Dress code?

[ByTheSpirit]

So I've seen some videos and pictures of UMC and CotN services and it's pretty conservative dress, men in suits and woman with long dresses. Is this the standard practice? Coming from Pentecostal/AG where blue jeans/shorts/collared shirts are okay, I'm just wondering...

 

[BryanW92]

It depends on the individual church.

 

[JCFantasy23]

The ones I've attended have always been church attendance dress, no jeans or anything for the most part (although sometimes). No strict code

 

[Historicus]

We have no "dress code", as the others have said, it depends on the congregation what the majority of people will wear on a typical Sunday. In many, jeans and shirts with collars would be fine. Here's an article that might interest you.

 

[ByTheSpirit]

Thank you all

 

[BryanW92]

The ones I've attended have always been church attendance dress, no jeans or anything for the most part (although sometimes). No strict code

LOL. That's because the Florida Conference HQ is in your town. In Gainesville and Jacksonville, the dress code is to wear clothing.

 

[GraceSeeker]

LOL. That's because the Florida Conference HQ is in your town. In Gainesville and Jacksonville, the dress code is to wear clothing.

LOL, as well. Yeah, that's pretty much the dress code, if you want to call it that, which we have as well. There is not a Sunday during the year when there isn't one or more people wearing jeans. There are Sundays when I as the pastor am the only one wearing a tie, and even then I might not wear a suit coat if it is especially warm.

But on other occasions (like Christmas or Easter) I might wear a robe and stole and most of my people be in suits and nice dresses. Still, even then there will be those wearing jeans. On other Sundays, there are more people in shorts and t-shirts than jeans. We really don't demand anything one way or the other and so it varies with the season, the weather, and who happens to be in attendance any given Sunday.

 

[Maid Marie]

I am a life long Nazarene and can't recall the last time I was in a congregation with all in dresses and suits/ties - only. There might be some in dresses and suits but the rest would be rather casual. Just wear clothes, and I think you'd be ok.

The times I've preached, I have been in dress slacks or maybe a skirt. The only time I've worn a fancy dress was at Easter.

 

[charliehcf]

My UMC has three services, casual, contemporary and traditional. I attend the traditional because I enjoy singing in the traditional choir, and I appreciate liturgy in worship. But we have a poster in the hall which reminds us that Jesus dressed casually. I really like that in my traditional service, some wear suits, others wear shorts and tee shirts, others wear jeans. The choir and pastor wear robes. And everybody is OK that everybody isn't dressed the same. I'm proud of my church for its attitude toward dress. If a guest comes in, he or she may be dressed any which way, and that's just fine with us.

 

[RomansFiveEight]

One thing I've always found 'funny' about my local church is Sunday is the opposite of the rest of the week for a lot of folks.

What I mean is, my teachers, Doctors, and other 'professionals' who I see all week long in a shirt and tie or long dress are often in blue jeans on Sunday (unless they sing in the choir; my choir likes to 'dress up', sometimes they are dressed more formally in the choir area then I am in the pulpit). But my blue collar guys; construction workers, truck drivers, etc., they all dress up.

Even our UMC Clergy vary. From some who wouldn't dream of preaching without a tie or collar on; and/or without being fully vested in alb or robe and stole (if applicable). Other folks are fond of bluejeans for preaching. A friend of mine wears cowboy boots with dark colored slacks and a clerical shirt! His cowboy boots (well polished) remind him of the circuit riders of old. Another I know of is fond of bow-ties; and a gentleman I've known for a long time is likely to be seen on Sunday morning preaching in a pulpit-less church with acid-washed bluejeans, a t-shirt and a cardigan or some sort of sweater on. Me I generally wear slacks and a collared shirt; tie if it isn't too hot out; and a robe on special Sundays.

 

[Tzav]

At the outset, this being my fifth note on CF, I want to make it clear that I am not a member of any Wesleyan church; I have worked for a Wesleyan church many years. But I have been around many of the Wesleyan people. In my experience, in ordinary Wesleyan churches, some dress up and some do not. The one I work for is casual in dress. I usually come to work in jeans.