What empty chairs say

I was at the new second morning service at our church and noticed the place was half empty — it felt amazing!

Now that sounds weird but sociologists say when a room fills up it tells visitors they are not expected or worst still, wanted. And that’s a problem.

A full room may make us feel secure, because numbers give us confidence, but for guests they can be downright scary and intimidating. Ever tried squeezing into a row with a bunch of strangers? Quite.

You see, a vacant chair is full of significance.

You could even say it represents the reason for the church’’s existence. Its emptiness symbolises the hope of a return: a prodigal son or daughter stumbling through snot and tears to find their way back to the Father.

It also stands for loss: all of those ‘missing in action’ where the battle has raged fiercely around them and casualties are high.

But remove the chair - because we find it uncomfortable - and we risk removing our purpose and making church about us.

I have come to see the quiet chair as a powerful reminder to keep a spotlight on the most important people — the ones who are not yet in the room.

Perhaps, then, the service is not so empty after all, but is bursting with hope for the next bunch of people who will pluck up all their courage to come along. It is also how we get to love our neighbour as ourselves.

Maybe next time we find an empty seat next to us, we could even pray over it. One to sit on.