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Convention worship vestments hold special meaning
Special vestments are designed based on the importance of the occasion, as budgets allow and as gifts are offered, said the Rev. Canon Carol Wade, General Convention worship co-chair, canon precentor for the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., and chaplain to the House of Bishops.
The ideal way to plan services such as those featured for 10 days of General Convention is to design the vestments along with the service, Wade said. Then the vestments become a signature of the ministry and often carry profound meaning for the wearer and even for worship attendee, she said.
The concept for this convention's vestments began in November 2008 when Bill St. John, sales manager for church and clergy outfitter CM Almy, based in Greenwich, Connecticut, contacted Wade with an unusual yet generous offer – unusual for the more than 100-year-old maker of vestments and purveyor of "holy hardware," but not for General Convention.
"Gifts of vestments to General Convention have happened before. Almy was the first to come forward for this year," Wade explained. It wasn't until the theme and color palette for convention were determined that the collaborative effort was launched. "Almy was very receptive to working with our four-member committee, which had been developing the overall design of worship, and was very willing to work in that framework, which translated into an enjoyable and productive process."
Inspired by the logo illustrating the convention theme of ubuntu, meaning "humanity to others," liturgical designer Zhongxian Tang produced a variety of designs that were presented to the committee via e-mail. The review-approval process was done entirely online. Group members "never saw each other face-to-face," St. John said, until they arrived at convention.
Handmade of shimmering dupioni silk, the chasubles and other elements feature deep reds and golds. "The lightweight, radiant fabric lights up under the stage lights against the dark background," said Stephen Fendler, CM Almy president. "In such a large hall, the design objective is for the colors to pop."
Wade has heard from a number of worship-goers that the design met its objective. "One woman came to the Episcopal Church for the Visual Arts [ECVA] booth at convention in tears over how beautiful the reds and other colors came together."
ECVA President Mel Ahlborn was part of the worship design team.
In liturgical vocabulary, red is associated with the Holy Spirit. "There was a sense that the Holy Spirit has been moving through worship here," said Wade.
The vestments will reside at the Chapel of Christ the Lord at the Episcopal Church Center in New York, as most liturgical gifts to General Convention do.
Consisting of the presider's chasuble and stole plus a miter for the Presiding Bishop, two co-presider chasubles and stoles, two dalmatics (tunics) for the deacons and two more stoles for preachers, the donated vestments are valued at more than $6,000. They were produced to fit various sizes, although according to Wade most participants are similar in height, negating a need for duplicates in, say, a petite. It took a month to produce the garments, a process that normally takes about six weeks, Fendler said.
"Anytime someone offers a gift of time, talent and treasure, it is to be commended," Wade said. "This is a fitting example of the body of Christ at work and the message that comes from God alone."
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