Thursday
Dec302010
New Robe, More Life
Thursday, December 30, 2010 at 02:34PM I got a new Pulpit Robe yesterday.
The ministers in my denomination (Unitarian Universalist) can wear any sort of special vestment they want when officiating at services. Back when I was a newly ordained graduate the custom was for clergy to wear the Academic Robe they wore when receiving their highest degree. I did that. Most of the time I just wore a suit and tie, but the Academic Robe was worn on “high holy days” like Christmas and Easter.
Styles change. About ten years ago our younger ministers got style conscious and began to wear more elaborate and colorful robes when presiding at services. Some even switched to wearing an “alb” or a white linen robe with a fitted collar. In fact, an alb with a “stole” (a colored band of cloth around the neck) has become something of a common ecumenical vestment for clergy of all denominations.
My old robe was the Academic Robe of my doctoral degree. It was given to me by the Beverly Unitarian Church where I did my internship. But after 33 years of ministry it was starting to fall apart. Also it was designed to be worn with an “Academic Hood,” the special swath of cloth that varies according to the academic discipline, standing and school of the person wearing the robe. My academic robe was not designed to be worn with a stole, and stoles are now common.
While I only officiate at congregational services occasionally, the modern custom is to wear more elaborate robes, so I needed to get a new one.
It was fun to go shopping. The robes available have become very stylish and colorful and the modern fabrics are lighter and more comfortable to wear. I’m conservative about these things and so I didn’t get the priestly alb or anything showy. Instead, I settled on a new black Pulpit Robe called a “Geneva Gown” which is a classic robe for a Protestant minister. In keeping with the modern custom I will wear it with a stole, and got a nice one in red with a “tongue of fire” design.
But there was a moment when I tried on the new robe that I felt my eyes mist up. You see, it is the custom that a minister is buried or cremated wearing his or her robe. I’ve got a medical problem and never expected to live as long as I have. I remembered back when I put my first robe on when I was an intern. I said to myself “this will be the robe I will be buried in.”
Nope. Glad about that. Very happy to be doing so well. Hope I keep on doing so.
Maybe in another 30 years when I’ve worn out this new robe I’ll order my third one. That’s the one I can be buried in when I’m...oh...a hundred years old.
The ministers in my denomination (Unitarian Universalist) can wear any sort of special vestment they want when officiating at services. Back when I was a newly ordained graduate the custom was for clergy to wear the Academic Robe they wore when receiving their highest degree. I did that. Most of the time I just wore a suit and tie, but the Academic Robe was worn on “high holy days” like Christmas and Easter.
Styles change. About ten years ago our younger ministers got style conscious and began to wear more elaborate and colorful robes when presiding at services. Some even switched to wearing an “alb” or a white linen robe with a fitted collar. In fact, an alb with a “stole” (a colored band of cloth around the neck) has become something of a common ecumenical vestment for clergy of all denominations.
My old robe was the Academic Robe of my doctoral degree. It was given to me by the Beverly Unitarian Church where I did my internship. But after 33 years of ministry it was starting to fall apart. Also it was designed to be worn with an “Academic Hood,” the special swath of cloth that varies according to the academic discipline, standing and school of the person wearing the robe. My academic robe was not designed to be worn with a stole, and stoles are now common.
While I only officiate at congregational services occasionally, the modern custom is to wear more elaborate robes, so I needed to get a new one.
It was fun to go shopping. The robes available have become very stylish and colorful and the modern fabrics are lighter and more comfortable to wear. I’m conservative about these things and so I didn’t get the priestly alb or anything showy. Instead, I settled on a new black Pulpit Robe called a “Geneva Gown” which is a classic robe for a Protestant minister. In keeping with the modern custom I will wear it with a stole, and got a nice one in red with a “tongue of fire” design.
But there was a moment when I tried on the new robe that I felt my eyes mist up. You see, it is the custom that a minister is buried or cremated wearing his or her robe. I’ve got a medical problem and never expected to live as long as I have. I remembered back when I put my first robe on when I was an intern. I said to myself “this will be the robe I will be buried in.”
Nope. Glad about that. Very happy to be doing so well. Hope I keep on doing so.
Maybe in another 30 years when I’ve worn out this new robe I’ll order my third one. That’s the one I can be buried in when I’m...oh...a hundred years old.
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