Does the entrance to the sanctuary welcome the congregation and visitors? Do most people enter through the front door, from a rear service entrance, or from the Sunday School classrooms?

In many early Christian churches gathering before and after the service was an important part of worship. In medieval churches the entrance porches were the primary exterior features of a building.

In many modern churches, the entrance is just a way to pass from the outside to the inside. If you stop to greet a friend you might block traffic!

Some churches have a major social space associated with the entrance to the sanctuary. This space is the setting for receptions and coffees that follow a service, giving the congregation a chance to meet a guest minister or a visitor to meet the congregation