Places of Worship: Introduction

There is no set place for Christian worship, the early Christians for instance met in houses or catacombs (underground cemeteries). However, for practical reasons it is necessary that special buildings be erected for the purpose of collective worship. There is a variety of such buildings. Here are some:

	Church: general name for any place of public worship
	Cathedral: A bishop's church. Generally big enough to hold large congregations
	Basilica: Roman Catholicism only. Very large church but not a bishop's base Generally at an important shrine. None in Britain, one in Ireland at Knock, Count Mayo
	Chapel: Independent churches and Methodists call their places of worship chapels. Otherwise a chapel is a room in a large institution, such as a monastery, college, school etc. set aside for worship
	Shrine: Churches in the Catholic tradition value shrines. These are places dedicated to the honour of a certain saint. The shrine of Walsingham in Norfolk, visited by Roman Catholics and Anglo-Catholics, honours Mary the mother of Jesus. Such shrines often have a chapel or church associated with them.

Different kinds of service are held in places of worship. These include:

Sunday worship. This can mean communion service or a prayer meeting

Services such as weddings, baptisms and funerals

Other prayer services during the week

Special services such as civil blessings

Special church services such as the ordination of new ministers / priests / bishops

There are common elements in all Christian churches

Altar/communion table -This is where the eucharist/ communion service is held. The level of decoration reflects on the type of church. The Roman Catholic, Orthodox and some Anglican are very decorated, other Protesatnt churches tend to be simplier.	Pulpit - This is a place where the preacher stands. Some modern churches do not have them and the preacher will preach from the lectern or standing in front of the congreagation.	Lectern - This is a large stand for the bible. In many churches this will be in the shape of an eagle perched on a ball. This eagle symbolises St. John the evanglist and the ball the world. This lectern is a more simple wooden stand.	Baptismal font - This is where baptisms are held. In many churches this will be a large stone basin at the entrance to the church in others this will be a pool (see above) for full immersion like Jesus in the river Jordan.
Church furnishings - There is a whole variety of these such as candles, brasses, flowers and so on.	Arrangements for church music - The organ, hymn books etc. Are there any bells. Note: that in some Anglican churches some seats will face the high altar but others will face each other much nearer the altar. This is a remnant of earlier times when the clergy would sing evensong facing each other. This is still done in some places. This is still the practice in monasteries.	Pews or seats - This is where the congregation will sit, normally facing the pulpit or altar but in some modern churches in a semi-circle around the altar or pulpit to create a more informal feel. Many churches will have moveable seats in preference to fixed wooden pwes.	Pictures / Statues. - Many churches have supported art through out time and so statues or paintings on Christian themes decorate the church and reinforce the church's teaching.