First Evangelical Luthern Church Lorian Ohio
First Evangelical Luthern Church Lorian Ohio

First Evangelical Lutheran Church

First Evangelical Lutheran Church

New construction following a total loss by fire.

New construction following a total loss by fire.

LOCATION

Lorain, Ohio

YEAR

2017

CLIENT

First Evangelical Lutheran Church

PARTNERS

After a fire destroyed their historic church building, the congregation committed to rebuild, however, on a larger adjacent site. Known for their outreach ministries and excellence in worship, the church committed to a design to encourage hospitality and outreach, and celebrate artistic liturgy.

The congregation voiced the following goals as essential:

Invitation: With core ministries involved in outreach, the congregation desired to enhance physical access and a visual welcome to the surrounding city.

Intimacy: While the new worship needed at times to seat 300 people, the normal seating is under 200. A new pipe organ would impose an overwhelming volume for the small amount of seating. The volume could not overwhelm the scale of the human and the intimacy of communal liturgy.

Flexibility: Liturgical leaders desired multiple layouts, both intimate and expansive to accommodate the breadth of practice.

The worship contains multiple thresholds: a ceremonial door, a corner portal of glass connecting inner and outer communities, and an artful symbol of the fire through which and in which these faithful people journey.

A massive lattice floats above the liturgy, further reducing the scale. Controlled lighting on this structure affords multiple opportunities for focused highlighting.

The platform and seating are moveable. More permanent amenities such as the organ, sound system, and font were carefully placed to remain useful within every liturgical arrangement.

Worship Space at Entry and Font
Worship space with flexible furnishings
Entry Threshold and Font
New organ
Exterior
Exterior

PHOTOGRAPHY

Josh Groth Photography