Third Sunday of Easter (Misericordias Domini)

Why Do the Elders Wear Robes?

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Alleluia! Christ is Risen!

Why do the Elders wear robes, especially during the distribution of the Lord’s Supper?

This is a good question about a practice rooted in the Scriptures and our Lutheran Confessions. Let me walk you through some of the discussions the elders and I had after we received our robes from the church closing outside Chicago.

First, starting in Exodus 28, the Lord gives instructions on garments and robes, then St. Paul continues with instructions in 1 Corinthians 14. The Augsburg Confession and the Church Fathers also wrote about vestments. In the commentary for the Lutheran Service Book, we read:
‍ ‍The purpose of vestments, therefore, is manifold. They (1) extol, teach, and reflect the biblical, incarnational, and sacramental nature of
Christ and the saving Gospel; (2) foster reverence among those gathered in the presence of Christ through Word and Sacrament at the
pulpit, font, and altar; (3) cover those serving in the service and designate those in a particular ecclesial office; (4) reflect God’s creative
and redemptive beauty; (5) preserve order in the Church; and (6) demonstrate the continuity with the one holy catholic and apostolic
Church of all times and places.

Upon receiving the robes from Chicago, our conversations at the Elders meetings resulted in the following points:
1) Vestments teach and reflect that Jesus comes to us through His servants, which in turn deepens our reverence and humility before God.
2) Robes mask individuality, so you don’t see Gabe, Josh, Jerry, or Pastor Thompson, but rather the servants of Christ.
3) The use of the robes encourages doing everything in an orderly manner, as St. Paul wrote. They also reflect the beauty of the Old Testament
priests.
4) And lastly, as the young men of the church wear robes and serve as acolytes, the use of robes among the elders ensures everyone in the chancel
is dressed alike, and the elders take on a role of teaching and leading these young men to become future elders.

In many ways, everything we do looks forward to the future and the day when we will all be wearing white robes, circling around the eternal throne of the Savior, singing praises.

As always, if you have questions, don’t be bashful; I’m happy to answer!

In Christ,
Pastor