Excellent Atmospheres
The environment around us has a profound effect on our experience within it. A disordered, sloppy, or poorly designed environment can distract us or make us anxious. A clean, intentional environment helps us be present and focus on what matters most. The weight and value of the message we bring, the Gospel, deserves an environment that honors God and enables people to receive it without interference.
Engineering an excellent environment starts with thinking through the senses. What will the guest see? What will they smell? What will they hear? What will they feel? From there, we can remove the things that are not helpful to the atmosphere, and we can incorporate the things that will contribute to an honoring, positive, and productive environment for people to encounter God.
First, define the focus or purpose of the gathering.
For Sunday worship services, it may be to help people have a life-changing experience with God. For a leader meeting, it may be to help leaders learn and develop in specific skills. For a volunteer appreciation event, it may be about fun and laughter.
Aim to write a succinct, one-sentence purpose statement for every gathering.
Second, engineer the environment to that purpose.
Once you’ve clarified the reason for the gathering, you can then engineer all aspects of the environment - the meeting space, entryways, restrooms, adjacent spaces, etc - to serve that purpose. The checklist you’ll see on the following pages will help you think through all those aspects that align with your church culture.
FEEL
What people feel in a room, both physically and emotionally, can have a significant influence on what they experience. This sense is often the last thing we think about when planning a gathering, but is usually the first thing guests notice when they arrive.
1 | Determine the temperature in the room that will be most conducive for the purpose of this gathering.
A colder room can help keep people awake, alert, and tuned in.
A warmer room can help people feel relaxed and comfortable.
Remember that the temperature of a room rises when it’s filled with people, if the target temperature is 70 degrees, we may want to set it at 67 degrees when it’s empty.
2 | Evaluate the other physical sensations that can be optimized.
If guests will be seated, consider the type and comfort of the chairs being used. Also, be mindful of the placement and spacing of chairs. Closely arranged seating could foster a sense of intimacy, but it could also be uncomfortable if people don’t know one another.
For longer meetings or training sessions, consider incorporating stress balls or fidget devices to help people stay focused while seated.
3 | Define the emotional tone that we want to create for the purpose of this gathering.
Coach the team that is hosting to align their attitude, body language, and engagement with that tone.
SIGHT
How an environment looks can speak volumes about our level of preparation and consideration for the guest. What people see determines where their attention will be.
1 | Determine what kind of lighting in the room will be most effective for the purpose of this gathering.
How bright should it be? What color or tone of lighting is appropriate? Should we use overhead lighting or low lighting (e.g., lamps)?
Will the lighting need to change at different times throughout the gathering?
Do we have adequate house lighting, stage lighting, and environmental lighting?
Think through how the lighting in the room aligns with what we’ll ask people to do. For instance, if we want a time of quiet prayer, a dimmer room may help facilitate the atmosphere. If we want people to take notes, more lighting will be necessary so they can see clearly.
Consider the presence of windows and natural light. How might the direction and intensity of sunlight change throughout the event? It may seem fine now, but could there be distracting glare later?
2 | Ensure that visual brand standards are represented in the space.
Colors, logos, fonts, design, etc.
3 | Brainstorm elements that can be added to enhance the feel that we want to create.
Decorative pieces, culture pieces, screen graphics, etc
4 | Eliminate any elements that could be distracting or counterproductive.
Clutter, trash, messes, etc.
5 | Strategically position any necessary signage to communicate key information to our guests.
Welcoming signage, directional signage, designated parking areas, etc.
SOUND
Sound is more than a worship set. To create an excellent atmosphere, it’s important to consider what people will hear throughout their experience. Intentional ambiance or music can enhance a moment. Silence can either be powerful or awkward depending on how it’s deployed.
1 | Decide what kind of music should be played to facilitate the goal of the gathering.
Think through how the music may need to change throughout the course of the gathering.
Plan for smooth transitions between moments to avoid awkwardness.
Consider the most appropriate volume for each stage of the gathering.
2 | Determine where speakers should be placed to create the best audio experience.
Decide on the starting point for the audio experience in the room or building.
Identify any 'dead spots' or areas with varying sound quality throughout the room.
3 | Assess if there are any times or places within the gathering where it should be silent.
4 | Anticipate potential noise distractions that could occur and create a plan to mitigate them.
Noisy HVAC, crying babies, cars outside the window, noise bleeding in from the lobby or the kids' space, etc.
5 | Ensure there is a backup plan in case any of our sound technology fails (speakers, microphones, etc).
SMELL
Our sense of smell is strongly tied to our memory. Being intentional about what guests will smell can have a significant impact on both their experience of an event as well as how they remember it.
1 | Determine what scents are most appropriate for facilitating the kind of atmosphere we want to create.
Do we have a standard scent that we use?
Are there any seasonal scents we want to incorporate?
Consider the overall sensory experience someone will have throughout the entire space. Keep in mind that too many competing smells can be jarring or distracting.
2 | Strategize how and where to implement the scents that we want.
Think through the placement of scent machines, candles, air fresheners, etc
3 | Plan ahead to eliminate any potential off-putting or distracting smells, such as trash or foods with strong odors.
Do we have a plan in place to quickly clean up any spills or messes that may occur?
TASTE
Food or drink may not be necessary for every gathering, but when we do incorporate a “taste” element, it should be done thoughtfully with the goal of the gathering in mind.
1 | Discuss what food or drink is best suited for the experience we want to create.
For example, if we want leaders focused during a lengthy training, we may opt for coffee and energizing snacks instead of a heavy meal that could make them lethargic.
2 | Anticipate potential dietary preferences or restrictions and plan accordingly.
Non-dairy alternatives, vegetarian offerings, gluten-free options, etc.
3 | Think through what materials, containers, and/or utensils will be needed to accompany the refreshments we’ve chosen.
Consider items such as plates, napkins, cold and hot containers, etc.
Plan how long the food items will be out and how to prevent them from degrading.
Strategically place trash receptacles and have a plan for promptly replacing them as they become full.
4 | Strategize the best placement and order of food items in the room.
Anticipate lines forming and the best setup to avoid traffic jams or congestion.
5 | Brainstorm any small touches we can add to create an optimal experience for the guest.
Mints, mouthwash, toothpicks, etc.