Beauty Tips for Ministers

He’s UCC And Catholic: What To Preach In?

December 15, 2009 on 10:57 pm | In Pastoral Fashion Emergency, Or "PeaceBang, Help!", Seminarian Advice | 6 Comments

And so it was written unto moi,

I have a “beauty” (procedure is more like it) question for you. I am not ordained…obviously. I am currently in the process of entering Full Communion with the Roman Catholic Church (although I would prefer to think of it as the Universal Catholic Church…but I digress.) In any case, I am participating in a Festival of Young Preachers in January. In essence, I will be giving a sermon to a large crowd of people (some preaching professionals and some of my peers.) When I did pulpit supply for the UCC, I wore an alb (no stole) or a choir robe-type thing. I won’t be “officially” Catholic until Easter. The Festival organizers are encouraging us to wear whatever we would find ourselves wearing in our ministry. In my UCC ministry days, that was clear. Now that I’m becoming Catholic, it is not so clear. I won’t be ordained as a Catholic priest for some time (if that is the road that I end up going…) and there rules are a little more strict on who a priest is what he(and I’ll say it…she) can wear. So…what should I wear to the festival? I want to represent both side of my spirituality–the UCC and the RC aspects of my self.

Thanks and God is Love,

Young Preacher

Dear Young Preacher,
First of all, congratulations on your upcoming preaching gig! Did you know that the word “gig” comes from the old blues musicians, who were often broke (as musicians are these days as well) and would remark after getting a job, “Good is good!” This expression got abbreviated to “G.I.G.” and then became the word “gig.” I just heard this today and it might be a big old urban myth or plain lie or misinformation or whatever, but I LOVE it and so I’m passing it along without checking on its factualness. Anyone who wants to RUIN MY DAY by telling me that the word gig actually derives from the French word “gigue” or something, just go ahead. Be a smartypants.

ANYWAY, to your question, Young Preacherman. My first thought is that you’re thinking a bit too hard about this. You’re a Christian. You believe that God is love. You speak of the Church Universal. You are becoming a Catholic but won’t be one until Easter and won’t be a priest until long after that, if ever. The conference organizer encourages you to wear what you would wear in your ministry. Right now, what is your ministry? Because, my dear, I think if you go about trying to represent “both sides” of your spirituality (are they really sides?), you’ll wind up looking a hot ecumenical mess. And if I may be so bold as to offer a mentor-ish type observation, I would question your separation of UCC/RC as “two aspects” of yourself. They are not actually aspects of you, but are two distinct traditions, each with their own traditions of liturgical vestments. So this isn’t actually so much about you and your love and respect for both traditions, nor is it about your transition from one to the other: it is about which one you can and should properly represent at this conference while you are preaching. If you aren’t a Catholic, don’t vest like one. If you aren’t an ordained Protestant minister, don’t vest like one. If you are, at that moment, a Protestant seminarian, wear what a Protestant seminarian would wear. As a general conferee, you can wear whatever you like that identifies your eclectic spirituality identity, but not as a preacher. Like I said, “hot ecumenical mess.”

Best of luck, dearie, and God is love.
*Mwah* Kiss of peace.

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1. If you’re a lay person in whatever denomination, you don’t wear a stole. The stole is a token of what you ARE, not of the function you are serving. So, no stole, I think.

   I served for 12 years as a lay preacher in the Episcopal Church (USA) prior to moving to England. I’ve preached in cassock and surplice (with or without academic hood), alb, and street clothes. Never a stole, because I am not ordained.

   Comment by Wendy in England — December 16, 2009 #

2. I’m a laywoman in The Episcopal Church, and I was taught that when leading Evening or Morning Prayer, I should wear cassock, surplice, and a blue tippet, or scarf. Ordained clergy would wear a black tippet. At first I was uncomfortable wearing a tippet, because to me it looks an awful lot like a stole, but it is in fact the proper dress for Office services (Morning and Evening Prayer). However, when I read a lesson at the Eucharist (or Communion Service) I wear my choir robes if I’m singing in the choir, or my street clothes if I’m coming from the congregation.

   I’m not suggesting Young Preacher don a tippet for his Festival, as that is probably alien to both of his traditions! If Young Preacher is still (currently) authorized to fill a pulpit in the UCC, then I suppose he could wear an alb or cassock as he described. If he is qualified to wear an academic robe, he could do that, and no-one could bat an eyelash. Otherwise, he will probably feel most comfortable in a suit.

   Comment by Allison — December 16, 2009 #

3. As a Cradle Catholic….

   Lay ministers wear street clothes. No ordination, no vestments. Most Catholic choirs don’t wear robes anymore.

   So, IMHO, a well-fitting, conservative suit is appropriate. A lapel pin, if you’re KoC or more charismatic, might be a good idea (think the flag pin worn by members of Congress).

   Unfortunately, I don’t see many Catholic lay ministers in a well-fitting suit, but that’s another comment for another day.

   Comment by eddoc — December 16, 2009 #

4. Allison, here in the Church of England, the ‘blue scarf’ is the mark of the office of Reader. Not a lector who stands up and reads a lesson, but a nationally-recognized, canonical lay minister with the authority to preach, teach, conduct funerals and lead non-sacramental services. They are licenced by the Bishop, and usually deployable to the entire Deanery (but in reality most serve in a single parish).

   They generally train to the equivalent of 2 years of full-time Higher Education study (but in most programmes, it is in reality spread out to 3 years of part-time study).

   I train both Readers and Ordained Local Ministers for the Diocese of Canterbury.

   I may wear an alb, or ‘choir office’ (cassock, surplice and hood) to preach, but because I am not a Reader, I do not wear the blue scarf.

   Comment by Wendy in England — December 17, 2009 #

5. Wendy, thanks for the clarification. As I understand it, as a Lay Reader I may lead Office Services. I am not licensed to Preach. I am separately licensed as a Lay Eucharistic Minister.

   You are right; when I read a lesson during the Communion Service I am acting as a lector, not a Lay Reader.

   I think the use of a blue tippet is borrowed from the Church of England; it isn’t mentioned in our Prayer Book, so far as I know, and may not be in our Canons, either. But our rector directed us to use a blue tippet, and so we do.

   Comment by Allison — December 17, 2009 #

6. Wendy’s spot on about stoles in the Episcopal church, but in (other) Protestant denominations, lay people who lead worship do often wear stoles as signs of function (and baptismal ministry.)

   And our canons do not stipulate anything about vestments. Our liturgical customs are just that, customs, and so necessarily flexible and open to reinterpretation.

   I love your direct answer, PB, to Young Preacher about distinctive traditions and authenticity in the pulpit. I remember being in his position, moving from one community into another one. Your mentoring will serve him well!

   Comment by Donna+ — December 30, 2009 #

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