:High Church--Low Church (Part 16) "Whatever Shall I Wear?"

Fourth Thursday after the Epiphany 

When I was growing up, Methodist ministers wore suits to worship. A controversy arose in my home church, Ardmore in Winston-Salem, when the new pastor, Orion Hutchinson, wore a black pulpit robe. To some members that smacked of Catholicism (which it doesn't at all). The black pulpit robe was and is common to Presbyterians. This all goes back to the founder of Presbyterianism, John Calvin (Jean Cauvin was his actual name. He was Swiss French). Calvin was a lawyer before he became a minister. He did not like the albs that Lutherans wore, too Catholic. He decided that the courtroom judge's robe was better. 

In the late twentieth century United Methodist clergy attire underwent rapid evolution. From suits in the 50's, to black pulpit robes in the 60's and 70's to albs from the 80's to the present. I think you could definitely call this a movement from low church to high church. While we still may find suits and black robes in some rural churches, the alb is now the conventional attire, the "little black dress" that every clergy wardrobe must have. Early on in the 80's transition to albs, Cokesbury started making albs for women clergy, with lace down two front panels. Cokesbury's chief competitor, Almy was behind on this one. They were used to making clergy apparel for Catholics and Episcopalians. The Almy Catalogue had one advantage for me. It includes alb kits, with pattern and fabric, so that the alb can be made at home. Since Marianne is a superb seamstress, she made all three of the albs I own. They cost about a fourth of what ready-made albs cost.

With albs come three other items for clergy to wear in worship, stoles, cinctures, and pectoral crosses. Stoles can be handmade, but most are store bought, or should I say "catalogue bought. The same could be said for cinctures and pectoral crosses. Stoles are in colors that are colors of the Christian Year, purple or blue for Advent, White for Christmas and Easter, Green for Epiphany and after Pentecost, and Red for Pentecost. The simplest and least expensive stoles are reversible, one color on each side of the stole. two stoles making a set. From that point they go up to considerably more expensive and beautiful stoles with better fabrics, designs, and colors, four or five stoles to a set, although these stoles are usually sold individually. I collected stoles during my pre-retirement years. Since retirement I've given away quite a few to active pastors. Now I'm decorating my study with a stole draped over a tall lamp next to where I'm writing this. I change the stoles to go along with the Christian year and with Saints' Days. 

I also collected pectoral crosses and have given a couple away in my retirement. My favorite is the Jerusalem Cross. It's a specific cross design that can be made only in Jerusalem. Marianne bought me one from a jeweler in Jerusalem the last time we were there (2008).

Cinctures are the rope looking belts that tie around the waist of an alb. There are a variety of knots that can be used. I'm not knowledgeable about the different knots and their meanings. The only knot I use is called a larkspur. It's easy enough that someone "spatially reasoning challenged" like me can use it. I've noticed that the pastors at UUMC aren't using cinctures. 

I've limited this to United Methodist Clergy clothing. Higher church denominations have a lot more, cassocks and surplices, copes, miters, and more. I was amazed when I went to Vatican City that there were many clergy clothing shops. They had all sorts of beautiful things. 

 

There is much more on this subject, including the meanings of clerical clothing and that age-old question, "Should pastors be spending money on stuff like this?" My high church answer is a definite YES. I don't have a low church answer. More next week, including what choirs, crucifers, and acolytes wear. 

Faithfully,

Christian