Church Building

This collection of twenty-three essays by Duncan Stroik shows the development and consistency of his architectural vision. Packed with informative essays and over 170 photographs, this collection clearly articulates the Church’s architectural tradition.

The first systematic study of the financing and management of parish church construction in England in the Middle Ages.

Fivefold Church Fishing: If fivefold ministry were compared to fishing, their different strengths are used as a team. The apostle would acquire the boat, net, and team to catch and process the fish. The prophet would seek Holy Spirit direction, to know time, location, and fishing depth. The teacher would study to give knowledge of species and bait, to maximize catching, cleaning, and preserving the fish. The evangelist will go out regardless of time or weather. He will tirelessly cast his net to maximize gathering all he can, while encouraging believers to join him. The pastor would receive the catch, clean it, and care for the processed fish. All the elders would distribute this catch with wisdom and love, while ministering to the entire assembly. Well-fed believers will then minister both inside and outside of the church.

Sharing buildings with another ministry allows church members to engage other cultures, see a young ministry develop and thrive, and practice good stewardship. But these arrangements present unique challenges, too. Utility, maintenance, and renovation costs must be fairly divided. Personality differences arise and communication barriers may emerge, particularly with perceptions of turf and identity. 'Sharing Your Church Building' is a one-of-a-kind resource that will help you navigate these often unfamiliar waters and avoid potential pitfalls. It offers management insights, specific problem-solving guidelines, and strategies for preparing a congregation to share its facilities--either as a host or as a guest. It will help with establishing healthy boundaries that allow all the ministries in the building to flourish.

For twenty-five years I have been involved in extensive infrastructural projects for churches as a volunteer project manager. These were multi-million-dollar projects that delivered the wealth of experience set down in this book. They have opened my eyes to project strategies that work, and those that do not work. The book is a vital tool for church operators and organizational leaders alike.Church and communal projects do not only pose engineering challenges, but are predominantly a hearts-and-minds issue. The book covers how a church project should be conceived, planned, and executed. It thrashes issues such as the part-time status of building committee members, the use of uncompleted facilities in concurrent operations, contractor selection, managing stakeholder expectations, and the technical and spiritual qualifications of project officials. It outlines viable options for funding church projects and strategies for preserving church infrastructural investments.

Some hundred early Christian churches are attested on Cyprus, dating from the fourth to seventh centuries.Their architectural remains have shaped the Cypriot landscape.The peculiar evolution of the features of the Cypriot church gave rise to a scientific discussion on how to evaluate these specific local developments. In the last decade, individual research as well as conferences and workshops dedicated to late antiquity and the early Byzantine period have contributed towards a new approach and a new impulse for the study of this period in Cyprus.The volume reinforces and furthers this trend taking into consideration relevant parameters reflected on the architectural planning, such as structural knowledge and innovations, cultic behaviours, liturgical traditions, economic capacities, social and political aspirations. Based on current developments in research, new findings in Cyprus and the focus on intercultural contacts, the volume is organised into four different sections: 1) Building the Christian cityscape and landscape; 2) Christian communities and church building, fourth to seventh centuries; 3) Interior arrangement and theological concepts; 4) 'International Byzantine Style'? Local traditions and adaptations in- and outside Cyprus.