A Question of Obviously Extreme Importance

[SQLservant]

Tanigble, the LCMS church that I was a member of back in college had a horribly designed church. The seat arrangement looked like this...

Altar
++++++++++ Rail
___________ Open space
||||| __ ||||| Choir pews
||||| __ ||||| Choir pews

==== __ ==== Pews
==== __ ==== Pews

Only 12-14 people could fit at the communion rail, and there was not enough room between the choir pews for both an incoming line and an outgoing line at the same time. So the order was

File in
Commune
File Out
Next group file in
Commune
File out

It was HORRIBLE... I think a Palm Sunday service we sang all five communion hymns from TLH including all 15 verses of 315 and we still had time for more organ hymns.

Fortunately (?) they had a fire while I was there and they redesigned the seating.

Both the Episcopal churches I've visited were like that. The bigger one had communicants exit stage left out of the sanctuary, I think, but I rather liked it. It made it feel more intimate, or something.

 

[GreekOrthodox]

Communion could take up to 30 minutes alone on festival Sundays.

 

[SQLservant]

I don't suspect that being much of an issue at those two parishes... I only visited during Ordinary Time, but both of them had congregations of less than 50 and everyone communed. I suspect it's bigger at Christmas and Easter, but is it such a bad thing to have TOO MANY communicants? Does the LCMS have problems with using multiple ministers of each species (e.g. 2 passing out wafers and 2 holding chalices)?

 

[GreekOrthodox]

I don't suspect that being much of an issue at those two parishes... I only visited during Ordinary Time, but both of them had congregations of less than 50 and everyone communed. I suspect it's bigger at Christmas and Easter, but is it such a bad thing to have TOO MANY communicants? Does the LCMS have problems with using multiple ministers of each species (e.g. 2 passing out wafers and 2 holding chalices)?

When I was an elder at an LCMS church with about 150 in attendance each Sunday, the pastor would distribute the bread, one elder would handle the individual cups and a second elder would follow up with the chalice. I think we could get through 2-3 groups of 20 people at the communion rail in about 10 minutes.

 

[Tangible]

My old church was traditional design, different from your diagram only in that the choir was located in the loft in the back of the sanctuary. My new church is open across the front with no discernable chancel, just a raised dais in front. The organist is in front of the congregation off to the side stage right, and I'm guessing that when the choir reconvenes after the Summer break they will be on the stage left side.

I like having the musicians up in the back, audible yet unintrusive.

 

[cajunhillbilly]

The Episcopal Chjurch I attended in Carollton had us kneel at the alter rail. The Anglican church in Rockwall meets in a gym so we have no rails to use. They plan to build soon Hope they include rails.