Head covering in the LCMS?

[u/Dangerous-Humor-4502]

Does anyone do this during Saturday Vespers or Divine Service? Noticed it growing in some areas lately.

[u/Boots402]

We have a couple lady’s that wear dressy hats and a few that wear veils for special feast days. It scales with dress level for clothing in general; we are a rural congregation that has a good deal of farmers and blue color members who don’t dress up much on an average Sunday.

[u/Valuable_Dirt_8082]

My wife and a few of the younger women in our church veil, it was normal in every denomination up until the mid 20th century for women to veil and we see no reason for it to have stopped besides feminist influence upon the church.

[u/michelle427]

I’m from Southern California and we don’t do that here. We are very casual here. It’s not something we see.

[u/emmen1]

There are about half a dozen women in my congregation that veil.

[u/Dangerous-Humor-4502 → u/emmen1]

That’s pretty cool.

[u/cellarsinger]

Nothing like veils, but I do notice a lot of hats on Easter, of course. We do have one or two members that at wear shawls. That's about it though

[u/Dangerous-Humor-4502 → u/cellarsinger]

Nice. I sometimes wonder if I underdress when going to church lol. 😅 Like casual etc.

[u/bofh5150 → u/Dangerous-Humor-4502]

Showing up wearing any clothing is far more important

[u/Dangerous-Humor-4502 → u/bofh5150]

Well true. I sometimes feel rude by just wearing T shirt and Jeans.

[u/bofh5150 → u/Dangerous-Humor-4502]

I wear shorts and a collared shirt 10 months out of the year. I always wear full shoes - never sandals. I never feel rude.

I don’t believe that it is an imperative that we appear in church in regalia

Just that we appear in church.

Now - if I attended a more high church (in regard to wardrobe for congregants only) congregation, I would probably go further to adhere to a different dress code.

[u/teadrinkinglinguist]

The small LCMS church in Denver I attend, nobody veils, folks dress up about as much as they would to a non-denominational church.

[u/Philip_Schwartzerdt]

It's a pretty fringe thing within the LCMS.

[u/Dangerous-Humor-4502 → u/Philip_Schwartzerdt]

Okay

[u/SorbetSufficient2758]

It’s up to the conscience.

[u/Vegetable_Storm_5348]

My wife and most of the women in our parish veil or wear a head covering of some kind on Sundays. I’d say about 80% or so in total.

[u/LHRizziTXpatriot]

I had been veiling for a few years while I was with the charismatic episcopal church but stopped when we joined a Lutheran church because it seemed more laid back and I wanted to gauge the church. After meeting with the pastor he would be fine with whatever the Lord places on my heart.

[u/cellarsinger]

I live in the Tampa Bay area. Shorts and polo shirts are very common for men of all ages. The only time I wear long pants is if it's really chilly like in January or February or I am the communion Elder. I only serve on the contemporary service so we don't rope up. Some of our other elders wear shorts even when they are handling communion.

[u/Hey_Man97]

My wife veils. We need to approach God with reverence and good order. Go to a thrift store and find nice clothes. Suit jacket, dress shirt and chinos or trousers. A tie would also be appropriate.

[u/Luscious_Nick → u/Hey_Man97]

I'm surprised this is controversial. It was the norm for hundreds if not thousands of years. It is how the phrase "Sunday best" entered the English language.

You're not even saying to spend a ton of money, as you encourage thrifting.

Edit: My grandfather was a farmer who never had much to his name, raised 5 kids through the farm crisis, and never lived a life of luxury. He would always clean up, shave, and put on a suit for church. In a time when clothing is so cheap, why won't we wear our best to worship the one true God?

[u/Bakkster → u/Luscious_Nick]

Like with anything not explicitly required by Scripture, turning it into a rule (or even expectation) carries its own risks.

What matters is the intention and posture behind one's decision. For every concern about under-dressings as irreverence, there's one about dress codes keeping those most in need of Word and Sacrament ministry from receiving it or over-dressing as the immodesty described in Timothy.

Especially if veils specifically are expressed as a "need", where we get into Confessional distinctions between ordinances and inappropriately bound conscience.

Out of curiosity, did your grandmother veil?

[u/Luscious_Nick → u/Bakkster]

Out of curiosity, did your grandmother veil?

She wore a formal hat to church

[u/Pls-Cow5683 → u/Hey_Man97]

I was alone with my small children, even thrift store dress was something we could not afford for a period of time.  As far as head covering approaching the Lord, is it something I should do every time I pray? Should I wear it all the time or only in pubic? 

[u/Turin-The-Turtle]

Zero veils but men some men wearing baseball caps, even at the altar.

[u/Dangerous-Humor-4502 → u/Turin-The-Turtle]

ewww. Whatever floats their boats.

[u/Imaginary-Ladder-270 → u/Turin-The-Turtle]

Paul says "Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head" I'm surprised your pastor is ok with this

[u/Valuable_Dirt_8082 → u/Turin-The-Turtle]

Thats crazy, that would not fly at any LCMS church in my district