Holes in Protestant furniture

Church of the Covenant Presbyterian

On the backs of church pews there are sometimes shelves and racks for books, missalettes, papers , envelopes and stuff. On some are clips to hold hats.

Across the pews there were these. I did not recognise them...

Pilgrim Congregational

...until i got here for a concert, and saw a single, wee, wee glass resting in the slot. The ones at Church of the Covenant were bored through. These here stopped. The slots were to hold glasses for communion drink.

Communion practices are different in some Protestant churches as compared to those in Catholic and Orthodox churches. In the latter, Communion is a Sacrament wherein the Eucharistic miracle and mystery transform bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Jesus. For the Orthodox, and the Catholics the bread must be of wheat, and real wine must be used. Protestants do not have this in their theology, and some use grape juice. For Roman Catholics, Communion is complete with one or both species (Body and Blood); and the usual practice is to first receive the Body, and then the Blood. The Body can be dipped into the Blood (indiction). For Eastern Catholics and the Orthodox, the species are taken together from a spoon. So for most Roman Catholics a shared chalice (cup) is used.  In some Protestant churches trays of tiny individual cups or glasses contain the wine or grape juice; the provision in the furniture allows for glasses to be used in the pews. I have no idea how often this is currently done.

 Broadway Methodist Cleveland (closed)

These were around the outside of the sanctuary containing the altar table and speakers area, and were meant to hold tiny glasses/cups for communion.