The Clerical Collar - To Wear or Not To Wear

One of the many decisions facing a Probationer Presbyter in the UK Methodist Church as they enter their first Circuit appointment is the question of when to wear a clerical collar.  Some choose to wear one all the time, except possibly for days off and family occasions, whilst others only wear them whilst leading worship or chairing church meetings etc.  There are also shades in between.

Influenced, I admit, by several Presbyters I know, I had decided that after wearing my clerical collar almost continuously so that people in the community would know that I was their new Methodist Minister, so that they would recognise me if they wanted to talk to me in future, I then reverted to wearing it only when taking church services or chairing church meetings.  That had been the well thought out decision I had made whilst still training at Wesley Study Centre, where such matters were occasionally a topic of conversation.

This has continued to be my practice until last week, though I have been thinking about whether I should wear the clerical collar more often for some time; having read a blog post that suggested Church Ministers should wear their collars all the time, both as a visible symbol to all of personal faith in Christ and of servanthood to our Lord; and so that people know you are a Minister and can come to you if they need help.  One comment on the blog expressed concern that Ministers seemed to be almost embarrassed to wear their clerical collars in public.

Last week I was in Ilkley, not my normal stomping ground though a part of our Methodist Circuit, and just happened to be wearing my clerical collar.  A young man approached me, obviously struggling to make ends meet (and, it turned out, homeless), and asked me if I could buy him a bus ticket so he could get to Leeds to see social services for help.  I took him to the bus station, put him on a bus and paid for his ticket.  Had I not been wearing my clerical collar I doubt that he would have approached me for help.

A few weeks before I was visiting Leeds General Infirmary, again wearing a clerical collar, and had two different conversations that otherwise would not have taken place.

Some have suggested that the clerical collar may be a barrier to some, but after several encounters over the past few months I’m not convinced of this.

So, after nearly four years of limited wearing of the clerical collar I have now decided, in the light of challenge and experience, to do a complete about face and wear it anytime I leave home – apart from my day off.  It will be interesting to see what, if anything, it leads to.