A little visiting. . . a little shopping. . .
As you will note from the mention in my sermon below, my bishop was in town for a visit on Monday. I am one of three seminarians currently at Seabury (all Seniors) from my diocese; Ed comes over every year to check in with us, individually and collectively. We had a lovely chat, about school, diocesan comings and goings, ordinations and possibilities for ministry. I realized again how spoiled I really am, in having a bishop in whom I can confide comfortably. Thanks be to God.
Then yesterday, the Wippell rep was set up in the hallway all day. Several times a year, representatives from one ecclesial supply company or another come to the seminary to offer their wares. Wippell is one of the traditional notables; they usually appear once in the fall, and once in the spring.
Up until now, I've not been especially interested in perusing the stacks of vestments and clerical attire that are spread on racks and tables in the hallway. But yesterday, somehow, I found myself looking through what they had to offer. And I ended up trying on an alb. Nothing fancy, really; as anyone who's met me can tell you, I am not a frills and lace kind of person. But it was lovely fabric, and made well... and it fit me perfectly. The rep said that it had been an error in manufacture-- cut too short for the person who had originally ordered it-- so it had been relegated to the sample rack. And that meant there was a discount on the price, over and above the normal 10% they offer students.
And so, keeping in mind the 11th Commandment ("Thou Shalt Not Pay Retail"), I bought it. The first time I've ever bought vestments of any sort, as I made the cassock and am borrowing the surplice that I use here as a student. I won't be using the alb until next spring, God willing; but it does look lovely hanging on the back of my closet door.
You know, this whole thing is beginning to feel... real, I guess. Amazing.
Then yesterday, the Wippell rep was set up in the hallway all day. Several times a year, representatives from one ecclesial supply company or another come to the seminary to offer their wares. Wippell is one of the traditional notables; they usually appear once in the fall, and once in the spring.
Up until now, I've not been especially interested in perusing the stacks of vestments and clerical attire that are spread on racks and tables in the hallway. But yesterday, somehow, I found myself looking through what they had to offer. And I ended up trying on an alb. Nothing fancy, really; as anyone who's met me can tell you, I am not a frills and lace kind of person. But it was lovely fabric, and made well... and it fit me perfectly. The rep said that it had been an error in manufacture-- cut too short for the person who had originally ordered it-- so it had been relegated to the sample rack. And that meant there was a discount on the price, over and above the normal 10% they offer students.
And so, keeping in mind the 11th Commandment ("Thou Shalt Not Pay Retail"), I bought it. The first time I've ever bought vestments of any sort, as I made the cassock and am borrowing the surplice that I use here as a student. I won't be using the alb until next spring, God willing; but it does look lovely hanging on the back of my closet door.
You know, this whole thing is beginning to feel... real, I guess. Amazing.
posted by Jane Ellen+ at
4:17 AM
6 Comments:
You know, you can wear the alb when you preach- at least in the Seabury chapel, it's your choice. If this church really put the Word on a par with the sacraments, preachers at the Eucharist would vest in an alb more often.
That was me up there.
-bigpancakes
You . . . No Frills?? Come on. I think you need to let RC take you shopping!!
<< You . . . No Frills?? Come on. I think you need to let RC take you shopping!!
By Reverend Ref +, at 7:01 PM >>
What, so she can wear a doily over her cassock?
-R
I think you'll be a fine priest, no matter what you wear.
I think the doily is over-the-top, even for R.C.
Dave: I don't know that I'll get a chance to preach again at Seabury, but you have a point. If I do, I'll bring the alb.
Mark: I hadn't thought about Field Ed. I'm so accustomed to wearing cassock and surplice at liturgy at this point, that it hadn't occurred to me. Have to consider that.
And thank you, Shari and Wes, for your kind words. Coming from such disparate places, that is high praise indeed, and I am grateful.
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