We live in a very casual day and age, and, here in Central Texas, we live in an especially laid-back part of the country. Nevertheless, even in the midst of all this informality, most of us still have a sense that there are some things that you just ought to dress up for: a job interview, a wedding, a funeral, a formal dinner.
But, in Holy Orthodoxy, that list also includes worship. Because we view worship as, quite literally, our entrance into the presence of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. So, when you join us for a service, you need to know that there are some things that it’s just not appropriate to wear. Those things include shorts, spandex, flip-flops, torn jeans, T-shirts with logos or inscriptions of any kind, and blouses or skirts which expose shoulders, backs, thighs, or breasts.
Men are not required to wear a coat or tie; women are not required to wear dresses. In fact, when you visit our parish, what you’ll discover is that, even though we have clear standards as to how folks should dress, our community is still very informal. But we do believe that our worship takes us into the presence of the Most Holy Trinity, and we want our clothing to reflect the importance of that experience.
Of course, even if you do show up in flip-flops and torn jeans, you will still be welcomed. We’re not interested in keeping people away from the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But we do want you to know ahead of time how everyone else will be dressed, and we do want you to understand why that is so important.