The various alternatives to our current arrangement involve the removal of some or all of the pews as well as a repositioning of some or all of the other sanctuary furnishings. So you'll know what you're looking at those furnishings are labeled here.

Shortly before moving to the fellowship hall, Pastor Mark took the moveable pulpit from behind the rail and placed it in the center aisle-- as shown here. 

The change here is rather straightforward.  20 pews are removed, leaving 12.  It's seating for about 70. Were more seating required rows of chairs would be added. The pulpit, lectern, communion table, piano and baptismal font are brought forward. (The darker red rectangles where the pews once wer represent the tile flooring beneath the pews.)

Here we have 9 pews and a seating capacity of about 65. The small rectangles at the end of the pews represent the moveable seating which had been First Baptist's and St. Peter's has offered to provide.

Six pews at an angle  combined with 35 chairs create enough seating for about 70.  It fills the space far more than the previous alternatives. Adding seating to accommodate larger gatherings would be little more involved but still doable. 

These last three options are variations on a theme. They reorient the sanctuary so that, in a sense, the side by the Connection becomes the front.  A partition would be placed in front of the Connection allowing people to enter the sanctuary after the service has started without being a disruption. Notice that the television monitors would be hung from the partition. Here the seating capacity is about 55. 

Basically the same as the previous arrangement except that the pews are replaced by the donated seating. Seating capacity is 55.  

NOTE: The fact that the organ does not appear in Alternatives #4-6 is merely an oversight. 

A combination of pews and donated chairs results in a similar seating capacity as the previous two alternatives.

• What were the strengths of worship in the fellowship hall?  In what ways do the alternatives to our current arrangement bring those strengths to the sanctuary?

• Put yourself in the mindset of a first-time visitor and imagine yourself entering the sanctuary arranged according to the various alternatives. What do you think would stand out?

• Even as some arrangements fill the space more fully than others, the alternatives to the current arrangements create open spaces. How big a concern is that? Is it possible that that space could be an asset? How might they be used to enhance our worship or fellowship?

• Worship is a gathering celebrating the gospel in "word and sacrament." Compare the different ways in which these alternatives bring word and sacrament to the center of our worship.

• Note the different placements of the piano and keyboard. Is there an ideal placement?  Our sanctuary places the organ at the front. Plenty of churches have it at the back. Some place all musicians at the back of the sanctuary.  

• Which of these alternatives strike you as the most friendly to folks with physical disabilities?