worship

Chapel Hill United Methodist Church

When Chapel Hill United Methodist Church doubled its membership in ten years, it needed a much larger facility to accommodate the church’s congregation. Schaefer designed the expansion, which more than doubled its original size.

A sanctuary addition with rich wood and earth tones was designed to accommodate 850 seats in a tiered configuration. Stained-glass windows fill the space with natural light.

The stage at the front of the room is large enough for a choir twice its original size, and two large screens on the sides of the stage create a multimedia worship experience.

To maximize daylight to the classrooms and offices on the building’s lower level, the architects carved a hillside away from the new addition, allowing for windows and walkouts.