Worship Centers Ponder Best Spirtual Seating

The Grand Rapids Press ^ | 9/28/02 | Juanita Westaby

[Wrigley]

We had a thread recently about worship in the mega churches. I think we need to talk about this important topic.

[Wrigley]

Bump for shameless self promotion.

[lockeliberty]

Do you work for Irwin Seating?

[RnMomof7]

Bump for a church split..chairs or pews?

I was just in a almost century old church that has old fashioned wooden theater chairs.ochhhhhhhhhhh

I prefer nicely padded chairs myself...it allows some flexibility in the sancturary. I did go to a church that has padded pews which made the 2 hour service a pleasure not a back pain

I have heard of church splits on this topic..personally I do not mind pews .I would bring a stadium seat if they are the non padded type :>)

[lockeliberty]

I would bring a stadium seat if they are the non padded type :>)

Would it have the Buffalo Bills logo on it? ;)

[RnMomof7]

Yes it would...probably with a "drink pepsi " on the back:>)

[Wrigley]

No, I don't.

[Wrigley]

Are you a Pepsi drinker? I knew there was a reason why I liked you!

[Wrigley]

I know there was a big discussion on what type of seating to add to my church. The debate was between removable or permament pews. Permament won. It makes it near impossible to leave after service, but that's a minor complaint.

Unless of course there's a fire....

[RnMomof7]

Are you a Pepsi drinker? I knew there was a reason why I liked you!

Here I thought it was my sterling character, quick wit and sound doctrine..Geeeeeeeeeeee

[RnMomof7]

Last New Years eve the church I was attending had a service..we were broken down into small groups for prayer and discussion of the readings. The chairs made it possible to rearrange the sanctuary..we also did some duel use for college group activities..

In these days of high construction costs the chairs make sense at least to me..

But when push comes to shove it is the preaching of the word that draws not the seats:>)

[drstevej]

In listening to a sales pitch when we were selecting pews four church in Cape G. the sales person said his pews were designed for "attentive comfort."

I thought this was the perfect marketing wording... "attentive" get's the pastor's vote and "comfort" gets the people's vote!

[RnMomof7]

Well there have been times I have been so comfortable that I could have dozed off...:>)

[computerjunkie]

We are talking about a pretty hefty "renovation" of our current Worship Center next year. We talked about chairs vs. pews, but since it is a renovation, we opted to keep the current (padded) pews we have and "refurbish" them. The decision was made based on cost.

Our Worship Center is 30 years old, very "dated", and very much in need of some critical repairs at this time. Eventually, we will build a new Worship Center and at that time, we will most likely go to the theater-type chairs.

By the way, while we are renovating, we will be worshipping in the gym...using metal fold-out chairs!!

Personally, it doesn't matter to me whether we have pews or chairs. (And that statement means I have come a LONG way!!) I go to worship and hear the word of God preached. Our worship service lasts about and hour and 15 minutes, a lot of which time we are standing to sing. So, we really don't sit for a long time anyway!

We send out a letter from our pastor every week to first-time guests. We include a "First Impressions" card that asks what they liked and didn't like about their first experience at our church. In the years I have worked there and seen the returned cards, I recall only ONE response that said they didn't care for the pews. Mostly the comments are about the preaching and the music. So, maybe pews vs. chairs is not a critical issue?

Diet Coke.

[RnMomof7]

Padded pews are comfortable..and if your church has a gym...duel use is not an issue

Diet Pepsi...with a twist :>) Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh (coke in a storm:>)

[drstevej]

Diet Coke. YES!
Pews vs. chairs... no big deal.
Worship is about HIM not us.

[drstevej]

Peaching = the art of talking in someone else's sleep.

[RnMomof7]

LOL.....

[ponyespresso]

Peaching = the art of talking in someone else's sleep.

I heard somewhere that if you take all the people in church on an average Sunday morning from all over the world and laid them end to end they would be a lot more comfortable.