Shrinking the Room

When the elders decided to move to two services in January 2008, the decision was made to "shrink the room" by blocking off the back two rows, which comprise 74 seats.


Reasons why we block off back two rows

1.) Creates tangible sense that we are gathering of people coming to worship God together. We are not individuals coming to consume religious services. (Coming to worship is different than coming to movies.)

2.) Helps with congregational singing… which is a means of grace.

3.) Makes preaching more personal as speaker can actually see faces of souls to whom he’s preaching.

4.) Diminishes distraction that is caused when large gaps of empty seats are between people. Passing anything (sign in sheets, communion trays, offering) is unusually distracting.

5.) Allows latecomers to see available seats. In the past we have created challenge for latecomers. If the congregation is standing—and the back two rows are occupied-- when they arrive, all the latecomer sees is shoulders and is unaware that the room is not totally full. (They can’t see the empty areas in the middle of aisles and towards the front.)

6.) Decreases workload for ushers and allows them to focus their hospitality on a smaller space.

7.) Decreases workload for our office staff when they go through the sign in sheets.

Objection
But I get claustrophobic. But I’ve got a physical/psychological condition that makes me need/prefer lots of space.

We understand and want to support you in your pursuit to worship God without distraction. There are chairs against the back wall and there is usually plenty of space in the front rows.