The Pulpit

a brief reflection on furnishing worship space ..."To the rest I say—I and not the Lord ...." -1 Corinthians 7:12aMany pulpits seem to have raised "reading stand" in the center, perhaps modeled from older, cathedral style pulpits. I find such pulpits awkward to navigate. I'm usually concerned something will fall off the stand. Perhaps in an age where preachers used small handwritten notes, it was ok.  But today, with all manner of printed and electronic presentation devices, I prefer a pulpit as broad on top as possible. I suppose it has to be angled a bit to provide good view of materials, but needs to have some flat areas around the edges for placing props or other items. The composite photo above offers examples.Some preachers and congregations prefer a more "open" base so that preacher's body movement can be seen. Others prefer more storage underneath, and a little shielding and even support to lean on for those who are tired or not feeling particularly energetic on any given day.  I don't have a strong feeling about this aspect, though think the pulpit should somehow fit and match the Lord's Table and Font. Personally, I'd make the top at least as wide as any element of the base, and imagine a wide top offers the most versatility for preaching styles now and in the future.