Easter Sunday: A Five Outfit Day!

Easter Sunday, or Resurrection Sunday as I prefer to call it, was, indeed, a five outfit day. I don't think I can ever remember having a five outfit day before--but this past Sunday was one.

The day started with a community Sunrise Service at the First Baptist Church sponsored by the Ministerial Association. I, being senior pastor at First Christian Church and treasurer of the Ministerial Association, had the responsibility for the closing prayer. For this service I selected a pastel pink suit--the outfit I had worn for my daughter's wedding four years ago. (I am grateful the skirt had elastic in the waist so that I could still wear it.) After the sunrise service many of us made the trek one block north to our church building where the Disciples Men fixed a pancake breakfast for the community.

During the Sunday School time I made my first wardrobe change. A baptism was scheduled during our main service of worship so I put on my Capri pants and a white T-shirt to go down into the water with the candidate. Of course, my preaching alb covered the baptismal attire and with my white stole made me appropriate for the processional at 10:30 a.m. After the welcome, the gospel reading, the call to worship, the opening prayer, Lord's prayer, and hymn of praise I took Janice's confession of faith and dismissed her to the dressing room. After the pastoral prayer I joined her, removed my alb and escorted her into the watery grave of baptism. She was buried with Christ and raised to walk in newness of life. Hallelujah! What a wonderful way to celebrate resurrection!

Coming up out of the water, she and I had dry clothes waiting. I choose to put on another pair of Capri pants and T-shirt because it was faster than the 'pantie-hose, pastel suit' routine, and besides, my alb hides everything. So as the choir began an Easter cantata Janice and I emerged from the dressing room to join the congregation for the remainder of the service--properly attired in alb and white stole.

When this service came to an end my day was only half over. I was scheduled to officiate at an outdoor wedding at 2:00 p.m. in a neighboring town. And the weather was dismal--cold blustery drizzle and high winds. I had to put on an appropriate outfit that was warm and to some extent rain repellent. That probably meant layers and the pastel suit would have been extremely out of place for this occasion because by the bride's own definition, this was going to be a redneck wedding. Her colors were camo and hunter orange.

We gathered in the city park, but under the pavilion, not in the open pasture as we had practiced a few days earlier. This was Plan B in case of rain. The arch under which I stood with the couple, was built by the husband-to-be and was made of massive cedar logs with the back enclosed with camouflage material. Deer antlers strung together with twine adorned the open sides and empty shotgun shells hung from the rafters. The bride, dressed in white, wore a veil made of thin camouflage material. The groom wore black pants, white shirt, and camo vest. All the attendants wore camo. (I am told that the bride and her dad have hunted together since she was a small child, thus the hunter theme.)

So to follow the designated theme and for warmth I put on my jeans, thick cotton socks with my Birks, and layered a T-shirt, a quilted flannel shirt (that I had inherited from my Daddy eons ago) and a green windbreaker to keep off the rain. My husband and I arrived early and watched as they set the tables, brought in the wedding cakes, and hooked up the deep-fat fryers for the fish we would eat at the reception. I, of course, officiated in my alb that covered my layers of warmth. I chose a camo stole to celebrate the occasion. It was a good day of celebration and at the end of the day A & J were married in spite of the cold and the wet!

After a couple of plates of fried fish, brisket, and all the trimmings dh and I made our way home. Can you guess the fifth outfit I donned in record time? You're right--pajamas. It did not take me long to curl up in my baggiest pj's, wrap myself in my beige comforter, and veg in front of the TV for the next few hours. It had been a long day, but a good day and at every turn we celebrated the resurrection of our Lord with new beginnings.

This day will become one of those memorable Easters. Thank you, Lord, for an adventurous life. And, as I reflect on the day I realize I didn't count my alb! So I miscounted--this was really a six outfit day!