1. To design a sanctuary whose external appearance and internal
arrangement distinctively express our firm commitment to the doctrinal heritage of the
Lutheran Church and are consistent with architectural expressions of that theology in
historic Lutheran church buildings both in Europe and in the United States.
2. To embody our conviction that worship is not passive entertainment but the
interaction of God and His people. That interaction is initiated by God as His gracious
Word is spoken to us in Holy Absolution, Bible readings, preaching, and the scriptural
structure of the liturgy itself; and as He offers us the forgiveness of sins, life and
salvation in the water of Holy Baptism and in the bread and wine of Holy Communion which
is the Lord’s true Body and Blood. Based upon that divine service ("There can be
no service to God without service from God."), God’s people respond in praise
and prayer ("Gottesdienst").
3 To provide opportunity for the experience of a sense of community as we assemble
together as the people of God around Word and Sacrament (NT -"ecclesia") to
encourage and edify one another (Hebrews 10: 24-25).
4. To express the unique focus of Lutheran worship on the Means of Grace - the Gospel
in Word and Sacrament.
5. To clearly reflect in both form and location the threefold significance of the altar
in the worship of the Lutheran Church as: (1) a portrayal of the sacrifice of Christ in
our place as the central theme in God’s plan of salvation, prefigured by centuries of
sacrificial worship during the Old Testament; (2) a physical symbol of the gracious
presence of God among us in Word and Sacrament; and, (3) a witness to the use of the
Lord’s Supper as an essential in the corporate worship of the Christian community.
6. To design and place the baptismal font in such a way that it serves as an
architectural focal point within the sanctuary thus providing a visual reminder to every
worshipper of Holy Baptism’s crucial importance both as a "washing of
regeneration’ (Titus 3:5) through which God incorporates men and women into His
Church and as a lifelong reminder of the believer’s daily spiritual struggle and
triumph in the faith.
7. To emphasize the importance of the Word of God and its proclamation in our worship
through structure of the pulpit and its configuration relative to the altar and the font
as the other architectural representations of the Means of Grace.
8. To maximize the ministry of the organ and choirs in leading and supporting
congregational singing of liturgy and hymns both in the specific placement of the music
components in the sanctuary and careful consideration of acoustical concerns throughout
the worship space.