servers' vesture

docmattc · Post by **docmattc** » Fri Sep 08, 2006 12:05 pm

The issue of our altar server's vestments came up at a liturgy meeting the other night. They are getting tatty and need replacing. We discounted the suggestion of moving from white albs to red cassocks, but someone asked we knew of any church where the servers didn't wear anything over 'street clothes', as none of the other lay ministers (readers, ministers of communion etc) wear anything special.
So does anyone know anywhere where this is the case.

My personal feeling is that because we have a pre-VCII layout church, the servers are visible at all times and some vesture makes them uniform (and avoids a fashion parade). In a church laid out 'in choir' where the servers could sit in the front pew, I wouldn't have a problem with them dressing in 'civvies'

asb · Post by **asb** » Fri Sep 08, 2006 1:40 pm

We have a server in "civvies" for weekday said Masses.

I would rather see decent civvies than trainers beneath a too-short alb.

Sonoqui · Post by **Sonoqui** » Fri Sep 08, 2006 7:46 pm

asb wrote:I would rather see decent civvies than trainers beneath a too-short alb.

So would I - particularly if the trainers have flashing lights in them as happened at our church once!

contrabordun · Post by **contrabordun** » Sat Sep 09, 2006 12:02 am

On the other hand, if the choice is either sweat top/jeans/trainers or alb/bottom 8" of jeans/trainers, i'm thinking that at least the trainers aren't visible from beyond about the third pew back.

Which should ensure that none of the faithful ever sees them.

sidvicius · Post by **sidvicius** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 1:02 pm

asked [if?] we knew of any church where the servers didn't wear anything over 'street clothes'

I guess there could be quite a large bill for this, hence the query. Some places seem to have hordes of redundant young people on the altar, but yes, if you're there, I think it is appropriate that you look the part - and yes, maybe other ministers should also wear some sort of 'uniform' for their role?

One place I was at relied on the parish people to make the albs (I guess it's a fairly straightforward bit of tailoring?) Maybe this instilled a sense of pride in the wearer? as the maker would usually be his/her mum, the measurements would be right.

docmattc · Post by **docmattc** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 12:33 pm

As an interesting observation, because we couldn't use the church last sunday as it was full of scaffolding (the roof contains a substance beginning with A which causes panic) we had Mass over the road in the CofE hall.
I laid out the room in choir (altar and lectern facing in the centre, seats either side) and the servers sat on chairs behind the altar against the back wall, without any vestments. Several people commented how nice it was to feel that the servers were part of us, not distanced by albs, a flight of steps and about 15 yards.