When I was very young my parents took me to an Anglican church every Sunday. My dad and brothers always wore suits and my mom and I always wore dresses, sometimes even a hat. Being an Anglican church, everything was fairly traditional. Only hymns were sung and I remember everyone taking a sip of wine out of the same cup for communion! Ewww! Anyway, my early memories of church were all about wearing uncomfortable clothes, singing slow songs with fancy words I didn't understand, and watching all the adults drink out of the same cup. When we stopped going, I was probably quite relieved to trade in my fancy clothes for gum boots, jeans, and sweatshirts and spend my Sunday mornings digging streams in the forest.
Fast forward to 1993. My friend told me that she thought I would like going to youth group. I wasn't super excited to go and put it off for a few months. When I finally went, I was surprised at how different her church was. The music was fast and I understood the words, and everyone wore Birkenstocks, woolly socks, flannel shirts and comfy jeans. It was great! So I continued on at the youth group for a couple of years before I actually attended a formal Sunday morning church service. I thought, here we go, back to the formality of church. I remember putting on a skirt, my Doc Marten boots, and my jean jacket. My mom I thing was horrified that that was what I was wearing to church, but really, it was as fancy as I got. Was I ever relieved when I arrived to see all the youth kids and leaders wearing similar attire, if anything I was still more dressed up than others.
I liked it. I liked how laid back this church was. They said it doesn't matter what you look like on the outside, God sees what's on the inside. I liked that too.
So, here I am, some 15 years later, and wondering what God thinks about the way we present ourselves at church. In the Old Testament we see priests going through elaborate purification measures to enter into the Holy of Holies. Even their sacrifices had to be clean and blameless.
I don't think there is a right or wrong way of dressing for church, as every church is different. But I do think it is nice to put some time and thought into what is worn and how we present ourselves when we go to worship God. I struggle with how my kid's are dressed, my daughter especially since she has to wear a uniform all week. She has her own style that I don't want to rob her of, so I let her do her thing, but I do think children should be clean and well mannered at church.
Anyway, these are just my rambling thoughts for the day. Please feel free to comment and throw in your 2 cents!
Larajane
