Immanuel Baptist Church Sanctuary Architecture
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The sanctuary, dedicated in 1968, is a modern adaptation of Greek-influenced style. The aim of the architect, Edwin Keeble, was to provide, first and foremost, a space appropriate for worship. This is seen in the 33-foot height of
the ceiling, which draws the eye upward. The design of the chancel area places a focus on the communion table, the pulpit, and baptistry—all of which are important to Baptist worship. The high unbroken arched ceiling is visually appealing, but also enhances the acoustical environment for hymn singing, speaking, choral music, and the organ. While the interior has many features found in colonial-style church buildings, the contemporary touches, such as the huge expanses of windows and the contemporary lighting fixtures provide elements of interest that make the space special.
The exterior design of the sanctuary reveals a tall facade with classical columns and an extremely high cupola, which is a Belle Meade landmark. The cupola is topped by a cross. Whimsical elements seen from the front are the unusual urns at the base of the steeple and the ocular window in the pediment, which is stretched sideways into an elongated shape. A curved colonnade of Doric columns connects the sanctuary to the fellowship hall wing, providing a pleasing and balanced appearance of the church complex as a whole from the front.
The baptistry stained-glass window, a visual focal point of the sanctuary, was designed by French artist Pierre Millous and built in his studio in Chartres, France. The window is 24 feet tall and contains 2200 pieces of brilliant glass. The darkest colors are at the lower part of the window with lighter ones at the top, suggesting the resurrection symbolized in baptism. A cross is seen faintly in the center of the window. The effect is stunning in the late morning when illuminated by the sun.
Immanuel’s sanctuary has been featured in two books on Nashville architecture as one of the best examples of Edwin Keeble’s church architecture. These books are Classical Nashville (Vanderbilt University Press, 1996) and Designed for Worship (Nashville Public Television, 2007). Immanuel was also featured in a documentary by Nashville Public Television entitled Designed for Worship in 2006.
NPT Website: Designed for Worship
Center pane from Immanuel's first church building, now in our present Belle Meade location.
Edwin A. Keeble
(1905-1979)
Architect for Immanuel and
other notable Nashville churches
( click picture for more )