Moravians: Where do they fit in the puzzle?

[ken_sylvania]

I thought that mixed seating hastens the demise of kneeling for prayer. Was this a segregated congregation?
Hadn’t heard that padded pews do the same.

It does - but I would really like someone to explain to me at some point just why it does. (In our congregations we kneel facing forward not backwards - maybe that makes a difference?)

Note that our pews are plushly padded but we still kneel to pray and do have separate seating.

Now I'm curious whether you have pew kneelers as well?

[Josh]

No, not at all. In recent memory we turned around to kneel. I'm not sure at what conference it was decided it's OK to go forward. I think it had something to do with being easier for the elderly to do.

[MaxPC]

No, not at all. In recent memory we turned around to kneel. I'm not sure at what conference it was decided it's OK to go forward. I think it had something to do with being easier for the elderly to do.

As one who is very elderly I must admit that kneeling at all is well nigh impossible. Does your fellowship make allowances for those unable physically to kneel?

[Neto]

I thought that mixed seating hastens the demise of kneeling for prayer. Was this a segregated congregation?
Hadn’t heard that padded pews do the same.

It does - but I would really like someone to explain to me at some point just why it does. (In our congregations we kneel facing forward not backwards - maybe that makes a difference?)

Note that our pews are plushly padded but we still kneel to pray and do have separate seating.

Kneeling facing forward may be the difference. At least I've had people tell me that people don't want to kneel toward the padded seat because of what might have been soaked into it at some point. Makes sense to me. (Remember? I was a custodian. And not just at our church house, either. In Bible institute I was the custodian for the men's dorm. Cleaned around 20 toilets a day, and 8 or 12 urinals. I don't remember if there were three on each of the 4 floors, or only 2.) So who wants to put their face down next to that?

As far as mixed seating or not, we never had segregated seating in the MB church, not during my life time. (They did in the past; in fact, the traditional MB church house had two entrances, one for the men, and the other for the ladies. And our church house had originally had a low wall down the middle of a really wide center isle. My mom says that the only place you could get from one side to the other without going outside and coming in the wrong door was next to the coal furnace in the middle of the meeting area, or way up front on the low stage. Well, small children were passed back & forth over the wall, I suppose. It might have still been that way when I was growing up had it not been for one preacher who really tried to modernize everything. Did a huge remodel job, and it took around 8 years for it to be paid for, and then only because the county or state wanted part of the church property to put in a gradual curve at the corner, to ease traffic at the corner where our church house sat.)

We used to kneel to pray in the MB congregational meetings as well, but always facing back. There was a particular aversion to the idea that the front of the meeting house was more holy than anywhere else. Some evangelists didn't get the notice on that, however. All of that "You gotta' come down to the front" business. We did for awhile in our current congregation as well, even after they started the mixed seating. But mostly just on Wednesday evening prayer meetings, and we always split up into small groups, and some knelt, and others didn't.

[Josh]

No, not at all. In recent memory we turned around to kneel. I'm not sure at what conference it was decided it's OK to go forward. I think it had something to do with being easier for the elderly to do.

As one who is very elderly I must admit that kneeling at all is well nigh impossible. Does your fellowship make allowances for those unable physically to kneel?

There are no Kneeling Police and I have skipped out myself a few times due to holding a just-fallen-asleep baby. Nonetheless I think changes of position and proper show of reverence is an important part of Christian prayer.

[MaxPC]

No, not at all. In recent memory we turned around to kneel. I'm not sure at what conference it was decided it's OK to go forward. I think it had something to do with being easier for the elderly to do.

As one who is very elderly I must admit that kneeling at all is well nigh impossible. Does your fellowship make allowances for those unable physically to kneel?

There are no Kneeling Police and I have skipped out myself a few times due to holding a just-fallen-asleep baby. Nonetheless I think changes of position and proper show of reverence is an important part of Christian prayer.

I agree that changes of position can enhance proper prayer. I tuck my head and close my eyes since the kneeler is out of the question. One fellow geriatric gentleman frequently comments that kneelers should be outlawed by the Geneva Convention. His knees cannot handle it either.

[Neto]

As one who is very elderly I must admit that kneeling at all is well nigh impossible. Does your fellowship make allowances for those unable physically to kneel?

There are no Kneeling Police and I have skipped out myself a few times due to holding a just-fallen-asleep baby. Nonetheless I think changes of position and proper show of reverence is an important part of Christian prayer.

I agree that changes of position can enhance proper prayer. I tuck my head and close my eyes since the kneeler is out of the question. One fellow geriatric gentleman frequently comments that kneelers should be outlawed by the Geneva Convention. His knees cannot handle it either.

I find it odd that some will urge the congregation to raise their hands when the songs says we are doing it, and so on, but they NEVER say anything about kneeling or bowing when we say we are doing that in the songs we sing. I sometimes do, but I feel very conspicuous, and it takes a strong urging from the Holy Spirit for me to obey. (I remember one time, years ago during the time when I was heavily involved in the charismatic movement, when I was at the Baptist church where I attended while in Bible college - before I had a vehicle and could go elsewhere - they were the only church that sent a van out to the school; anyway, I was singing with my eyes closed, the congregation had been asked to stand, and I forgot that no one else had their eyes closed. Raised my hands, doing the 'wave offering' deal. Suddenly I remembered that I might be the only one with my eyes closed....) But now I seldom stand to sing, as they want everyone to stand for the entire 20 + minutes straight, and it kills my back to stand in one place that long. I could do one or two songs at a time, but not that whole time, so I don't stand at all. Most older people don't, actually.

[MaxPC]

I find it odd that some will urge the congregation to raise their hands when the songs says we are doing it, and so on, but they NEVER say anything about kneeling or bowing when we say we are doing that in the songs we sing. I sometimes do, but I feel very conspicuous, and it takes a strong urging from the Holy Spirit for me to obey. (I remember one time, years ago during the time when I was heavily involved in the charismatic movement, when I was at the Baptist church where I attended while in Bible college - before I had a vehicle and could go elsewhere - they were the only church that sent a van out to the school; anyway, I was singing with my eyes closed, the congregation had been asked to stand, and I forgot that no one else had their eyes closed. Raised my hands, doing the 'wave offering' deal. Suddenly I remembered that I might be the only one with my eyes closed....) But now I seldom stand to sing, as they want everyone to stand for the entire 20 + minutes straight, and it kills my back to stand in one place that long. I could do one or two songs at a time, but not that whole time, so I don't stand at all. Most older people don't, actually.

I think those of us with physical limitations and have silver crowns will most likely get a pass. Younger folks with hidden physical limitations tend to get “the look” from the ‘parish liturgy police’ until someone explains it to them. I sympathise with the young adults in this age. Too many self-appointed judges roaming.

[steve-in-kville]

Now that I think of it, they were the ones that denies the LBGHQ thing to take place in the park this past summer.