Preserving Our Sanctuary Through Pew Dedications

If you take a look around the sanctuary Sunday mornings, you may notice that many of us gravitate to the same area or pew during worship week after week. The familiar faces we see there may keep us returning time and again, or maybe it's the view of the choir or altar that keeps us coming back. Whatever the reason, many FAPC members have a spot they consider their home base within the sanctuary.

There was a time, however, when we couldn't sit just anywhere. In our fine Bicentennial book "A Proud Heritage," we are told that at one time, church pews were actually put up for sale. This practice was undertaken to repay loans for the construction of the new church in 1808, and was continued as other church structures were built later on. Then, modest assessments on the owned pews, and rental fees on the remaining pews were a primary source of revenue. It was only in about 1966 that we stopped the custom, since collections and pledging met our needs and we wanted to keep our pews truly open for everyone. Nevertheless, some continued the custom on their own: FAPC received one pew rental in 1985 from a member who insisted on paying.

Although none of us owns or rents a pew now, in this celebration year, individual members, families, groups and friends are being offered the opportunity to dedicate a favorite pew or another pew in the sanctuary as a memorial to a loved one, to honor somebody special, or that names the person or persons making the dedication. Each dedication will be in the form of a simple plaque on the chosen pew with prescribed wording options. If you look at pews #22, #71 and #78, you will see examples from prior dedicated members. Proceeds from the sale of the plaques, which will cost $10,000 each, will be placed in a special fund for the maintenance and preservation of our beloved sanctuary for future generations.

For those who choose to commemorate pews in this way, dedications will be a meaningful way to express gratitude for the many decades that our sanctuary has been a place of worship and hospitality.

All those interested in purchasing a plaque should contact Director of Administration Christopher Thomas at 212.247.0490 or cthomas@fapc.org.

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