So in my last blog I outlined when it was that I became invisible.

Now that I realize that I'm invisible, my next step is to try to become visible again.

Griffin, the invisible man in the H. G. Wells novel, became visible whenever he put on clothes. (Or at least his outline became visible.) Perhaps the clothes that I wear to church contribute to my being invisible.

Most UCCan churches that I've been to are “dress up” churches. The men come in suits and ties. Church sanctuaries are notorious for being like ovens in summer, and yet the men still come in suits and ties. I remember one minister who always used to wear a suit instead of a robe in the summer. He made a big point of removing his jacket as soon as he got to the front of the church, and he had a short sleeved shirt underneath. He urged all the men in the congregation to do the same. Some did, but there were always those who kept their jackets on, no matter how hot the sanctuary.

Most women come to church dressed in uncomfortable looking dresses and dress shoes. Church sanctuaries are also notorious for being drafty in the winter, and I would see some women shivering away in their stockings and dress shoes. So why are most United Churches “dress up” churches?

The tradition makes sense in a way. If a church were in a rural community, then most of the church members probably did farm work. Their everyday clothes would get very dirty very quickly. And in the days before automatic washing machines, it makes sense to leave an outfit just for Sunday, since doing laundry would be a big chore. Similarly, if the church were in an urban setting, then most of the members would probably do factory or construction work. They, too, would have a special outfit for church, since their everyday clothes would require hours of washing, wringing, and line drying. But when did this “dressed in Sunday best” cease to be a practicality and become a tiresome expectation?

I used to come to church dressed in Sunday best. But I got tired of shivering in stockings and dress shoes in January. And I got even more tired of fanning myself with a bulletin every Sunday in July. So I stopped dressing in Sunday best, and started dressing in what I thought was best for Sunday. I call it “dressed in what's best for my Sunday.” Since I dress up for my job five days a week, I like to dress casually on the weekends. Especially when my children were babies, I really appreciated not fussing with my appearance for church. At first I felt awkward going to a dress up church in a t-shirt, jeans, and sandals. But after all, I remembered that Jesus himself wore sandals to worship services.

Some of the congregation looked at me disapprovingly and judgmentally, and I was sorely tempted to stick my tongue out at them. But I did notice that there were some others who also started dressing down a little bit. Perhaps I was becoming a trend setter. But even a Sunday casual dresser like me knows that there are times when formal dress is appropriate. Weddings and funerals are definitely dress up services. And Christmas Sunday and Easter Sunday are always more festive if everyone dresses up.

So now that I wear jeans to church a lot of the time, I am definitely more comfortable. I'm warmer in winter, and cooler in summer. I find it a lot easier to concentrate on the worship, because I'm not distracted by uncomfortable clothes.

But although I'm more comfortable, I'm still invisible.