Has your church furniture been passed down for years and looking a little shabby? Have you considered refurnishing or purchasing new church furniture? Since the place where people go to worship is an extremely significant place for many people, it’s important to keep church furniture, especially church pews in pristine condition. If you don’t want to pay full price for new furniture, you can often find antique church pews or used church pews for sale. Other good quality pews, like oak church pews for sale, can be found at antique stores, auctions, or online.
A History of Pews
Pews have been around since the 13th century, starting with stone benches put against church walls. They could be removed or added, depending on the need. However, for around 1,000 years before that, pews were not a mainstay in churches. Most congregations stood and it was more of a social gathering, as they could walk around and talk with other members. Permanent pews in churches came about with the Protestant Reformation, and until the early/mid twentieth century, many Anglican, Catholic, and Presbyterian churches rented pews to members as a way of creating income. Every family or individual typically had their own pew and it became a social deal.
Pews became popular as the sermon became a more prominent feature in Christian worship, especially in the Protestant sects. Pews can range in their comfort level–from just being wooden seats to having a bench-like feature with cushioned seating. In churches that require frequent kneeling, pews often have kneelers in front of the bench.
Selling Pews: What Comes After
When a church is forced to close its doors, it often chooses to sell the furniture within the church. This is a good place to find oak church pews for sale, for example. Interestingly enough, antique church pews have become a popular fixture in some private homes. They’re used as benches in either a dining area or in a foyer or other entrance area.
What Kind of Pews Should A Church Look For?
Pews are generally made of wood, so popular hard woods are often utilized to make pews. If you’re looking for something more high quality, search for oak church pews for sale or sycamore pews! Some cheaper alternatives include plywood, although those aren’t as commonly used. Depending on the congregation, the church might want to look at cushions, especially if their congregation includes a good number of younger children or babies or older people. The color of fabric chosen can also be important, depending on the church’s name–common colors chosen are a cream, red, or navy blue. Another choice to consider is whether or not the pews should come with kneelers. For Catholic churches, this could be very important, as their masses involve a lot of kneeling, especially during Communion.