HELPING LEADERS BECOME
B E T T E R S T E WA R D S .
Stewardship of Space Presented by: Screenflex Portable Room Dividers
Table of Contents DO YOU REALLY NEED TO BUILD? WHEN DIVVYING UP YOUR EXISTING SPACE MAKES SENSE
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As your church finds itself in need of more ministry space, a new building might seem like a logical solution. But, in the interest of stewardship, it pays to consider whether or not an existing space can be reimagined instead. By Rich Maas
TAKE THE LONG-TERM VIEW
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Portable room dividers are essential equipment for any church — especially growing churches. They’re forever useful as a church’s ministry offerings — and physical campus — expand. So, they should last a long, long time. That kind of longevity doesn’t come cheap … or without careful, considered selection.
TRIED-AND-TRUE MAINTENANCE BEST PRACTICES
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Just about any church can make great use of portable room dividers. They can be a safe, cost-effective long-term investment… but only if you buy thoughtfully. The biggest mistake I see churches make is buying cheap. Here’s why that’s so risky. By Rich Maas
GREAT DIVIDERS
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Of all the facility tools at a church’s disposal, portable room dividers are — by design — among the most adaptable. They can transform spaces without the expense and commitment of traditional renovation or construction. Most of our customers order one to two dividers, which roughly equates to an investment of $1,400 or $2,800. As detailed herein, more complex needs require more complex solutions. Our planning team can provide 3-D sketches based on your specific needs. We’ve found that most churches have one of three larger goals, or uses, in mind when they invest in portable room dividers. By Rich Maas
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CHURCH EXECUTIVE • STEWARDSHIP OF SPACE
churchexecutive.com
Pastor Tim Mengle of Crystal Lake Vinyard Church (Crystal Lake, IL) talks how his congregation maximizes its partitions
Do you really need to build? When divvying up your existing space makes more sense By Rich Maas As your church finds itself in need of more ministry space, a new building might seem like a logical solution. But, in the interest of stewardship, it pays to consider whether or not an existing space can be reimagined instead. Many churches have opted to divide the facilities they have to accommodate growth — but, how can you know that will be sufficient at your own church? Start with the growth outlook Knowing how to move forward is really a function of the amount of additional ministry space needed and the amount of space available to accommodate anticipated growth. When massive growth of 40 percent or more is expected, nuts-andbolts construction or facility renovation might indeed be in order. After all, you can’t have people stepping over each other. So, while the good news is that the ministry is growing, your church probably does need to get out the shovels. On the other hand, projected growth of 10 percent to 30 percent can very often be accommodated with the efficient use of existing space. Cost savings potential Having spent considerable time in the church marketplace — and based on some general church construction marketplace statistics — our company can offer some ballpark figures for traditional construction or expansion projects based on scope and size: Sanctuary Capacity Floor Space
Probable Construction Cost
100-seat 500-seat 1,250-seat 2,000-seat 5,000-seat
$290,000 $1.48 million $2.6 million $4.2 million $8.8 million
2,000 square feet 12,000 square feet 24,000 square feet 42,000 square feet 90,000 square feet
Take, for example, Canaan Baptist Church in St. Louis, MO. This 20-classroom project — in a 7,800-square-foot space — was completed by our team about 10 years ago, predominantly with dividers from our Portable Classroom line [ screenflex.com/products/portableclassroom/ ]. A project architect actually referred church leaders to our company. Most clients would simply require the necessary linear footage of acoustical portable dividers to create the 20 classrooms. This could be accomplished at the time for an investment of roughly only $30,000. However, not only did this church need to create 20 Sunday school classroom areas, but it also needed some other furnishings common to a classroom — storage space for teaching material, a marker board and, of course, a work surface area for the teacher. These features made the necessary dividers more useful (but also a bit more expensive) than a more basic model. Even so, the investment paled in comparison to the cost of traditional construction, which church leaders also considered. churchexecutive.com
Canaan Baptist Church in St. Louis, MO, needed 20 Sunday school classrooms. Portable room dividers delivered the outcome the church wanted, at a fraction of the cost of traditional construction.
In this case, the classrooms would only be used part-time; so nuts-andbolts construction didn’t make the best financial sense. Instead, church leaders invested $50,000 in room dividers. So, they not only saved money but made more efficient use of their space, all while achieving their ministry objective of 20 classrooms. Another financial consideration is future expansion. When the time does come for a new facility, these same dividers can be rolled over to the new building. Surveying your space — does division make sense? Over the years, our team has learned that certain facilities on a church campus are more “divisible” than others. Large, open spaces such as gymnasiums, as well as fellowship halls / family life centers, are usually excellent candidates. Churches often outgrow their original worship space — but, they certainly won’t knock them down. Instead, they’ll repurpose them. Ceiling height is also important. Many gymnasiums have high or sloped ceilings; in these spaces, floor-to-ceiling room dividers simply won’t work. In spaces like these, portable room dividers represent a more flexible, cost-effective solution. Don’t get me wrong: Floor-to-ceiling room dividers can work wonderfully in spaces with 8- or 10-foot ceilings. Here, they create honest-to-goodness “walls.” Plus, the church also enjoys better sound absorbency. The downside is that they’re very expensive and not very flexible. You can move them one way or another, but you can’t move them to be useful in another part of the church — or even three feet this way or that way — because they’re built into the building. Ministry happens here From small group classes, to Sunday school spaces, to nurseries and childcare areas, thoughtfully dividing an existing space is just good stewardship — good ministry and use of funds. Many of our thoughtful customers use the same portable dividers for Sunday school classrooms on Sunday; childcare during weekdays; and bible study and other programs in the evenings and on Saturdays. Dividing up the space you have creates smaller, more intimate areas for private ceremonies, including baby showers, wedding showers, funerals, or even private areas for nursing mothers. It’s also a good option for churches meeting in adaptive reuse settings — former retail stores or warehouses, for example. (And really, what other practical ways exist to easily subdivide these types of areas? Answer: none!) Thoughtful division is truly “stewardship of space.” Rich Maas is vice president at Screenflex Portable Room Dividers [ www.screenflex.com ] in Lake Zurich, IL.
STEWARDSHIP OF SPACE • CHURCH EXECUTIVE
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TAKE THE LONG–TERM
By Rich Maas Portable room dividers are essential equipment for any church – especially growing churches. They’re forever useful as a church’s ministry offerings — and physical campus — expand. So, they should last a long, long time. That kind of longevity doesn’t come cheap … or without careful, considered selection. Many church leaders have never purchased portable room dividers. To that end, they’re not always sure what kind of investment these valuable ministry tools represent. To provide a framework, we’ll use our company’s three different room dividers lines — all made in America — as examples: light-duty, allpurpose, and heavy-duty. While heavy-duty dividers are beyond what churches require, allpurpose dividers are extremely popular among church clients. We offer 36 sizes in this line, from 4 feet high and almost 6 feet long up to 8 feet high and just over 24 feet long. After customary discounts are applied, investments begin at roughly $500 for our smallest all-purpose divider. Our most popular sizes are 6 feet high and approximately 17 feet and 20 feet in length. After discounts, these range from $1,200 to $1,400 apiece. Light-duty dividers (as their name implies) have fewer bells and whistles, and not as many fabric choices. These start at $400 each after discounts at 6-feet-5-inches high x approximately 6 feet long. So, as you can see, portable room dividers aren’t a small investment — but, a properly built divider is intended to last a lifetime. To this end — and in the interest of the best possible stewardship — longevity should be No. 1 on the list of selection criteria. To ensure you are getting not only the quality, but also the correct dividers you need, we offer a complete — and free —planning service. Simply tell us the size of the room you will be using the dividers in most of the time, and what you want to accomplish. We will send you a plan in both 2-D and 3-D which you can review with your committee members. OK — but, what does a long-lasting portable room divider look like? To answer that, let’s start with what they don’t look like. Many years ago — when my brother was in the church design and construction business — he was visiting a client in Wisconsin. They invested in T-leg panels (common in offices) because “the price was right.” He noticed that four or five were leaning up against the wall after their “feet” broke off; they were awaiting repair by a local welder. Suddenly, the price looked a lot less … “right.” And really, this is the most common mistake church leaders make when investing in portable room dividers: buying cheap. It’s no different than buying a car or a house. To make the best long-term investment, you do your homework, you check out the products, and you — ultimately — realize that quality will cost you a few more bucks. In return, you will get more value for your church’s dollars. Interesting … but I still need to know what to look for Good point. When vetting divider options, pay special attention to a handful of critical structural components: 4
CHURCH EXECUTIVE • STEWARDSHIP OF SPACE
Connections, connections, connections. The longer a divider’s hinges between the panels, and the more screws used to connect that hinge to each panel, the stronger it will be in the long term. For our most popular-height divider — 6 feet — we use 34 screws and a full-length hinge to connect two panels together. (Yes: 34!) In contrast, cheaper dividers feature only one geared connection at the top and bottom of each panel pair. Position controller. As depicted (right), this rounded device helps keep the divider in place at any angle. It also “locks” in place at common 90- and 180-degree settings. You’ll see we use four screws to keep that position controller firmly affixed to the panels. The full-length hinges mentioned above and the position controllers work in conjunction with each other. We make these components ridiculously strong because it’s this spot where dividers most commonly wear out. (People aren’t always gentle with things.) End frame connectors. In the image (left), you’ll see the black, sleekly curved end frame which not only gives the divider much of its stability but also is used as a very convenient handle to move the divider. The means by which the end frame is connected to the panel set is critical, since this connection must absorb the twisting, turning, grabbing and pulling as the divider is moved within the church, over thresholds and so on. Accordingly, a well-built, long-lasting divider will have all three of these connections: 1) The panel will actually be inserted into the end frame; 2) This panel / end frame combination will be screwed together from both sides for superior strength; and 3) A gusset plate will be added at the bottom, connecting the two members yet a third way. These important connections can be seen in this short video. Do you want your new dividers to serve you for years and years? Make sure any portable dividers you invest in are connected in this fashion. Self-leveling casters. For enhanced stability, our dividers feature self-leveling casters. Have you ever sat at a wobbly table because one leg wasn’t touching the ground? This happens on room dividers that have fixed-height casters. Our dividers are never wobbly or unstable, because every wheel makes full contact with the floor. These ‘What to look for’ features can be seen in this short video. The proof is in the purchase order We believe that repeat business is the biggest indicator that our quality design approach is working, long-term. Many church and school clients — or, as is often the case, a combination of both — order additional room dividers from us as their ministries and facilities expand. Taking Phoenix as an example, we have many customers that fit this description. Several have bought twice. Another customer bought in 2007, 2010 and 2015. Another church has re-ordered five times. In the same city, one school district has bought from us on eight different occasions since 1999, and another has bought on 10 different occasions. If you’d like the list — or a list for your local area — let me know. We are proud of our loyal customer base. To us, this is the biggest testament to our products’ longevity. After all, would you order more of something that didn’t work the first time? Rich Maas is vice president at Screenflex Portable Room Dividers [ www.screenflex.com ] in Lake Zurich, IL. churchexecutive.com
Tried-and-true maintenance best practices By Rich Maas Just about any church can make great use of portable room dividers. They can be a safe, cost-effective long-term investment… but only if you buy thoughtfully. The biggest mistake I see churches make is buying cheap. Here’s why that’s so risky.
Generally speaking, durable, easy-to-care-for components and finishes represent a higher price point when selecting portable room dividers. For example, our company offers a few different fabric upgrades, including vinyl, which is easier to clean over time. For kitchen or dining areas in a church, that might be important. Another upgraded fabric is FR701® by Guilford of Maine, which has a tighter weave — 30 threads per linear inch, as opposed to 26 or 28. And if you want to Scotchgard™ it, that represents a cost increase, as well. (Over time, of course, this investment pays for itself.) Fortunately, quite a few longevity-minded components come standard on our dividers. These include powder-coated metal components, which are far more dense than painted finishes. They can be scratched, but not without a whole lot of effort. Even if a person is successful in doing so, a Sharpie or Magic Marker is enough to mask the blemish. In terms of fabrics, a light cleaning with a little soap and water is enough for cleaning most of our fabric finishes. For dry-erase finishes — the entire panel can be covered, functioning like a massive marker board — Expo® Dry-Erase Cleaner, or even Windex, both work great. An ounce of prevention… As with most of life’s purchases, even when a room divider is built to last, a little preventive maintenance goes a long way. Each room divider we manufacture features a full-length hinge running from top to bottom, up to 8 feet. Although they’re not prone to wearing out, every few years — yes, years — it’s a good idea to spray a little WD-40 onto a rag and run it up and down the hinge surface. (Just don’t use too much.) We use ball-bearing casters because they work better than axle-type casters. Casters are another component that respond(s) well to a little preventive maintenance. Though each divider comes ready to use, here again, a little WD-40 squirted into the caster every few years will keep churchexecutive.com
the wheels lubricated. Just move the divider a few feet, and the casters will self-lubricate. These simple, quick preventive measures could extend a divider’s life by years. Repeat business is the best endorsement It’s one thing to say you manufacture a quality product and another thing to prove it, right? Given human nature and the busy lives many of us lead, a happy customer might not always make time to call a vendor and tell them about the great investment they made. But what will they do? They’ll buy that product again. So when we try to gauge customer satisfaction, besides nice “reviews,” one of the things we like to focus on is repeat business. For example, I can pull up a random zip code in Arizona and find several repeat church and school customers within a few miles of that zip code. One school district has bought from us 10 times. A Lutheran Church has purchased from us three times, as has another school district. The list goes on. Perhaps no other indicator(s) speaks more clearly to customer satisfaction. As you consider the best use of your church’s financial resources, we hope you’ll keep all these tips in mind. And remember: the best price doesn’t always equal the best stewardship. Rich Maas is vice president at Screenflex Portable Room Dividers [ www.screenflex.com/church-room-dividers ] in Lake Zurich, IL. STEWARDSHIP OF SPACE • CHURCH EXECUTIVE
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Great dividers By Rich Maas Of all the facility tools at a church’s disposal, portable room dividers are — by design — among the most adaptable. They can transform spaces without the expense and commitment of traditional renovation or construction.
(NOTE: We really appreciate this level of detail, provided right off the bat. It tells us the church has done its homework, and it lets us know exactly what they’re trying to accomplish. A plan might still go through several iterations before the ideal solution emerges, but it gives our team a head start.) In this case, we were able to meet the church’s needs with eight freestanding dividers, each at 6’ high and in various lengths. The total investment was about $11,000, and — as some churches prefer to do — they bought just a couple of dividers first to make sure they worked in the space. Three months later, the church purchased the rest. As you can see from the diagram, Allegheny really maximized the “spaces between” — those, too, function as classroom space.
Most of our customers order one to two dividers, which roughly equates to an investment of $1,400 or $2,800. As detailed herein, more complex needs require more complex solutions. Our planning team can provide 3-D sketches based on your specific needs. We’ve found that most churches have one of three larger goals, or uses, in mind when they invest in portable room dividers.
At New Hope Baptist Church in Fayetteville, GA, it took 24 dividers to divide a huge space into six classrooms.
St. Paulinus Parish in Dunbar, NE, wanted to divide its church basement into several classroom spaces.
USE #1: Turn lesser-used space into education space. St. Paulinus Parish in Dunbar, NE, discovered Screenflex with a Google search. With a phone call, church leaders said they needed to divide the church basement into four or five classrooms. Next, emails and phone calls were volleyed between the church and our company. The solution that emerged: seven divider units — six at 6’8” high x 24’ long, and one at 16’ long. Six of the units featured markerboards. In the end, leaders at St. Paulinus actually got even more than they bargained for: six classrooms. The total investment was just over $10,000. In addition (as referenced below under “Consider the possibilities”), the dividers will have several “bonus” uses over their lifespan of many years.
At Allegheny Center Alliance Church in Pittsburgh, the 74-foot-long x 45-foot-wide gym was divided up into six small group spaces, maximizing the “spaces between.”
USE #2: Transform your gym into educational space. Allegheny Center Alliance Church in Pittsburgh wanted to divide its gym into six small group rooms. When the church reached out to Screenflex via online contact form, leaders were specific — the gym itself measured 74’ x 45’. The church wanted each room to measure about 14’ x 9’, and the walls could be up to 6’ high, 6
CHURCH EXECUTIVE • STEWARDSHIP OF SPACE
USE #3: Make big spaces smaller, more personal. New Hope Baptist Church in Fayetteville, GA, had a huge fellowship space that it needed to make far more intimate. Church leaders aimed to divide this large-scale space into six very large, very tall rooms. Amazingly, it took 24 dividers — each standing 8’ high — to make it happen. Two classrooms are extra-large (about 43’ long x 21’ wide), and the other four measure about 20’ x 20’. This gives church leaders the flexibility to host everything from large group gatherings, to smaller, more personal events (baby and bridal showers, for example) in their otherwise intimidatingly large space. The church’s overall investment: a little over $34,000. Consider the possibilities While these three uses are generally the impetus for a church making the investment in room dividers initially, there are quite a few “bonus” uses, as well. • Dividers purchased for Sunday School use very often are found to be useful in weekday child care ministries and evening youth and adult ministries. • Dividers also do double-duty as backdrops for school or church plays. • Many churches — often with schools — serve as polling places during elections. Dividers can be used to create voting booths. • One church I know of uses its dividers to create privacy for nursing mothers. • And, it’s worth noting that First Congregational Church of Rockport (Rockport, MA) — a 2014 Church Executive Good Steward Award winner for Innovative Outreach — has used its dividers to ensure families have a safe, warm place to sleep by creating four separate bedrooms in the fellowship hall. The program also uses the hall’s kitchen to serve its guests dinner and breakfast. Setup takes 60 to 90 minutes and happens after worship services on Sunday mornings. So, as you consider the best use of your church’s financial resources, keep these non-traditional, “outside-the-box” (but important) uses for your dividers in mind. Rich Maas is vice president at Screenflex Portable Room Dividers in Lake Zurich, IL. churchexecutive.com