Welcome  |  About Us  |  3 Steps  |  Architecture  |  Build  |  Finance  |  Owner's Rep.  |  Portfolio  |  Resources  |  Contact Us

click HERE to meet the CBC staff

About CBC

Church Building Consultants is the leading design/builder of church facilities in Illinois and provides many of its services across the nation. CBC is a full service resource to churches and ministries for their building needs. Through our needs study, financial analysis, long range master planning, architecture and engineering, competitive bidding, and construction general contracting, we provide every service to fulfill the church's vision.

Our Strengths

• Expert in churches & church ministry facilities
• Christian professional architects & builders with years of church ministry experience.
• Multi-disciplinary design/build/finance team approach.
• Knowledge & Experience in the Chicagoland area which has some of the toughest building and zoning codes in the country

Our Services

We offer a 3 Step Process: feasibility and master planning, plans and specifications and construction. We begin with an educational process for the church's leadership on how to organize for a successful project. Needs are surveyed. Expectations are articulated. Priorities are set.

A financial structure is planned along with the building concept. Plans are developed with active committee participation. Acoustical, sound, lighting, camera, furniture, liturgical and visual art studies are launched. CBC and subcommittees coordinate fund raising, cash flow and borrowing options with the schedule and construction budget. Selling of existing facilities, land purchase, or building expansion options are analyzed.

Plans and color graphics and videos are prepared for fund raising and for zoning presentations. Architectural and engineering plans are prepared for bidding, permits and construction. Complete construction general contracting is provided.

A furnished and equipped building is turned over for the ministry of the church's vision.

Follow-up includes operation and maintenance training, fine-tuning and warranty work.

CBC is your single source of responsibility.

Our Design Philosophy

We at Church Building Consultants and Church Building Architects approach church facility planning as a Christian stewardship. We listen carefully to your goals, then interpret them into a creative solution that enhances your worship, serves your ministry and manages your resources well. The design, the construction, and the finished product of a building process should seek to advance the Kingdom activity of the Church and bring glory to God.

Some of our presuppositions include:

We believe in the importance of the place where the church meets, and that our Lord has charged us to prepare a room that is properly furnished for all those he has invited to worship (Luke 22:12).

While we design and build with excellence we understand that God is always greater than our best and He does not live in temples made by human hands (Acts 17:24).

The physical meeting place is a representation of the assembly of Christians, God's dwelling (I Cor 3:16, 17).

Our Guidelines

1. We need to be good listeners and creative problem solvers.
2. A church building designer must be objective and creative, and not approach every church's need with biased, authoritative, or preconceived solutions. We study and respect your theology, history, liturgy, and values.
3. The style and quality of the architectural solution should spring from the values and personality of the church community. "Form follows function follows faith." The building should be shaped by the ministry's needs and values. But we also understand that later, much of the ministry is shaped by the building plan.
4. We build for current needs as well as for the next generation, with long-range considerations for the best use of the site.
5. The best of available technologies should be implemented. Tried and proven building systems assure a long and useful life of the building. Advanced acoustical, lighting and audio-visual technologies should be implemented.
6. A team of united architects, financiers, and builders who share the Christian faith create a powerful dynamic.

1. The funds entrusted to the church leadership, and to us for design and construction, should be used wisely and efficiently, knowing that we will be held accountable to our Master, our Lord Jesus Christ. Our responsibility is to provide the right building at a fair price.
2. The architectural design should be a creative solution that provides a space that enhances the corporate worship experience and meets the needs of the congregation.
3. We strive for an architecturally attractive statement that reflects your values. We recognize that a church building creates "curb appeal" that can serve as an attractive invitation. The building's presence begins to express the church's personality to the community.
4. Our primary measure of success is the commendation of our client.

The People of Church Building Consultants

click each name for more details:
Dennis A. Ehrman. President, Project Officer

John Voosen. Senior Architect
Mark Ridolphi. Architect
Richard Karnath. Architect
Donald Tomes. Architect

John A. Skrobot. Project Manager
Dan Jurevis. Superintendent/Project Manager
Damon S. Bridges. Architectural Technician

Dennis A. Ehrman
President, Project Officer

Education:

Bachelors of Construction Engineering, Cum Laude, Akron University Masters in Business Administration, Miami University Bible & Theology, Moody Bible Institute

Experience and Responsibilities:
Dennis has over 30 years of construction industry experience and 13 years of chief executive experience. Dennis has strong leadership and managerial skills for the projects he undertakes. His ability to analyze and resolve design, technical and financial issues, as well as formulate action plans is essential to his role.

Dennis has been the Project Manager and General Contractor or Construction Manager for over $200M of church buildings, schools, libraries, office buildings, hospitals, sports facilities, commercial kitchens, retail stores, warehouses, apartments and elderly housing (over 400 units). He has held a Series 7 NASB License and was a Registered Representative and Banker with Commonwealth Church Finance, was former Vice President of Design and Construction Operations of Masterserve, Inc., and has been an instructor of several levels of land surveying at the University of Akron.

Dennis has been involved in the community as a Board Member and Long Range Planning Chairman/Counselor for Wayside Ministries; Homeless Shelter, Work Program, Drug Rehab Program, Prison Chaplaincy, Women and Children's Shelter, Retail Store and Urban Youth Programs, Church Treasurer, Trustee and Teacher, and has led and been a member of several church and mission building committees.

He has authored "How to Find God's Will for Your Building Program" and "Church Building Facilities Needs Survey" and has taught seminars on church building programs, church zoning issues, and church finance.

Dennis has given public hearing and court testimony as an expert in church zoning and church finance, and he has consulted for municipal planners, zoning boards, and city councils regarding church building developments.

John Voosen, NCARB
Senior Architect

Education:

Bachelors of Science, Harvard College Master of Architecture, Harvard Graduate School of Design

Experience and Responsibilities:
Mr. Voosen is a respected church architect and liturgical designer, having designed scores of churches during his distinguished career. His works have been published in many books and periodicals on church design. He has written numerous articles, lectured at Chicago area universities, and received awards for lighting and preservation of churches. He was a course designer and teacher for the country's only liturgical consultant training program at Catholic Theological union.

John is also President Emeritus and current board member of Chicago-based Chiesa Nuova whose mission is "creating a Franciscan place of the performing arts".

His study of liturgy began with examining the early documents of Vatican II during the Sixties. His interest in liturgy and his designs for hurches led to his participation, as course designer and teacher, in the liturgical consultant-training program at the Catholic Theological Union.

John enjoys underwater photography and playing with bits in the digital universe.

Richard Karnath, AIA, ICARA & NCARB
Architect

Education:

1975 BA of Architecture, University of Illinois at Chicago

Experience and Responsibilities:
Rich has extensive experience in new church design, additions and renovation. His capabilities are vast in church/educational facilities. His designs are tailor-made to accommodate the needs of the client. He is especially adept at renovations, additions, and space reuse designs. He is continually researching church style of all denominations to be on the cutting edge of church design. Rich is registered in Illinois and Michigan.

Rich has designed mission projects internationally, in such places as Pakistan, Liberia, Israel, Guatemala, Mexico, Venezuela, Kenya and Canada. In 1983, he founded Cornerstone Associates, an architectural firm. He is serving his fifteenth year as Elder of Moody Memorial Church, is the current Facilities Manager and is the former director of their Christian Education Department.

Mark Ridolphi, AIA, NCARB
Architect

Education:

Bachelors in Architecture, University of Michigan

Experience and Responsibilities:
Mark has an extensive background in church building design and has designed numerous churches in the Chicago area. He has owned his own architectural firm where he designed residential, commercial, and church buildings.

Previous Owner of Mark J. Ridolphi, Architects (Architectural Firm), Mark has also been the Construction Manager for church buildings, schools, office buildings, sports facilities, retail stores, warehouses and apartments. His experience includes operating a Design/Build Architectural Firm, Construction Management and has managed architectural staff. His projects have ranged from 350K to 13M. Mark is a registered architect in Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin and with the NCARB.

Mark has taught architecture courses at Columbia College in Chicago. He also serves as a youth leader at his church.

Donald Tomes, AIA
Architect

Education:

Masters of Urban Planning, City College of New York Bachelor of Architecture with Distinction in Design, University of Illinois at Chicago Ecole des Beaux-Arts des at Des Palais de Versailles, Versailles, France

John A. Skrobot
Project Manager

Experience:

5-Years Church Construction Management Over 15 years of General Construction and Carpentry experience Former Housing Contractor

Responsibilities:
As Project Manager, John assumes responsibility for the total project, from start to finish, as liaison to all aspects of construction. His duties include product and method selection, setting up and mobilization of project, awarding of contracts, oversight of construction operations, scheduling and conducting project meetings, making recommendations, processing all payment and change orders requests, and closely monitoring the progress schedule.

John is experienced in all phases of church construction, as he has managed several new church buildings and several major renovations. He is conscientious regarding scheduling and works closely to coordinate the trades.

John serves in his church as a leader in the boy's ministry of Royal Rangers.

Dan Jurevis
Superintendent/Project Manager

Experience:

Owner of successful construction business Over 20 years of General Construction and Carpentry experience

Responsibilities:
As Superintendent and Project Manager, Dan ensures quality control, and manages the day-to-day on-site construction process. Dan provides the strong experienced leadership qualities needed for the most complicated jobs.

Dan has over 20 years in supervising construction, including extensive commercial construction and all phases of church construction. He has been involved in many large and small construction projects, including renovation. He is conscientious regarding scheduling and works closely to coordinates the trades.

	Education:	Landscape Design, COD
	Experience:	15 years Computer Aided Drafting and Design 15 years Civil Engineering and Land Surveying Field Current Business Owner