Word of Grace Church exterior with stone and stucco walls, tall arched windows and a curved canopy over the drop-off

Commercial · Worship

Word of Grace. A church built for gathering.

Word of Grace Church in Chesterland, Ohio, designed by architect Joe Myers. A welcoming entrance, a lobby that holds the crowd between services, and a sanctuary built for worship, music and media.

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Word of Grace ChurchChesterland, Ohio

SanctuaryWorship, music and media
ChesterlandGeauga County, Ohio
Joe MyersArchitect
CommunityLobby and gathering space

Room for a growing congregation.

A church is used hardest in the half hour before and after a service. The design gives that time its own space: a sheltered drop-off, a generous lobby and clear routes into the sanctuary.

The sanctuary itself is a flexible room for contemporary worship, with a stage for the band, sightlines to two large screens and seating that keeps the congregation close.

Worship
Church
Assembly
Community

Sanctuary of Word of Grace Church during a service, with a full congregation, a stage with sculptural fabric panels and two projection screens

The sanctuary during a Sunday service.

The project

A sheltered arrival and a room that faces the stage.

Stone and stucco walls, tall arched windows and a curved canopy over the drop-off give the building a clear, dignified front door that works in Ohio weather.

Inside, the lobby opens directly to the sanctuary, where fanned seating, stage lighting and two projection screens make a large room feel connected.