The community of 6,600 members was housed in a building that could seat
just 675. It took six services every Sunday just to give everyone a
chance to worship.
But more frustrating than the lack of space to church leaders was a
paucity of spirit in the architecture of the boxy, brick 1950s-era chapel.
The Rev. Laurence A. Gipson, then rector of St. Martin’s, started
talking to church members about what they might want in a new building.
“In 300 conversations with people, universally, it was clear,” Mr.
Gipson said. “Traditional worship within a traditional building was the
thing that enabled us to draw most closely to God.”
Working with the architectural firm Jackson & Ryan, St. Martin’s drew up
plans for a new building modeled after St. Elizabeth’s in Marburg,
Germany, a Gothic cathedral completed in 1283. The interior takes its
inspiration from the cathedral in Chartres, France, circa 1260.
“If modern architecture is meant to be nonreferential, Gothic
architecture’s whole purpose is to reference God,” said Mr. Gipson, who
is now retired. “This building is a great finger lifted toward the sky.”
cont'd....
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/22/us/22religion.html?_r=1&ref=us&oref=slogin