For two years now I've been thinking how great it would be to get rid of the fixed pews in our sanctuary and replace thme with something more versatile. Some older churches have done that but it just ain't gonna happen at in our house. While getting rid of the pews might free us up to do some more creative things in the service, it would also rob us of a lot of the character. When you walk into our church you get a sense of the timelessness of what is done here. The bowing of heads. The bending of knees. The giving away in marriage. The giving away in burial. The New England Congregational house of worship may not be all that functional, but it is timeless for sure.
Besides, things could be a lot worse:
Last week Marc Fisher from the Washington Post wrote a stinging article about Third Church of Christ, Scientist in Washington, DC. District officials are moving to have the church declared a historic landmark while church members want to tear the church down and build something more functional. Apparently the government officials say the building has real architectural worth because it is a grand exhibit of "Brutalism".
Well, our pews are a little hard at times, but probably not altogether brutal - though a few of the sermons most certainly have been.
