The “Boy in the Bands” moniker began as a terrible double pun: a throw-away name to sign up for a site I rarely visit today. I was in a pastorate when I began this blog, and wore a collar and Geneva bands, with gown and hood in the pulpit. I don’t wear a clerical collar… Continue reading Where I got my favorite Geneva bands
Category: Vestments
Formerly “Vesture and clerical garb”
“Oh, God, no!”
This is exactly what I cried aloud — unironically — when I first saw the Standing on the Side of Love clergy shirt. Hideous and sectarian. Speaks of deep inauthenticity. Clericals are not a costume to be pulled out for dramatic effect, and certainly not shock value.
Why preaching garb?
A sideways answer from the President of the German Constitutional Court, Andreas Vosskuhle, from the current episode (in English) of Deutsche Welle’s People and Politics Speaking of the robes particular to the Constitutional Court, starting at 1:09: It takes a while [to put it on] and you feel different when you’re wearing it. You feel… Continue reading Why preaching garb?
My favorite Facebook group
Should you wonder that my favorite Facebook group is the Society for the Promotion of Preaching Bands? (a.k.a Geneva bands, preaching tabs.) I’m not one to promote Facebook as much as use and tolerate it: the privacy concerns and unannounced changes of service, you know; I’m hoping for better things from Google+. But this is… Continue reading My favorite Facebook group
The parson wore bands
Hubby and I put aside our plans to attend services today at Washington Ethical Society — we’ve attended off-beat services for Easter the last two years, but it’s really not convenient to get there from where we live — for solid, well-put-together Presbyterianism. We had gone to Georgetown Presbyterian Church last year (the Spiritualists were… Continue reading The parson wore bands
Clergy shirts for the asking
For the ordained gentlemen out there: my weight loss means I have two clergy shirts that no longer fit me. These are black, cotton-poly blend, short-sleeved, neckband Friar Tuck shirts. If you have a United States address (including APO/FPO) and you wear a size 17 or 17.5, you’re welcome to it. Contact me through the… Continue reading Clergy shirts for the asking
Fairtrade clerical shirts coming
Anglican priest and blogger Andii Bowsher (Nouslife) notes a new company in the UK that makes and sells fairly-traded clerical shirts. That’s good news. One downside is the US dollar exchange rate against the British pound. (Not that clerical shirts are particularly cheap in the first place.) Also, in my experience 100% cotton black shirts… Continue reading Fairtrade clerical shirts coming
Transylvanian cloth
Even after showing pictures of my Transylvanian Unitarian stole, I could have hardly expected the Apartment Therapy blog — that directory for so many lovely items — to identify Transylvanian hemp and linen cloth. But they have.
Transylvanian stole
I remember the day I got this as a gift from Judit Gellerd, the forever-advocate for Transylvanian Unitarians and herself now ordained, ’cause I felt I might actually make it through seminary and enter ministry. (But the stole stayed off my public shoulders until I was ordained.) I mentioned it at PeaceBang’s Beauty Tips blog… Continue reading Transylvanian stole
Live-blogging “The Parson’s Handbook”
For a Broad Churchman (with more than a passing antipathy for the Anglican Communion), I have a remarkable admiration for Percy Dearmer and his magnum opus, The Parson’s Handbook. (Wikipedia) I can think of no work that has been more influential in shaping Anglican worship, taking the High Church standards and making them the norm.… Continue reading Live-blogging “The Parson’s Handbook”