The Church Furniture Guy just returned from the National Association of Church Business Administrators‘ (NACBA) Conference, held this year at the Gaylord Palms Conference Center in Orlando, FL. I’ve always wanted to attend this conference as I’ve thought the resources it would provide would be very helpful to my own church ministry. I was not disappointed! The conference was outstanding and I hope I’ll be able to attend again over the coming years. Our world is changing fast and the implications for churches are numerous. The resources the NACBA provides are integral in assisting churches to navigate the coming years.
While at the conference, I had the opportunity to connect with several of the vendors at the trade show exhibit. I was surprised there were really no church furniture manufacturers or dealers displaying in the exhibit hall. I imagine the high cost of doing so (fees, travel, shipping, personnel, etc.) is the reason for this, but nonetheless I still expected there to be a few. There were numerous lending institutions and construction companies present, but no church furnishings booths.
I did enjoy connecting with my friends from Midwest Church Construction at their booth. I have worked with several church builders over the years, but Midwest is my favorite. If you have any sort of construction project being considered at your church, I would encourage you to be sure to take a look at Midwest. And for all your church furnishings, check out Save Your Church Money. These are two great companies to obtain quality products and services from for your church.
After my last post on table seating capacities, I was asked what the standards are that should be utilized in terms of table spacing. As a church determines how many people they can seat for a banquet or some other event at tables in different environments, it’s important that the tables not be placed too close together. It’s also wise to make sure that table spacing is not exaggerated and room is wasted. To the right is a chart showing the standards for both round tables and rectangular tables. I think you’ll find it helpful!
As I recommend church furniture throughout the country, I’m often asked how many people can sit comfortably around a 60″ diameter table. I always answer that seven people can fit easily around this size of table and that eight people can fit tightly. Here’s a chart that provides some visual assistance for several sizes of tables. I think you’ll find it helpful.
While at Neocon, I spent some time with my friends from The Furniture Lab at their display booth. I’ve always found their line of customized cafe tables to be a great fit for church coffee-shops and cafes. You’ll find their commercial dining furniture not only in churches, but in health-care settings, colleges, stadiums, and shopping areas. I love though how well their cafe tables make a church cafe stand out!
Most church cafes and coffee-shops are not normally exceptionally large. The general rule is a handful of cafe tables, either at dining height or bar height, and an appropriate number of chairs and bar stools. Such settings lend themselves very well to personalizing some items to promote the church’s “brand”. And nothing will stand out more than the actual table tops.
The Furniture Lab can creating an amazing array of custom designed tables. Their in-house graphics department regularly assists church in creating truly unique tables. Here are several examples of their offerings.
Save Your Church Money is a national dealer for The Furniture Lab. Be sure and contact them first as their pricing will be the lowest. Jobs are often registered and your first contact can be critical in helping you obtain the best pricing.
