CREEDE HINSHAW: Solving ‘cushion’ issues helps unify church body

This past Sunday I sat in my pew and began thinking about the pew itself.

I worship in a congregation containing these “old-fashioned” wooden pews – and these pews, made of beautiful wood — have no “pew cushions.” Therein lies a story.

I was pastor of a particular church during a renovation of the sanctuary. In a renovation of some $7 million, one of the most contentious, seemingly insoluble decisions was whether to return the pew cushions to the pews after the renovation. I don’t know when those cushions had been originally added, but the choir and the instrumentalists lobbied to remove them permanently, contending that they muffled the sound, stifling congregational singing and deadening the music.

As you might suspect, on the other side of the issue were those who opted for comfort. Some of them had back issues, and others just liked the feel of the cushion.

“Experts” got involved in the discussion. A sound engineer, after making tests, concluded that the acoustics in the sanctuary were excellent when the pew cushions were removed. The church architect pointed out that the pews were constructed in such a way as to be more comfortable without cushions – that cushions were not good for the posture. You can probably surmise that these statements were roundly dismissed by those who wanted their comfort.

It felt like the kind of debate that offered no easy way out. You either had the cushions or you didn’t. One group was going to “lose” this issue.

But maybe not. A combination of faithful prayer (I hope) and creative minds seemed to devise a solution that would make both groups happy. The church did remove the pew cushions permanently in deference to the inspired and inspiring music that the church choir and organ/piano/instruments offered week after week. But the church also agreed to leave pew cushions on the last two rows of pews for those who really needed them. And the church also bought chair cushions and placed them at every entrance to the sanctuary so that those who wanted or needed a cushion could easily find one.

And so, 20 years later, the congregation does not have pew cushions. I still see the cushions at each entrance for those who want them. As for me, as pastor of the church, I sat on a bench with a cushion in the chancel area, a fact that always made me feel uneasy. But for these past dozen years, I sit on a wooden pew in comfort, this creaky, cranky body of mine not at all bothered by the absence of a cushion.

Is there contention going on in your congregation? Does the issue seem beyond resolve? The pew-cushion incident is a very small, insignificant event, but people have stomped off and churches have split over very small issues. In these contentious times, it is even more important for a congregation to find a way to live, love and worship together as one body. Don’t give up on finding a way forward.