The Future Post Virus Reality Will affect dramatic change the seating practices in all Social Venues - Restaurant seating, Athletic event Seating, Broadway Theater or Movie Theater Seating, and evening seating in the Churches. There will be distance created even in the placement of weight lifting stations and Aerobic Machines in Gymns and Clubs. We will be changed by the Virus battle.
in the Churches where the congregations are small there will be ample seating but those Worshipping will need to be spread apart and not clustered in certain areas such as the back Pews. Some Churches may resort to getting rid of Pews Altogether in favor of Moveable Chairs. But the size of the Naves in the small Churches should be sufficient.
in Churches with large congregations that had filled about 2/3 of the Nave the reality of new Social distancing (as with the secular Venues of Restaurant, Theater, arena, etc. ) will have a greater impact. Seating capacity will be decreased significantly. That factor will impact entertainment styles of Ministry in various and sundry ways.
In addition There will be no handshaking or hugging. The Passing of the Peace during it at the end of Worship by hand shake, Hug or Kiss likely pass away in accord with the Biblical Phrase “And it came to pass”. Use of the Common Cup for all to drink from at Communion or Intinction where all dip or dunk into the Chalice likely will become a passé practice. Likewise the practice of placing the host on the tongues of those receiving the Sacrament. The new holy oil or holy water on the alter will be hand Sanitizer for the Pastor to use publicly prior to the Communion Liturgy and Sacrament distribution.
Frequent hand washing with Hit Water and Soap by all attend Worship could even become a “Word of Law” item added to the Catechisms of the various Church Traditions.
Change certainly will happen in the Post Virus Pandemic age! But the One whom Christians Worship changes not! He is the same today as he was yesterday and will be the same tomorrow in the Post Virus Pandemic age. His Word does not change for as Holy Scrpture proclaims: “Heaven and Earth will pass away but the Word of the Lord will endure forever.’
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