Church attire...

it's mind blowing isn't it around here they wear jeans and t-shirts everywhere weddings, ffunerals, church oh and they never forget the cowboy or cap.

I never wear jeans when I go to mass.

If you're supposed to dress like you're going to meet Jesus, then sandals and a bathrobe would be fine. You don't want Jesus to fell underdressed do you?

I am not very religous, I dont attend mass often anymore, however I went to Catholic School and we went once a week, I wore my uniform but when I went with my family no one wore jeans, nowadays church is more relaxed so I guess dark jeans with a nice top is permitted but certainly not football jerseys.

I also think God is not materialistic he doesnt care if you go naked, fancy, or in rags as long as you are there for the right reasons.

ps. De's comment is really funny!

different strokes for different folks i guess
i'd still dress in what I deemed appropriate attire for church, and jeans is NOT it!!

De M is a funny gal!! lol here

Dress your heart, your mind, your soul...whatever you want to call it. The rest is just subservient crap paid in tax to those in commercial power. Respect can be paid in many other forms of behavior.

Wear what makes you feel comfortable both physically and mentally when you attend church. If you care what others at church are wearing perhaps you aren't paying attention to the message and purpose of church. I don't think church should be used to show off ones social class or the beauty of one's wardrobe. I don't think church is for feeling holier than thou. I don't think any of us can see what is in the heart of anyone else and we, perhaps, hsould allow God to be the judge of others. I don't recall any part of the Bible that said any of us were assigned to be judges of the rest of us.

I think what people wear to church is irrelevant. I think how people act is what's important. If a person is doing good things for others I really admire that person regardless of their dress. If they hurt others, no beauty or taste in dress will make me think better of them.

I would also suggest that Jesus is with you always, not just in church. Jesus already knows your heart so putting on fancy clothes will not impress Jesus.

self respect is one of the atributes that should be taught at that age and if you or your parents want to raise you as if you belong in a trailer park then i'm sure jesus won't mind.

I agree that, I myself, would have expected more than jeans and jerseys on this special occassion. As far as regular, every week, church attire...I agree with Larry wholeheartedly.

Isn't it more important that he went than what he wore?

For special occasions I think it's right and respectful to dress up.

Isn't it more important that he went than what he wore?
Theresa Chaze, Dec 2, 2007, 1:40pm EST

And what's wrong with doing both?

NO, it's not more important that he went. God is more important than to dress for Him as we would dress for the street. I left a church not because of outfits like these which mildly annoy me, but if it continues as it did in the church I left, girls came to church in shorts and strapless shirts. Dressing like this is not allowed in business or school, but it should be allowed in God's house. I think not. I spoke to the minister who said that at least they come. No, at least you keep your coffers filled. Jesus threw the money changers out. What do you think he'd say to half naked folk?

I am not arguing the point on what people can and cannot wear to church on a regular basis, but this was a very special event.

Receiving a sacrament is considered a privilege. A lot of learning and preparation go into it. Us parents had to attend 7 classes to help our children to understand how important it is.

What do you all think they should wear for their first holy communion in May????

For First Communion it required for the girls to wear white dresses and the boys wear suits!!

Maybe they did dress up? Who's to judge? they could have gone to great lengths. Wearing socks and long pants of any kind is dressing up for me. And to put on a tie? That's a silk noose.

If "churches" are just "country clubs", then what good are they?

In our church some people dress up, and some people wear jeans and T-shirts. I think the important thing is that they are worshipping God.

I don't think Jesus cares one bit what we wear to church. He's looking at our hearts, not our attire.

I always wore a dress to church myself, until, that is, I moved back to the north. Now, in the winter I'll wear slacks. When my son was little, I always made sure that he wore slack (not jeans) and buttoned shirt (not t-shirt). But that wasn't really necessary.

My whole mindset about clothing in church changed when I lived in Texas. There was a woman there who used to come to church with bare feet. The older ladies used to "tsk, tsk" about her all the time. When she arrived, after having walked to church, she went to the ladies room to wash her feet before entering the sanctuary. She had her hubby were baby boomers, and they had been real, honest to goodness hippies. The Woodstock kind, who regularly smoked weed. Christ changed them, but to the older ladies of the church, not enough.

One day, since I was the church secretary and helped with our ministry to the poor (and I knew that she and her husband, while employed, only worked at minimum wage jobs), I asked her if she needed some assistance from the church to buy shoes.

The woman laughed and laughed. It turned out that those 3 out of 4 Sundays she showed up without shoes it was because along the way walking to church, she would see other women who needed shoes more than she did. She gave them away! She did the same thing with her coat and her Bible. She gave them away.

Ever since, I have stopped looking at what people wear to church. I am certain that woman is storing up massive treasures in Heaven because of her willingness to give the shoes off her feet and the coat off her back.

By the way, in the church we attend here in Cincinnati, the pastor has probably never worn a robe or even a suit. In the summer, he wears Hawaiian shirts. In the winter, casual pants and long sleeved shirts. We sit, not in pews, but at round tables where we drink coffee and eat donuts while the pastor preaches.

Having a table in front of us also makes it easier to take sermon notes. :-)

LOL De is funny!! but that is true!! dressing up for church is wonderful but i think god doesnt care what we wear since he has seen us at our worst and even nake!!! so really i dont think it matters just as long as you are at church and are there to worship god and not have a fashion show

I don't think it's really important to go to church. Why not just worship at home? I'm sure God won't mind.

I had to comment on this because one of my connections commented on this and the remark caught my eye. I liked what she had to say about the lady at her church who tried to help others. Maybe others in that church could have learned a thing or 2 about chairatable mouths if they had heard that womans story when I got on here and read farther comments I even liked Larry M.s comment. Yes I like to dress nice when I am out but in the winter dresses are just not practical unless you want to get the flu and I don't think god wants us sick. All he cares about is that we love the world he made for us and him and are kind to our fellow man. And even he knows if your not doing that right there is no way he would want you in his kingdom of heaven anyway. He just wants us to be ourselves and care about his message to us.

My take - If people can afford it, they should wear nicer clothes to church. Having noted that, I do recall one family who had a limited budget and the mother could afford to buy only two pair of pants for the boys and one skirt for the girls (in addition to some school clothing) One boy tore his good pants and his mother made him wear his jeans, which were in excellent condition, but still jeans.
She was a proud woman and made the choice over taking contributions. So I guess it depends on the individual and that was an extreme circumstance. Everyone understood. If one can afford it I think that church attire should be clean, not torn and basically indicative of respect for the church and the occasion.

I say stop worrying about and judging what everyone is wearing and get down to business. It sucks, I know, but I just let it go.

I will always believe that it's MUCH MORE important to worship our Lord and Saviour thanit is to dress to the nines!

Call me practical, but I believe in a God who cares more about whats in my heart and soul than he does about whats on my back!

I think it is okay to wear whatever we want to church..God really doesn't care as long as we aren't bearing our all for the world to see...like it was mentioned it is not a fashion show, and when we die and go to heaven, who is going to care what we had on?

However, I do feel that on special occasions such as receiving the sacraments, like reconciliation, Communion, Confirmation we should dress up a bit as it is a "solemn" occasion. White Dresses for girls when they make their communion signifys that they are receiving special graces, as well as for Confirmation...ON those occasions..yes we should dress up, cause special graces are being received.

THANK YOU Charlotte...that's all I was saying with this article.

FINALLY SOMEONE GOT IT!!!!!!

i feel the same as Charlotte too... this is a special occasion and people
should try to respect that by dressing a little nicer...
Merry Christmas...
Congratulations on your son's special sacrament...
God bless him... and your whole family...

I agree it is not a fashion show. I just wish the ones that are dressing in clothes that are risque would think about what they are wearing and where. God loves us, it is about showing our love of God, and following his will. That isn't about clothes, but about the way you carry yourself to others. Does what you are wearing take away from somebody thinking about Christ?

It seems like the people that dressed so casually only see Pennance as a step before Holy Communion and a big party. What a shame.

We don't attend church regularly, but we do dress up when we go. At the same time, I can talk with God and pray at any time. I don't need church for that.

for the sacrements, proper attire required

I have to dress a bit nicer for church because my faith sorta requires it. My brother wears a nice suit to church and I wear a skirt and a nice shirt or a dress. It is just a sign of respect. My brother and I were brought up that wearing your "Sunday Best" to church was expected and normal. I hate wearing dresses and skirts but I do it because it is a place of worship.

I have seen people come to church in shorts and tees. Even on holidays. The bible teaches us not to judge. To remove the log out of our own eye, before removing the splinter in our brother's eyes. Jesus says that it is the heart that counts, not what is done on the outside. Each of us must answer to Him.
Personally, I like to dress up for the Lord, and nobody else. But, we are all different, with different ages, backgrounds and beliefs.

Haven't been to a church in awhile. Chief used to drag me there sometimes.

No jeans or any such things. Full uniform. Clean uniform.

Church isn't a place to put one's feet up on the pews and chill in jeans and sneakers.

To be perfectly honest, I don't think Jesus really cares what you wear to church as long as you are there to worship Him. I agree that dressing up is nice for church, but I don't worry too much about it as long as my heart and mind are on the Lord.

I haven't been to church in years, but wow, I didn't think it'd become casual. I always had to wear a nice dress and make sure my hair was nice too.

i'm with you.. show a little respect to Church and get dressed up!!

I'm not Catholic or anything, but when I worked in a Catholic grade school they were constantly complaining the kids wouldn't dress up for mass though they were supposed to.

Our church is relaxed at the contemporary service. But, I have been slipping towards my son. He's been wearing jeans and that is a bad precedent.

I had someone wear jeans to his baptism that was standing up - YIKES!

So, yes, church should be special, especially if it is a ceremony or something you are participating in.