“Mrs. Sherry….we had our first service in the sanctuary yesterday. Everything was so beautiful and every one, I suppose, was very well pleased at the end result. Thank you for all your help and for the guys who worked as hard and fast as they could to get us back in the Church. One day, I hope to just drop by and say hi. God Bless you all”
-B.A. HAGAN

Notre Dame de Paris, Paris, France

French for “Our Lady of Paris,” Notre Dame de Paris is one of the largest and most well known churches in the world. Part of its familiarity comes from its shrine, which holds the professed crown of thorns, a small portion of Jesus’s cross, and one of the crucifixion nails. The architecture of the church is also quite notable. This cathedral was one of the first buildings to use flying buttresses for support, and has many gargoyles and grotesques throughout. After nearly a 200-year construction process, the magnificent church was completed and is now among the largest and most well-known churches in the world.

Duomo di Firenze, Florence, Italy

The Duomo di Firenze, also known as the Florence Cathedral was built between 1296 and 1436 in Italy. One of the largest churches in the world, it hosts a gothic front façade, with a limited amount of interior decoration, with the exception of the elaborate marble flooring, and the painted fresco of the Last Judgment on the dome ceiling (the largest dome in the world at the time). Even though the interior of the church has minimal color, there is actually a museum devoted to works of art strictly from the cathedral.

Santa Maria del Mar, Barcelona, Spain

The Santa Maria del Mar, designed in 1324 and completed 55 years later, is considered the finest example of Catalan Gothic architecture in existence. During the 1960s, excavations under the church revealed that the church’s grounds had previously been used as a Roman cemetery during the 4th through 6th centuries. During the Spanish Civil War, locals burned out the interior after the Church turned their back on the people. Since then, smoke continues to darken the walls of the vault, but it is still a beauty to behold.

The Church of Our Savior on Spilled Blood, Saint Petersburg, Russia

This stunning Russian-style church has a unique story behind its construction and name. In 1881, Emperor Alexander II was assassinated by a group of radicals who threw a bomb at his royal carriage. This event ended the string of efforts to take the life of the emperor who had earlier freed Russian serfs and made many attempts at military, judicial, and urban reform. After the assassination of Alexander II, a decision was made to construct a church, almost completely funded by the royal family and many private investors, at the location where the assassination took place. The “Blood” mentioned in the church’s common name, refers to that of Alexander II, as well as the crucified Jesus. The Russian Orthodox cathedral even showcases a marvelous shrine on the exact place of Alexander II’s death. After much history in the 1900s, the church is no longer functioning as a full-time place of worship, but has become a major tourist attraction for St. Petersburg, Russia.

Thorncrown Chapel, Eureka Springs, Arkansas

Nestled in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas, this modern church was built during 1979 and 1980 out of pinewood beams and glass windows, and even appears to be an open-air space. The Thorncrown Chapel has won numerous architectural awards, been showcased in many major magazines, appeared on television programs, and been visited by over 6 million people since it’s opening in 1980. The church is now open daily for touring with free admission, along with church services April through December, and weddings and special retreats available throughout the year as well.

Stavanger Cathedral, Stavanger, Norway

The Stavanger Cathedral was built shortly after Sigurd Jorsalfarer named Stavanger, Norway a cathedral city, around the year 1100. It was not completed until roughly 1150. About a century later, the church’s Anglo-Norman style was damaged by fire, which allowed some reconstruction to follow a Gothic style instead. To this day, Stavanger Cathedral is the oldest Norwegian cathedral and has been in use ever since its founding.

Chesme Church, Saint Petersburg, Russia

The Chesme Church was consecrated in 1780, to commemorate the tenth anniversary of Russia’s naval victory at Chesme Bay, and also John the Baptist’s birthday, both giving way to the naming of the church. This church has been described as having a “wedding cake structure”, which makes it unique from many other Russian cathedrals. Also known as The Church of the Birth of St. John the Baptist, it still holds regular services today, even after its unique history of being turned into a labor camp by the Soviet government, and later becoming a burial ground for those killed in war.

La Sagrada Família, Barcelona, Spain

In 1882, construction began on this uniquely designed church which has become Barcelona’s most popular tourist site. The original design has not been completed, due to the unexpected death of the primary designer and builder, however it is still certainly a majestic tourist attraction. The original design called for 18 columns to represent the Twelve Apostles, the Four Evangelists, the Virgin Mary, and Jesus Christ. There are also three large facades decorating the building, including the Nativity, the Passion, and the Glory facades, each representing significant Biblical history or prophecy. One of the most distinctive aspects of the interior of this church is its interior columns that evolve into different geometric forms as you look further up the column.

St. Bridget’s Church, Jersey City, New Jersey

Founded in 1887, St. Bridget’s Church in New Jersey, this is one of America’s most beautiful worship centers. Today the church includes the parish business office, a growing day-care center and school, and a religious education center for children and adults. Many of the current church members are descendants of the Irish, Italian and Polish settlers who founded St. Bridget’s Church, along with many Filipino and Spanish locals. As a special touch to the worship service, this church has two volunteer choirs, one in English and one in Spanish.

Sistine Chapel, Vatican City, Rome, Italy

And what would a list of the top stunning churches or sanctuaries be without the famous Sistine Chapel? Built in the Vatican City during the late 1400s, at the commission of Pope Sixtus IV, the pope’s chapel has become a hugely popular tourist attraction. So much history and beauty lies in the walls of this chapel, most remarkably the artwork of Michelangelo Buonarroti. After a request to paint the Twelve Apostles and a few ornaments on the ceiling, Michelangelo found himself deeply involved in this project and his final work ended with over 300 human figures. His work between 1508 and 1512, in cramped areas on high scaffolding, produced 9 scenes from Genesis, 7 prophet paintings, and the world-renowned “Last Judgment” on the altar wall.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

Prior to the protestant reformation, church pews were not a very common feature in churches. Only when the sermon became the central act of worship during the 14th century did the church pew become a standard item in most churches.

2. Church Pews used to be personal property

As the church pew became more common, they were sometimes installed at the expense of church members and they became personal property. In fact, pew deeds were used to record conveyance of a pew from one party to another. Some pews were even enclosed in pew boxes which could be locked to prevent others from gaining access.

3. Church pews had windows?

Box pews, pews that are encased in paneling, were popular in many protestant countries from the 16th to early 19th centuries. Box pews could contain windows, curtains, tables, and fireplaces.

4. Some churches rented out their pews

Until the mid-twentieth century it was not uncommon for churches to rent pews to families or individuals. In congregations such as these pew rents were a primary means to raise church revenue.

5. The earliest recorded instance of sitting in church.

Sitting during a service is first mentioned in the Bible. Unfortunately it did not end well.

References:

Box Pews: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Box_pews
Pews: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pew
Long Pew Read: http://anglicanhistory.org/misc/freechurch/fowler_pews1844.html

August 20, 2012

Dear Friend in Christ,
We would like to thank you for your hard work and dedication for helping us complete our church renovation project. If it had not been for your commitment our renovation
project would have never reached completion. The sanctuary and grounds look beautiful!  Please accept this certificate on behalf of Louisville Baptist Church in appreciation for all of your dedication and service. Again, thank you so much for helping us complete the renovations.

Sincerely,

Rev. Robert M. Baker

To Whom It May Concern,

With much appreciation this letter is being written.  We the people of the First Free Will Baptist of Scottsmoor, FL. are extremely pleased with our new pews and chairs.

Charlie Krazit did a great presentation with selling the pews.  We had two more companies to come to give us presentations but we knew we would take Charlie from the start.  He stayed in contact with us through the whole process and was willing to come back and let us look things over the second time. He is very professional. We give an A plus.

We had one chair that was damaged.  I called Charlie and the problem was taken care of very promptly.  We have the new back already and all is well.

The installers were on time and did a great job.  Everything was cleaned up afterwards and they showed the utmost respect for our church.

Thanks for a pleasant buying experience and we would recommend your company and Charlie to anybody.  You may feel at liberty to use us for reference anytime.

Sincerely,
Edward E. Maynard, Pastor

Dear Mr. King:

We would like to thank you for allowing us to use your church pews during our recent Judgement House presentation, as well for donating the pews to our Judgement House organization. Both are very much appreciated.

Approximately 3,628 people went through Judgement House with 351 salvations.  Another 176 made rededications or had prayer with a counselor.  Thank you for your contribution in making this possible.

Sincerely,
Beverly Sorensen
Judgement House Steering Committee

“To everyone at King Church Furniture, this comes with sincere appreciation for all your beautiful craftsmanship and hard work.  We sincerely appreciate all you did and that it was done in time for our Homecoming Service.  We thank you all!”

The Marianna Seventh-Day Adventist Church