lots of construction progress photos in the months to come. This is a design I am very excited to see come to reality.

Elim Mission Church - Conceptual Rendering