Living Word Lutheran Church

Alexandria, Minnesota

In order to provide for a new and growing congregation, the Living Word Lutheran Church in Alexandria, MN is constructing a new facility. JLG was directed to work towards a design that ‘exhibits a simple or modest geometry…characterized as traditional or of “country church” style.

In order to meld the requirements of a modern church program with the image of a country church, the facility was designed to have a gable form housing each of the primary functions of the church program, the sanctuary, the fellowship hall, and the administrative offices. These three elements were then tied together with a simple, flat roof form containing the narthex. These forms clearly communicate the building function to all traffic passing by the site on busy McKay Avenue.

The facility includes a sanctuary to seat 375 and a fellowship hall to seat 300, with each of these spaces having access to overflow seating to be located in the Narthex. Additionally, given the natural contour of the site, a lower level was added to provide space for Christian education, youth activities, and meeting rooms.