I'm sorry, this aisle is taken...

[UteStar]

I have come upon quite possibly the most idiotic thing that I have ever seen in my ward. Over the years, people usually sit in a general area and other members of the ward expect that. The Smith family sits a couple rows back on the left side of the chapel...the Jacksons sit in the front row, etc. That is fine and it happens.

Let me tell you what is annoying. How about when your little boy wanders into the chapel during priesthood and you see bags, coats, scriptures, toys, etc. in nearly every bench in the chapel. People saving their spots over an hour before sacrament begins. I am not kidding. I would venture to guess that 75% of the chapel seating is 'saved' at least an hour before sacrament even begins. I fully expect that people will be camping outside of the church sometime in the next year in hopes and dreams of reserving their seat even earlier in the chapel.

At least nobody takes my family's seats in the overflow gym at the very back.

[JohnnyLingo]

Wow that's just weird.

A lot of you guys have very odd wards. Maybe if wards had been as messed up as some of yours I'd have a different view of the church as well.

[BlueHair]

Why would anyone want to sit in the chapel when there are couches in the foyer? I had the unfortunate obligation of attending church the past two weeks. Both were fast and testimony meetings. I really feel for you guys that attend every fast sunday. I think I'd rather go in for a bikini wax than have to endure that again. We got the weird looks from people because apparently we were in their seats. Maybe they could sell season tickets for each bench. Even better, they could hold a draft based on church activity, donations, etc... The most faithful members could pick which seat they want first. They could be Legacy Members. During the break between classes, they could go to the white tent and have steak and chocolate covered strawberries. There could be a drawing each week for the lazyboy front row seats or even the hot tub like at the baseball games.

[il Padrino Ute]

Originally Posted by BlueHair

Why would anyone want to sit in the chapel when there are couches in the foyer? I had the unfortunate obligation of attending church the past two weeks. Both were fast and testimony meetings. I really feel for you guys that attend every fast sunday. I think I'd rather go in for a bikini wax than have to endure that again. We got the weird looks from people because apparently we were in their seats. Maybe they could sell season tickets for each bench. Even better, they could hold a draft based on church activity, donations, etc... The most faithful members could pick which seat they want first. They could be Legacy Members. During the break between classes, they could go to the white tent and have steak and chocolate covered strawberries. There could be a drawing each week for the lazyboy front row seats or even the hot tub like at the baseball games.

Very good.

One thing - the Lazyboys would be in the back. Those who sit in the front want to pay attention.

[cougjunkie]

we have 5 wards in our building, we go at 9am another ward starts at 930. The 930 has sacrament first, we have it last, well the 930 ward is asked to exit out of the south side of hte chapel and we are asked to enter from the north side. Well their sacrament always goes late, we get out of our meetings early. It is an absolute logjam trying to get in, then most of them exit from the wrong side and some of my ward enters from the wrongside. It is a disaster. One lady leaves Sunday school early like 20 minutes and has to be first in line at the door, she puts her back to the door and holds people back, then she runs in and starts saving pews for people. Its an absolute joke, she will save 5 rows some sundays for random people. Both wards need to be split so we are talking 1000+ people fighting to go in and out. I always just sit in sunday school and BS until everyone clears out, its a lot easier that way.

[BigFatMeanie]

Originally Posted by cougjunkie

we have 5 wards in our building, we go at 9am another ward starts at 930. The 930 has sacrament first, we have it last, well the 930 ward is asked to exit out of the south side of hte chapel and we are asked to enter from the north side. Well their sacrament always goes late, we get out of our meetings early. It is an absolute logjam trying to get in, then most of them exit from the wrong side and some of my ward enters from the wrongside. It is a disaster. One lady leaves Sunday school early like 20 minutes and has to be first in line at the door, she puts her back to the door and holds people back, then she runs in and starts saving pews for people. Its an absolute joke, she will save 5 rows some sundays for random people. Both wards need to be split so we are talking 1000+ people fighting to go in and out. I always just sit in sunday school and BS until everyone clears out, its a lot easier that way.

Same with us (only our ward meets at 1:00 and the other ward starts at 1:30). We have PH/SS first and have the same restrictions: enter the chapel from the east while the other ward exits from the west. Of course, there are the same goobers in our ward that go in/out the wrong way - it's like a salmon trying to swim upstream. We're usually able to get a seat because our 9 and 11 YOs primary classes always get out way early so the kids are able to get into the chapel first and they go and get some seats (half a row for the 7 of us). I'll be soooo glad when the new chapel is finished in September and we can be down to only three wards in a chapel instead of 5. Better yet, the chapel is across the street so we can just walk to church.

I hate not getting a seat and having to sit in the back. Sitting in the gym sucks. Here are the reasons why:
- Nobody sings. At all. Half the time there are no hymnals.
- The kids and even the adults are way noiser. It makes it harder for my kids to be reverent.
- The metal chairs suck compared to the padded bench pews.

I also love these people that talk about the back being the "overflow" section. Hah! The overflow section is more than half way to the front in our ward. The true back is back by the stage in the gym on those hard metal chairs. It sucks way back there - like outer darkness. Wouldn't it be great to be in a ward where only the overflow section was needed? To be in a ward where the overflow wasn't even opened up - that's just too much to hope for.

[MikeWaters]

our overflow has never been opened for our ward, nor the other two wards in our building.

[cougjunkie]

our overflow is open the gym goes long ways, and we fill the whole thing. But July 22nd the new church opens and we have already been informed we will be attending there.

[BlueHair]

Originally Posted by cougjunkie

our overflow is open the gym goes long ways, and we fill the whole thing. But July 22nd the new church opens and we have already been informed we will be attending there.

I used to love to sit in the gym. I would zone out and pretend I was shooting three pointers. Mentally pretending, not actually physically doing the shooting motion.

[UteStar]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

our overflow has never been opened for our ward, nor the other two wards in our building.

We have the chapel and then we open the big mechanical back wall to open it up to the overflow in the gym. We go about 15 rows into the gym. It is always open and even on a slow holiday weekend, we are still around 7-8 rows worth into the gym overflow.