When you sit in church on Sunday mornings, it is easy to ignore all of the work that goes into keeping a sanctuary looking nice. In fact, if a church service fulfills its purpose no one in the pews should be thinking about anything else except the message, the music, and the members of the community.
The fact of the matter is, however, that there are many plans that are made to make sure that a sanctuary serves its purpose. From understanding the church steeples history to knowing how pews were initially selected and positioned, there are many ways that pastors, church council members, and planning committees make sure that the spaces in a church serve their intended purposes.
When it comes time to make renovations and updates to any space in any church, it is important to make sure that those making the decisions about purchases consider a number of facts. And while it may seem like finding antique church pews might be the best way to make sure that you keep a space as authentic as possible, it is important to also make sure that the decisions that you make are also safe and comfortable.
When it comes to the exterior of a church, understanding the church steeples history can help a group realize that there are many stories behind the scenes of the religious services that are a part of so many people’s week. The pews that are in a sanctuary, for instance, have a purpose beyond providing a seat during the service. Some church pews, for instance, have benchlike cushioned seating, and hassocks or footrests. In some churches, these foot rests serve the dual purpose as serving as kneelers in more traditional worship spaces like Catholic cathedrals. Other pews, however, are simple affairs made of wood. In some of the largest churches, pews have been eliminated all together and have been replaced with more comfortable theater type seats.
Few things are more sacred than the altar and the steeple of a church, but there are many people who do not want to have any major changes to the pews that have been a part of their worship space for many years, sometimes decades.