Things to Consider Before Buying Church Chairs

Seating and accommodations are just some of the everyday issues that churches worry about every time they hold ceremonies. After all, the logistical considerations when holding a mass are pretty different than presiding over an outdoor wedding or organizing Sunday classes. While pews and chairs are standard fare when it comes to seating, there are times when one is more suited than the other, and vice versa.

Portability is probably the biggest consideration when choosing the best type of church seating. Typically, durable folding chairs are best suited for congregations that tend to relocate a lot and/or hold a lot of outdoor activities. Pews, on the other hand, aren’t exactly easy to move around. However, when aesthetics are brought into the picture, pews seem to be a favorite because they have a rustic and natural look on them.

Comfort is another consideration simply because sitting around for prolonged periods of time can be a bit straining, especially to older people. Originally, church pews were provide the least bit of comfort, although modern pews and portable chairs are built nowadays with soft cushions and supports.

Longevity is one last factor to consider since church chairs or pews (ideally) should be durable enough to see regular, almost daily use.

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A Guide to the Old Practice of Leasing Church Pews

Up until the late 19^th century, the concept of free seating in church pews was not very well-known. Church seats, in fact, weren't as essential to a place of worship as they are nowadays until the Protestant Reformation. The religious movement gave rise to the centrality of the sermon in church activities; consequently, it was sitting down for the whole duration of its delivery that prompted church seats to become a necessary feature in many Christian places of worship in the United States.

When pews were introduced to churches, worshippers were initially asked to lease them. Fees collected through these rentals were utilized by many churches, especially those that didn't require tithing, to fund church building projects. The problem with the practice, however, is that it encouraged a division among churchgoers coming from different statuses. By the 1840s, criticism on pew rentals reached a point where churchgoers become more vocal about their apprehensions regarding the practice.

As people began questioning the legality of renting out seats for worship activities, many church leaders also noticed that the number of regular churchgoers was going down because the pews were limited in number and not everyone could afford to rent one. Although some churches responded to the trend by offering free seating in about 20 percent of all the pews, further reforms within many Christian faiths led to the eventual discouragement of renting out pews entirely.

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Why a Special Chair for the Priest Exists

It's tradition for churches to allocate one chair for the priest to sit on—but not just any chair. Being the Presider's chair, it needs to stand out among the chairs normally reserved for the lay ministers and other personnel during the mass. The importance of this chair, writes senior priest Jan Larson, can be fully understood in its symbolic instead of practical aspect. The chair exhibits the priest's importance as the Presider in a mass or of the church itself.

The same applies to a cathedral, where the priest has a chair separate from the Presider's chair, which belongs to the bishop. So, a lay minister is advised not to use the Presider's chair even if he's presiding over the mass. There's nothing biased about this; it has been the practice of the Church since its early years. Churches see the preservation of liturgical tradition as an essential component in  any liturgical function.

While the Presider's chair must be placed at a position everyone can see, Larson writes that it should not look like a throne. However, the chair must be prominent enough to reflect the importance of the priest or bishop as the spearhead of the community in celebrating the glory of Christ.

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