When Centerburg Church of Christ Pastor Daryn Dawes began looking for help redesigning their worship space back in 2017, his goal was simple: create more room for kids. The church’s existing building wasn’t well-suited for growth, and the congregation’s heart for children’s ministry needed a space to match. That search led him to architect Dan Keiser of KDG, who not only helped reimagine the church’s entire facility but also sparked a lasting partnership rooted in faith and a shared vision.
Tell us a little bit about Centerburg Church of Christ.
We’re a church that’s actually 135 years old, so it’s a well-established ministry in a very rural community. Centerburg proper has approximately 1,200 people. When Dan and I first met, the church was probably running about 300 people per week in attendance.
How did you approach the renovation process, and were there any doubts within the congregation about the need for a change?
We approached the renovation with the intention of providing space for our kids. Centerburg has always prioritized kids, so whenever we try to do something kid-related, most people are on board. There’s not a lot of hesitation or dissension about it. This goes back to the early to mid-80s. Around that time, we became really intentional about making sure kids have a space to come and learn about the Lord. And I continue to teach it often. We publicly share that the biggest part of our operating budget goes to the kids and teens ministry. We’ve always had that mindset. If a kid gets fussy when I am preaching, I just call it out and say, “I love to hear kids in church with us. Please don’t ever get upset. Don’t relegate them to the back. Let them be in here and let them talk. We value our kids.”
What made you decide to move forward with KDG?
A couple of things sold us. Ultimately, it was a relationship with Dan. Dan and I just connected and were on the same page about a lot of different things — we had kids the same age and were in the same stage of life, that kind of stuff. But beyond that, it was the way KDG operated. The fact that we could hire a designer separate from a builder made the most sense. Sometimes, when you go with a design-build firm under one roof, you don’t get the best design, and we’ve actually lived through that previously in our history. So the opportunity to work with a designer who understood church culture and what we were trying to accomplish — that’s what made all the difference. We appreciated how he listened to our vision and designed things around it.
What were some of those priorities that you spelled out to him when you shared your vision?
Our priority was to make sure our kids had a space that was safe, engaging, and fun
for them to be in. We also shared that our goal was for parents to walk into the building, see their kids’ faces, and know that we take our ministry to children very seriously. Before Dan came along, our kids were meeting in the basement of the old building, and he proposed that we move our offices to that space and give the kids the premium space our offices were occupying.
What is one of your favorite features of the space they designed?
They designed a special, separate room that we call the rompus room. It’s a place where kids can go and play on a Sunday morning before things start. They designed it with a remote-controlled garage door that opens and closes, so parents can drop their kids off, and they can play, be goofy and crazy, and then join the larger group and filter into their small groups from there. But that was just one of the small design elements that communicated to parents, “We’re serious, we want your kids here. We want them to have fun and enjoy being here.”
Are there any specific ministries or activities that have been made possible because of the space redesign?
Oh, yeah, definitely. Our high schoolers can come over after school to utilize the space. We host a Night to Shine program every year, and the renovated space has made that possible. So it has been used more than we ever thought, in a variety of ways. And the great thing is, because of Dan and his design, we’re now using our building to 100% of its capacity. Previously, we were only using 50-60%.
If you were talking to a pastor friend undertaking a project like this with an architecture firm, what would your advice be?
My biggest piece of advice is to find somebody who understands church and understands what your vision is for church, because your building will communicate your vision louder than you ever will.
You’ve got to have somebody willing to listen and design a building around your vision.
As hokey as it sounds, Dan became part of our team through the renovation process, and that relationship has continued even to this day. It was fun to watch and work with him, and I wouldn’t hesitate to use him again.
How would you describe KDG in three words?
Can I use four? Vision and ministry-driven.
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