http://www.zazzle.com/church_choir_shirt-235946724284167563

 I love these Crazyheart!  And to answer your questions:

no

no

maybe

lots

yes

Needed these for the WonderChoir

http://www.zazzle.com/choirox_choir_rocks_ive_got_a_voice_shirt-235036424269029876

I'm with Birthstone on my answers to your questions CH.  Our choirs stopped wearing gowns many years ago - but the adult choir wears black & white; the kids wear T-shirts with a choir logo of their own design, with jeans or dark pants.   So, while less formal, it's still a 'distinctive' look.    I don't know really why/who believes that to be necessary ...

We have some nice gowns ... anybody want to buy them???

In a similar vein - do your clergy robe for all services?  If they don't robe, do they always wear somber black/white/gray street clothes?  What's up with that? 

I Robe for most services, although I disrobe for some

witch, I will come to the one where you disrobe. let me know.

This was actually one of the reasons (not by any means the main reason, but just an indicitave example) for why I left one of the united churches I used to attend (and sat on the board for). The church was located in a very needy neighbourhood but had an extremely affluent membership due to it's grand history and proximity to the neighbourhood where most of our city's lawyers and doctors live.

In one board meeting, we discussed a strategy to keep the homeless people out of the church (with my dissent), and then approved (with my dissent) $20,000 for new choir gowns.

I was graciously asked to leave the Board not too long after that...

Carolla, we have 2 simultaneous services - one traditional, one contemporary. My family attends the contemporary, where the minister wears a relatively casual dress shirt and jacket with slacks. The minister for the traditional service wears a traditional robe.

wow, cate.

ok, here's my pitch for choir gowns.

1.  Choir gowns look the same on someone weighing 300lbs or some weighing 120lbs.

2. Choir gowns look the same on someone who is the richest person with teh most beautiful clothes & jewellry, as the person who comes to church in their own normal day to day clothes

3. choir gowns cover everything, so the person who likes to wear low cutting clothes....does not offend the person who finds such offensive

I knew that if I was running late, it didn't matter, i would whip into church, grab the gown & throw it on.

I would wear shorts, or whatever, and be fine.

Hey Cate - that's just what I was talking about but $20.000. How many in your choir?

The poor will always be here, but the choir is only with you for an hour or so a week.

Cate - wow! 

Pinga- ok, well.... yes, you have a point about the rich folk & not-so-rich, and the round, and not-so-round.  I also know many choir members who wear very relaxed stuff because they know they are covered up.

But I hope they can wear very relaxed stuff anyhow.  And really - the gowns are so archaic!

And hot.

and at times pretentious

I heard this yesterday. "We shouldn't clap in church because it doesn't look good with our choir gowns" tee hee

Boo to that CH!  I'm always up for clapping in church - whether our choir wears their gowns or not!

I am a choir member & I really like the gowns.  The others don't, so we only wear them for special occasions & for funerals. 

I can't pinpoint exactly why I like the gowns so much.  It may be because our church has had the same gowns for more years than I know  & it is one of the first things I noticed the first time I attended church there as a small child.  It may be because it is a "uniform" of sorts, & I've always been a sucker for a uniform.  It may be because when we're all in our gowns, there is such a sense of belonging that comes over me.  Who knows? 

We will never replace our gowns, as the choir is small (8 people) and the gowns are indestructible & seldom used.  I do wish we'd use them more <sigh>

Maybe it is time we did away with choir gowns and spent the money feeding the homeless etc.

I am sure there are a lot of places the money could be spent.

ummm...how would doing away with existing choir gowns increase spending to homeless?

i see how in the example where the discussion is on spending for new..but i don't get how it would in a church such as ours.

I don't think eileen meant throw out the ones we already have, but rather "do away" with the overall practice or requirement for gowns moving forward, which would in fact leave budget dollars for people who don't have a coat, let alone a choir gown.

crazy - I do not recall the exact number of choir members but it was very large. The church has one of the largest and oldest pipe organs in the nation and hosts international music festivals as a result. That bloody pipe organ was a HUGE status symbol and the choir was really just an extension of the organ.

Hmmm... reminds me of another kind of organ that involves irrational pride of ownership...

hahahahaha, cate.

again, sorry guys...but our choir gowns are as old as....whatever..and i don't see them being replaced...guess I don't get the budget savings by ditching existing gowns.

Here's the deal....we had some chairs basically given away as they were stodgy looking from our chapel.  These chairs weren't the most comfortable, but, they also weren't the worst.  Typical chapel chairs...solid wood.    Well, no one really thought about what would go in their place.  The chairs that were donated only hold nice thin folks and are old.  I have had one break when I was sitting in it..and I am not the biggest person by far in our church.   To now go & buy furniture for that room is 10's of thousands of dollars..  It ticks me off....as by tossing something that worked, without a priced out plan..we have made a room basically unusable.

so, sure...get rid of the choir gowns if they offend or when they need getting rid of then conciously think about what is right....but to get rid of an existing item which does not need replacement doesn't save money....and may result in a spend (such as for t-shirts)

I like choir gowns - but then I'm an old foggy who likes to dress up a bit for church.  This is the first winter that I've worn slacks regularly.  Its been a cold winter and since we don't have a parking lot its sometimes a bit of a walk from where I have to park to church.  But they are dress slacks - not the ones I wear bowling or to get my groceries, and certainly not the ones I use for gardening.  (I generally buy them at a 2nd hand store.)

Generally the choir sits up-front, facing the congregation.  In the little church I used to attend they sat on chairs.  Some women with heavy legs felt self-conscious crossing them.  Others wore short skirts.  Others wore pants.  The men stood behind so we weren't so aware of what they were wearing. 

In summer, when it is hot, the choir don't wear their gowns.

Our minister usually wears a robe - again not in the hot weather.

The gowns were bought second hand from a larger church that was replacing theirs.  They will last for years.  The church still gives generously to the M & S fund as well as local outreach.  The UCW just got together to make soup for the Community Kitchen. 

Gradually too the congegation is replacing the cheap plastic & metal stacking chairs with more substantial chairs that are more comfortable and sturdy and may last longer.

Pinga, I'm not sure who here suggested ditching existing choir gowns? Maybe I have misunderstood the posts, but I thought everyone was suggesting that money not be spent moving forward on gowns....

Choir gowns do cover up but is cover up necessary. Dress the way you would to go to any public gathering and sing in the choir. But please no cute t-shirts.Specially if the choir is the usual mix of people. Gowns that cover are better than t-shirts that emphasise. T-shirt companies don't seem to know that one size does not fit all and today's choir members seem to be on the larger size.

I see the point about choir gowns being a homogenizing or equalizing garb - but for the sake of argument (or perhaps I should say 'debate') - if our church espouses acceptance of all people, then why do we feel it somehow necessary to introduce uniformity to the choir?   Are we "walking the talk" or not? 

Oi - shocking!  Is anyone arrested????!!!!

lol, no silly...

heh, i belonged to a women's chorus (named as feminist), which had insane amounts of dialogues over the white top / black bottom stuff -- you have no idea how insane it was....and how infantile it seemed to those of us who care less about that uniformity of look....yet there is something to be said for a chorus that is uniform in appearance.

cjms...i know of people who didn't go to church as they did not feel they could dress well enough -- you are right that is wrong..and yes i do my best to model not dressing for church (it is such a hardship!, lol)..but until such time that we break down those barriers than the things that you know, a choir gown can fit the purpose.

i think a lot depends too on where your choir is...(front of sanctuary or back)

I don't think that was my point.  I was simply envisioning all those choir members nude and was shuddering a little!  Personally I'm concerned about all the polyester killed for choirs...cms

I think that as long as everyone's going to church to worship God, they could all be naked and only those there for the wrong reasons would notice a differance. Okay, maybe if you went to church naked you'd get a few looks, but I'm just saying that people become too preoccupied with Society's ways, like what choir gowns to wear, and miss the basic reason we go to church; to get closer to God.

Hey FG - my basic reason for going to church is to be part of community.  Does this mean that I can go naked?...cms

lol, cracking up here..should have said "dressing up", or "dressing business attire", etc...thanks cjms....and you too FG.

Good way to end the night with a couple of chuckles with friends.

Well now ... for more entertainment ... http://www.skeptictank.org/nakedps.htm

I'll send you an invite. I'll be preaching on... "If thine eye offend thee..." Please bring safety glasses.

Goodness, gracious, Carolla, that just made my day.

Hey Giant - I don't think we could even make these things up!

crazyheart:

No. No. No. Not sure. I guess.

Views: Should we look to the clergy on this one? If they robe, should the choir? Right now, I take this position and have the choir look like the minister. I am a director of music for a medium sized chruch and as I am now that magic age (I am male by the way) I really find gowns way to hot. So... I have elected to not gown. Right? Wrong?

What are some options folk have come up with when dealing with this issue?

L

When I posed my response, it was for a choir is at the front,, ie what the congregation is facing.

If a choir is at the back or the sides, I can't see why robes would still be considered at all.

It was good to read this thread through again and to have a few chuckles again.