Edit
[Updated Sept 2024]
To comfortably host a large group of people in our building we need to manage the space well. The house manager ensures we are well set up, we can fit people into seats comfortably, and that people can move around easily and safely.
Before the service
Please arrive by 9am at the latest
Near the front door:
- Open both the main front doors
- Put nametag stands outside - A-L on the left, M-Z on the right as people arrive.
- Put Bibles on trolley for pickup as people enter
- Turn on air conditioners, unless you're confident it's not needed. (NB a crowd will warm up the space.)
If in doubt, turn on at least the front ones, which are harder to adjust later. Same remote operates all units. Temperature=24, fan=auto. Once you've turned each unit on, turn the temperature up and down by 1 degree to make sure it's registered correctly.
- If you think it's necessary in summer, turn on fans. Adjust to the speed indicated by the black mark (medium) - not gale force!
At the corridor:
- Make sure doors from church space to main corridor are both open
- Make sure the side external door (near ladies toilet) is unlocked but closed
- Turn on corridor lights
In the main church space:
- Open some top-row windows on both sides (ventilation is important for health reasons. The aircon uses recycled air)
- Make sure all church lights turned on (Use switches near band): left + centre + right + stage + spots1 + spots2 (not spots 3)
- Set up chairs - See diagram here.
- 40cm between rows (chair foot to chair foot)
- Front row in front of the poles - we can't afford to waste space here
- To align the central block, look up at the ceiling girder to find the centre of the room
- For the side blocks, imagine a line from the edge of the screen to the poles. The outermost chairs should be able to see most of the screen.
- Make sure aisles are accessible according to the diagram.
- Leave 3 stacks of 6 chairs at the back wall. Only set these up once the other rows are becoming full. Otherwise, as people fill from the back, seats down the front will get wasted.
Outside:
- Set up the seniors morning tea table outside near the windows, with a few chairs.
During the service
- Guide people to empty seats near the front (especially during the first song)
- Add more chairs at the back as necessary
- After the kids have left, shut the doors to the corridor
After the service
- Open the side door to the corridor
- Open the external door near the ladies toilet
- Open the external door near the seniors table
- Pack up chairs near morning tea servery
- If necessary, pack up a few other chairs so people can move around safely
- Bring the nametag stands in to the back corner of the church