Please Seat Yourself

By Julie Riddle

Most people envision church sanctuaries as spaces neatly lined with hard, high-backed wood pews; spaces that lack color and comfort, not to mention modernity.

But as more and more churches attempt to change with the times, they are adding specialized lighting, contemporary music, a more casual atmosphere--and better seating.

The pews of old are disappearing. In their place comes cushioned seating in a variety of hues and styles. What's more, many houses of worship are changing the layout of those seats. Instead of movie-theater-style rows marching fore and aft, now individual chairs arranged in a variety of ways. These chairs are often even equipped with ganging features so they can be attached, separated and/or moved.

If you're considering a seating overhaul, manufacturers have made the process almost a science. Fortunately, they're happy to walk you through it on these pages and in person. Many companies now make a practice of sending employees out to the spaces to evaluate overall needs and to devise solutions.

David Mocton is Vice President of Sales at Mahwah, N.J.-based Hertz Furniture Systems, a mail-order distributor in business since 1965. Recently, Hertz expanded its operations to include church furniture production. Even as a newcomer, Hertz is one company that sees the benefits of sending its employees "on the road" to meet with clients.

First, as Mocton explains, consultants ask church leaders a series of questions: Are you looking for pews or chapel chairs? What's your budget? How big is the sanctuary? How many people will be in there? In the interest of sparing headaches, consultants also always supply a sample chair for churches that want them.

"We've found that personal contact is a lot more professional," Mocton says. "And, when you see something in person rather than imagining it, it makes a big difference." In fact, some of Hertz' outside salespeople (who used to work "inside") tell him they never would have offered the same solutions had they not seen the spaces for themselves.

But service doesn't stop there, Mocton adds. "We like to keep in contact with our existing churches--the ones we've dealt with for many, many years--so we go and visit them periodically, probably every three to four months."

What's selling now

As traditional seating is phased out, churches are looking for something not only modern but cost-effective and comfortable too. And since pews are typically designed to stay in one place, the number of churches turning to mobile seating is growing.

Mocton agrees and says the Age of the Pew is slowly coming to an end. "We're talking about comfort now, more room," he says. "We don't do that much [business] in pews--that's a very specialized market."

Chapel stack chairs, on the other hand, are proving to be a versatile alternative since they can be ganged together. "At the same time, if you need extra walking room or standing room, these chairs can be easily removed," he adds. In fact, Mocton says chapel chairs have become so popular that they are the only things some manufacturers produce anymore. "We can't get them out fast enough."

The models Hertz sells are available in wood and steel stacking versions, and all chairs are "basically custom made," Mocton says. Clients pick their own fabrics and choose which density foam they want. In other words, they determine how "hard" they want the foam to be. "Obviously, the harder the foam, the longer the chair is going to last," he explains. From there, it's up to the clients to decide what finishes they want and whether their chairs will or won't have arms, bookracks, kneelers or other special features.

"It's a different market today," Mocton adds.

Lay it out, eye it up

Obviously, line-of-sight is one of the most important aspects of choosing a seating layout. Do it wrong and some parishioners only get a peripheral view of the screens and end up craning their necks to see the pastor.

"Each church has unique definitions of worship, communion, celebration and gathering, which manifests in how the congregation gathers," says Paul Lindblad, president of Lindblad Architects in Valley Glen, Calif. Functionality, line-of-sight and quality of materials impact the success of seating, he adds. "Seating arrangements are an integral part of the particular church's expression of celebration, so the design process is central to the architectural services my firm provides for its religious clients."

And according to Mocton, the most popular layout among his clients echoes this theory. Currently, the arc (or semicircle) is the top choice.

"The circle expands to get bigger and bigger, so everyone is in between two seats," he explains. "The view is better this way than with straight, parallel rows."

Seating Showcase

EXPERIENCE, PRIDE USED TO MAKE HANDCRAFTED PEWS

Representatives of Garnett Church Furnishings (established in 1879), say it's the company's long history, skilled craftsmen and commitment to production excellence that make their pews top quality. Styles range from fully upholstered to solid oak, and accessories including bookracks, kneelers and cup holders are also available.

For more information contact
Garnett Church Furnishings
(785) 448-3141
www.garnettpews.com

COMPANY OFFERS SEATING, PLUS COMPLETE FURNITURE SOLUTIONS

The new Vespers^® seating system by Virco^® is designed to bring comfort, durability and style to contemporary worship settings. Conceived by award-winning designer Ron Kemnitzer, Vespers^® unites the advantages of custom upholstered stack chairs with the open configuration of a pew. Virco's family of lightweight Core-a-Gator^® folding tables, designed for multipurpose jobs, features ABS plastic tops and sturdy aluminum frames for durability.

For more information contact
Virco Inc.
(800) 448-4726
www.virco.com

FOLDING CHAIRS DESIGNED FOR INDOOR/OUTDOOR USE

SwiftSet^™ Folding Chairs by Mity-Lite Inc., are designed for comfortable long-term seating, light weight and ease-of-use. Lumbar support is built-in for comfort, and quick, one-hand set-up and take-down reduces time and labor. Chairs are designed to withstand heavy use, featuring powder coat finishes and easy-to-clean Polypropylene for outdoor use. Seats are designed to drain liquid, avoiding water stains. Front and back crossbars provide support and stability, so chairs will not collapse with heavy weight.

For more information contact
Mity-Lite
(800) 327-1692
www.mitylite.com

CHAIRS COMBINE BEAUTY, FUNCTION IN GANGED DESIGN

Chancellor Mfg., Inc., makes three different sizes of seating: individual seats (20 inches wide), double seats (40 inches wide), and triple seats (60 inches wide). All three designs lock together for different arrangements. According to company reps, Chancellor's major advantage is that its first function is worship. If furniture is bought for any other function, the church loses sight of its priorities, they say. Therefore, it is to the church's benefit to have recreational facilities and still create a beautiful worship setting.

For more information contact
Chancellor Church Furniture
(940) 665-6014
www.cooke.net/~chancellor

COMPANY OFFERS FULL PRODUCTION, DESIGN OF STACK CHAIRS

Church Chair Industries Inc., offers six steel frame stack chairs designs and three oak frame stack chairs designed to meet basic seating needs. Styles include the Design Stacker 1 and Design Stacker II; the Royal, Elite and Cathedral Stackers; and the Pew Chair II. Church Chair is one of only a handful of companies that makes its own parts in its own plant. All chairs and materials are made in America. Free samples are available in the continental United States for churches or organizations considering purchasing 100 or more chairs in the next 12 months.

For more information contact
Church Chair Industries Inc.
(800) 331-5411
www.churchchair.com