There are times you need a temporary communion table, like when you’re officiating at General Assembly (Note: UUCF-sponsored communion, Friday 11am and Saturday 8:30am; America’s Center room 274) or if you’re starting a schismatic Anglican-ish church. But if you have the luxury of adjustibility, how tall should it be? More after the jump.
The idea came to me when I was reading a decades-old report on the height of kitchen fixtures. Seems they were being built, on average, too tall for the women using them causing fatigue and a loss of efficiency. The bottom of a sink should be (they found) the height of clentched fists of a person standing comfortably. That sound right for the height of a communion table, too., but might seem low for some readers.
Now, I’m 6’4″ with simian-long arms. By this rubric, my ideal communion table is 33″. What about you? Common communion table heights — if you buy from the church trade — are 30″, 32″ and 39″. Looking at the styles, the higher tables (altars) correspond with “higher church.” But I’d go right to the middle option, which has the added advantage of working whether you officiate standing or kneeling. Some might need the smallest table. The tallest table forces the arms to bend, giving a rather unfortunate praying mantis/T. rex effect.
