I read recently that Russian orthodox churches might not have pews because they’re a closer reflection of what a church started out as. Less about being entertained by a person and more about coming to experience spirituality.
I don’t know how true that is but now I wonder how close the modern version of a western Christian church is to its intent in the first few hundred years AD.
Not to discourage further discussion, but you might be interested in these older /r/AskHistorians posts on the subject of medieval church services:
How long were Catholic Masses in past times? feat. /u/Whoosier
Assume that I am a Roman Catholic today, if I went back to the Vatican in 1000 AD, will I be able to follow the Mass and recognize the liturgy? feat. /u/kashisaur
Going to mass in medieval Constantinople feat. /u/arivederlestelle
How have Christian rituals surrounding worship changed over time and how were those changes justified within the Church? feat. /u/Philip_Schwartzerdt
I hope that helps!