Category: PeaceBang Halo Of Praise

Hi, colleague and classmate!

You came into class today and commented on my “fame” and said that your wife thinks you have no fashion sense and maybe we should talk.

You can tell your wife that PeaceBang thinks you look just nifty.

You were wearing a big blue sweater over your clerical collar today. The sweater was a pretty shade of blue and was all nubby and textured and nice. You looked warm. You were wearing some kind of perfectly fine pants and I didn’t notice your shoes, but I noticed your very au courant eyeglasses that look great on you, and I think your beard and hair are great — kind of shaggy and friendly but well-groomed. You’ve got energy and presence and you just get yourself all snazzed up and out of that collar and take that wife of yours out dancing.

Tell her that if she’s worried about “no fashion sense,” she’s got the wrong guy.

How many of us have appeared on the local cable show to talk about our ministry? PeaceBang sees lots of hands in the air.

Here, on YouTube, no less, is a wonderful example of how to look while giving a smasheroo articulate and gracious interview:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmT9eRyZUzM

I know you’re thinking, “Well, yes, of course she looks elegant and beautiful — she’s young and gorgeous! How hard could it be?”

This is true. I wouldn’t argue with you. She is young and gorgeous. However, she is also a full- time pastor of a thriving congregation who serves on a handful of boards, travels frequently, and is the mother of a four year-old. She didn’t get out of bed looking like this.*

In fact, I am guessing that she’s wearing foundation, a bit of blush, some eye make-up, and she’s spent time on her hair. She chose her outfit carefully, she considered colors and length of skirt and image (the funky necklace says to me, “Yes, I am the parish minister of an historic New England congregation, but I am neither staid nor stuffy, so hey, check us out!”). She’s composed and polished, and it doesn’t hurt that she has a lovely speaking voice and excellent posture. Everything about her visual look underscores and highlights the tremendous intelligence of what she is saying.

That’s how to do it, kids!

A big PeaceBang halo to the Rev. Parisa Parsa! Rock on, dear colleague.

* PeaceBang knows this from firsthand experience, since we have roomed together for many years at General Assembly and beheld each other many times at our bed-headed worst.

I just found this photo of the lovely Rev.KMM of NYC, taken at a conference.

I think Kelly makes the Snazzy Clergy Babe list here. She’s wearing a lovely feminine floral skirt, but she’s not drowning in flowers and hearts and sunshine. She’s got a bit of fashion-forward edge, which comes from her classic boots and opaque tights. She lives in New York City, and she gets it.

She’s wearing a marvelous color for her red hair, and the scarf adds not only warmth, but a bit of drama to her sweater that tells me she’s a creative person. She’s wearing a little religious symbol around her neck; she’s not letting it wear her.

She’s hunkering down on the stairs for a photo, so there’s no reason she couldn’t hunker down with the youth group or a Sunday School class in this outfit, too. Or attend a meeting, make a hospital visit, write a sermon, pray, bake a cake, or go grocery shopping.

There’s been a lot of talk among us lately about hunkerable clothing, but I think it’s possible to do a lot of active things and still look nice. Unless you’re cleaning out a garage or something, you should be able to participate in lots of ministerial activities in a decently put together outfit.

Think about it! Cripes, if Pa Ingalls could work in the field in a shirt and trousers and suspenders and if Ma could replace the straw ticking in the bedding wearing corsets and petticoats and long skirts, I think we can scramble around with the youth group in something a step up from jeans and tees.

Hola, mis estimados lindos!

I write to you from the highlands in Guatemala, where I am going about in an batik muu-muu and having drinks by the pool whilst gazing at volcanoes. It’ very “Bali Hai.”

Seriously, though, PeaceBang must tell you that Guatemalans are extremely beautiful people and that she is humbled and inspired by their use of colorful, gorgeous fabrics to adorn themselves. The men in this region wear embroidered calzones (pants) that come down to the knee, and the women are breathtaking in floral embroidered blouses.

I don’t have much time to write, but really I just miss you and wanted to say hello.
I hope you’re being beautiful and happy. And moisturizing!

Kiss, kiss,
muchos besos,
PB