(02/05/21) New! Trinity Church from Menards!

That is a great looking Church building. If I still had a layout, that would be on it.

That is one nice looking church. Great job Mark, crew and Menards. Keep them coming...............Paul 2

Dry nice but I would only do one thing to modify this item. I would change the information on the white sign out side the church to read

“ Don’t wait for the hurst to take you to church”. 🤣

That is nice! The only thing that would have made it better would be a working church bell. I guess I could put a tape player underneath the church with bell music and a speaker.

That would look like a great  stand alone piece, on a shelf or under a Christmas tree.

Darn, too Protestant looking, I need Catholic

Perhaps a Notre Dame Cathedral

Chris. Put a bingo sign in front.😁

Mark, The church looks great!  Since it is not very deep it will fit a space on my small layout! 

FINALLY! A decent-looking church generic enough to fit most parts of the US and Canada.

IMO, the church looks a little too compressed for my taste, but not enough to really bother me. It’s not as over-compressed as certain standbys I can name but won’t. I could go for it.

Maybe now I won’t have to explain away the snow drifts and Christmas wreaths on a snow village church for a scene set in mid-summer.

OH LAWD, no pun intended. I was looking at another church for the layout but I may need to re-think that.

Dave

Looks great Mark, I do believe I'll get one of these, will fit nicely in a space with limited room.

Rusty

Mark, so this isn’t an MDF building? I see it is a “resin-like” building, according to the description.

@RonH posted:

Dry nice but I would only do one thing to modify this item. I would change the information on the white sign out side the church to read

“ Don’t wait for the hurst to take you to church”. 🤣

What would be a neat addition or a separate item for the church is a marquee that can be changed to have all of those clever cliches displayed.  More specifically, an  lcd/tft that would random display from a list of cliches.

Steve

Great looking church.It would fit perfectly on just about all layouts. You have made some fantastic looking buidings. This one ranks near the top. Please continue turning out these fine buildings.

Beautiful! My only complaint is that I wish it were deeper, but it definitely beats out MPC, MTH, and Plasticville. Thanks!

Kind of looks like a small town, almost generic, Episcopal Church (via media), New England style.  Chris, if  Menards removed the dormers and painted it white, you would have a nice looking small town RC church.  A little customizing can make it work for any denomination. There are all manner of scenic kits for weddings, funerals, even attached graveyards available today.  Imagine changing the scenes throughout the liturgical year....OK, I'm getting out control.   

Earl  (Retired Priest)

The first sign from Menards that doesn't blink

This is a nice looking building and appropriate proportions for most layouts.  Menards has done another great job in offering something different.   Some folks have noted that it may look more one denominational vs. another but in reality, throughout this country you can find all kinds of examples of denominations using other denominations church buildings.   

As neighborhoods change from one ethnic group to another or the congregation grows significantly to warrant a move.  Their old buildings are left behind and sold to others who are just starting to formalize and grow.   

So this building can fit any denomination of your choice, just simply put your own sign out front that meets your needs.

@Conductor Earl posted:

Kind of looks like a small town, almost generic, Episcopal Church (via media), New England style.  Chris, if  Menards removed the dormers and painted it white, you would have a nice looking small town RC church.  A little customizing can make it work for any denomination. There are all manner of scenic kits for weddings, funerals, even attached graveyards available today.  Imagine changing the scenes throughout the liturgical year....OK, I'm getting out control.   

Earl  (Retired Priest)

Yeah, but needs a red door like a lot of Episcopal Churches.

That's a fine church, Menards. Very ubiquitous in design, perfect in dimensions (for most layouts) and can serve any number of denominations. I have various Plasticville churches and one by NOMA / GloLite, but I need to find a place for this one. By the way, if you want to see a "compressed" church, take a look at the Plasticville Cathedral. You will never mistake it for Notre Dame de Paris!

I just ordered one! Now I have to wait and see how long it takes to get to Arizona.

"PRAYER: The Best Wireless Connection."

I love it - it's past time I broke down and added a Menard's structure to my layout!

@Conductor Earl posted:

Kind of looks like a small town, almost generic, Episcopal Church (via media), New England style.  Chris, if  Menards removed the dormers and painted it white, you would have a nice looking small town RC church.  A little customizing can make it work for any denomination. There are all manner of scenic kits for weddings, funerals, even attached graveyards available today.  Imagine changing the scenes throughout the liturgical year....OK, I'm getting out control.   

Earl  (Retired Priest)

Never say never.  M is trying to get a lot of church in a small space.  Main entrace at 90 degree angle of the long axis in the middle is unusual.  But on some parts of the country you had to go that route to make it fit.

Building looks like it is a model of a brick building.  Many churches had wood or wood like oitside surfaces, and were/are white.  Helped in non air conditioner times in hot and/or humid climates.

RC churches usually did not have domers, but the main windows were taller, with stained glass.  And could be opened for cross draft.

Is  the inside accessible ? Just wondering how it would look or how difficult it would be to change the lower windows to stained glass.. I think it would look neat lit up..

I love the church.  Great job Menards.  I have one question. The description says "Prelit interior with soft-glowing interior".  Do the side windows also show the "soft-glow"?

@Menards posted:

Check out our newest O gauge structure!

The absence of stained glass makes it most look Presbyterian to me. It would be easy enough for the Catholics and Episcopalians to add some inside though.

I see this is a popular item, but I will be a critic while applauding Menards for making it. It's just a little too ungainly for me. With a bit more design effort, they could have had a great building on the same foot print. Too late for that, but here is what bugs me:

1. The dormers. Very rare in a church and they don't work here. Especially the one on the right.

2. The steeple is nearly centered. A transom entrance I guess, but it would be better on one end.

3. The steeple itself is smaller than the gable, making it look like a Victorian tower. And why doesn't it come to a point? The truncated top is not a good look.

4. I'm not a fan of model windows applied to the outside of the building- never very realistic. I would like to see them on the inside, giving the walls some depth.

Well, I am probably alone in my opinions. It's not bad, and a church is welcome I am sure, but just a bit too Plasticville for me.

@wild mary posted:

I love the church.  Great job Menards.  I have one question. The description says "Prelit interior with soft-glowing interior".  Do the side windows also show the "soft-glow"?

Yes, indeed!

-Mark the Menards Train Guy

Will

Only one I kinda agree with is #4. You need to get out of your area and into the armpit of USA, New Jersey LOL. Down here this is what a lot of churches look like. Great job Menard's. If I paint the doors red and add stained glass I have a local Presbyterian Church. If I paint it white with red doors I have the Episcopalian church around the corner. I also agree that is is so much better than some others-one of which I own. Yet it isn't as massive or expensive as TW Trainworx which I also Love!

Here in Western Pennsylvania, a hotbed for Presbyterians, most churches have stained glass, except the more modern churches since stained glass has become very expensive even to repair.  I don’t see dormers on churches either, except maybe an educational wing that may have two stories of classrooms or offices.  The sanctuary usually wouldn’t have dormers.  My guess is that there are churches somewhere that resemble what Menards has built.  I am guessing Menards is trying to produce a church that has elements common to as many denominations as possible of churches of this vintage.

We as modelers can modify it as we see fit to resemble a church we are familiar with.  Yesterday I had thought I wouldn’t order one and keep the Plasticville church in my town.  After reading comments and writing my own, I have decided to order one and follow my comments above in making a few slight modifications.  It is much more affordable than some others on the market, and a manageable size for a small town on a small layout.

Great job, Menards.

Curtis and Mark, I am remembering a modest country Presbyterian church I attend for some time with wonderful big clear glass windows looking out on the countryside, but I will concede the point. Protestant, though, no doubt.

@Mark Boyce posted:

Yesterday I had thought I wouldn’t order one and keep the Plasticville church in my town.  After reading comments and writing my own, I have decided to order one and follow my comments above in making a few slight modifications.  It is much more affordable than some others on the market, and a manageable size for a small town on a small layout.

Great job, Menards.

Mark, full disclosure. I actually work for Menards and am using reverse psychology to sell churches. It's even starting to look better to me.

Nice building...right now there'd be snow covering that green grass

Wow Will, over 10,000 churches!  That covers a lot of territory and variations, for sure.  I have to grant, you are an expert on the subject, and thank you for your comments.  I was just trying to give the benefit of the doubt, having not gotten around much.  Removing the dormers is the largest of my modifications, meaning new shingles on the front.  I like it because it conveys a larger, more prominent church building, yet will fit in a raised space that is not very deep near the back of my shelf layout.  As it is, I had to turn my Plasticville church sideways to fit, which works.  I plan to build a model of our own church (which is a modest, perhaps unique construction for its day), but it will be years from now with all the projects I have lined up.

@Will posted:

Mark, full disclosure. I actually work for Menards and am using reverse psychology to sell churches. It's even starting to look better to me.

If Jesus were walking the earth today do any of you actually think he would care what the building you worship in looks like?

I've been looking for a way to honor my dad on my layout as well as a lifetime close family friend.   My dad is an ordained deacon and the close family friend is a priest (both retired).   This church is the perfect way to do so as it will fit right in with the other Menard's and MTH buildings I have.

-Greg

@Greg Houser posted:

If Jesus were walking the earth today do any of you actually think he would care what the building you worship in looks like?

-Greg

Greg, I don't want to get this thread off track, and this will be the last I post on this. I certainly see your point. However I think there is something spiritually uplifting about good architecture. I have seen so many small towns, even hamlets or completely rural areas that built magnificent churches back 100-150 years ago or so, buildings that were literally the most beautiful in town. That is something we have lost, for better or worse.

Menards always make the best structures.
This Church looks great and it could be modified to suit your own taste.
the price is reasonable and adds a lot of dimension being fully landscaped.
will have to save some money up and will order in a couple of weeks.👍

@RonH posted:

“ Don’t wait for the hurst to take you to church”. 🤣

I'd much rather arrive at church in an Olds 4-4-2 than a Hearse  

@Will posted:

The absence of stained glass makes it most look Presbyterian to me. It would be easy enough for the Catholics and Episcopalians to add some inside though.

I see this is a popular item, but I will be a critic while applauding Menards for making it. It's just a little too ungainly for me. With a bit more design effort, they could have had a great building on the same foot print. Too late for that, but here is what bugs me:

1. The dormers. Very rare in a church and they don't work here. Especially the one on the right.

2. The steeple is nearly centered. A transom entrance I guess, but it would be better on one end.

3. The steeple itself is smaller than the gable, making it look like a Victorian tower. And why doesn't it come to a point? The truncated top is not a good look.

4. I'm not a fan of model windows applied to the outside of the building- never very realistic. I would like to see them on the inside, giving the walls some depth.

Well, I am probably alone in my opinions. It's not bad, and a church is welcome I am sure, but just a bit too Plasticville for me.

I agree Will I like it alot but think it would be much more realistic without the dormers...