But with chairs, you can't sneak a nap by lying down in the back pew!

Okay, I'll be serious.

I don't believe people will mind, as long as you go for the cushioned pews. I remember, while going to church as a youth, that the hard wood back of the pews was always cold and a bit painful to rest against (and therefore rather distracting).

No. Pews are to a church what chairs are to doctor's waiting room...

no they are horrible.....thats just startup churches..

From what I remember, pews are insanely uncomfortable. Go with the chairs.

I think culturally church pews are significant; they establish a sense of community.

Still, if you're replacing elderly ones you might want to consider something a little more comfortable.

Chairs have the advantage of being more flexible in arrangement. You can hold different events and have different seating arrangements.

I think chairs are way better. They are so much more comfortable. Pews are not comfortable lol. They are angled pretty weird, and hard. Plus, one advantage of chairs is you can stack them up and use the extra space for an event. :-)

beanie couches--those are so comfy! 8D but more ppl would fall asleep...

before pews people sat on small stools

Priests preferred the Pews - because they are not easily thrown.
As happened to some priests.

This was a few hundred years ago.

Chairs move and look untidy. Keep the pews.

I much prefer pews to single chairs.

Pews are much more attractive, and have kneelers for those who wish to use them. Also, they usually have book-rests on the back so you're not constantly clutching a hymn book, prayer book, order of service, etc. I am all in favour of pews. If they have small cushions they need not be uncomfortable - indeed, I don't think I've ever sat in a pew less comfortable than a plastic chair.

On the other hand, churches often prefer chairs because they can be moved and rearranged more easily (pews are very awkward to shift). But chairs look tacky and cheap. I view with despair the move towards replacing pews in churches with chairs.

Chairs are the most practical. People hate to invade another's space and take up a lot of room in pews. Chairs are cheaper to replace, if one is damaged you only have to replace the single unit. Pews cost more and aren't as comfy. I knew a church that got a great deal when a restaurant changed their decor, they got all the very comfortable chairs for next to nothing.

You can squeeze in more people with pews than you can with chairs. Chairs have a fixed number of seating, while with pews it's more flexible.

I think that chairs would be more of an annoying distraction. Moving chairs about would be noisy, the rows wouldn't be straight, chairs could fall over, collapse etc. Pews are fixed. Don't fix what's not broken.

I'm 25
I prefer the traditional service. I just wish people would be more responsive. But for the most part I like to keep things basic and traditional this includes pews. I detest having chairs in the sanctuary. Not only is it ugly, but it also implies that it's finite. You can take it or leave it because the chair is portable and easily used for other activities. Leave the chairs in the reception hall where they belong.

I don't know... I find myself uncomfortable sitting in chairs like what would be in a sanctuary for a long period of time... perhaps it's because I am fidgety at times and I can't really scoot from side to side... and maybe it's because of my conditioning but I don't find the cushioned pews all that uncomfortable and I have room to lay my stuff next to me instead of under or in front of me (which allows me to fidget less :D)