Mark's Ordination Stole

As mentioned already, I am so grateful that the fund-raising target has been met and that my ordination stole can go ahead. I won't just be wearing this stole for my ordination, but also for special occasions. For those unfamiliar with the Liturgical year, a white stole is generally worn during Christmas and Easter seasons, as well as celebratory occasions - so things like my ordination, weddings, and the like. 

For the rest of the liturgical year, the three other main colours are purple, red and green. Purple is worn during periods of waiting/anticipation, such as Advent and Lent. It can also be worn at funerals and somber occasions. Red is worn during the Pentecost, representing the flames of the Holy Spirit. I might also wear it during Chinese New Year too, red being a special colour for the Chinese! But for the rest of the year - generally referred to as "ordinary time" - I will be wearing a green stole. The diagram below lays out the liturgical year and colours.

Sometimes I'm asked the question 'why have a liturgical calendar?' In short, it's a powerful way of living in the fullness of Christ: the anticipation of him (Advent); his birth (Christmas); him being revealed (Epiphany); His Death, Buriel, Resurrection and Ascension (Lent, Easter, Atonement Day); and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost). The Liturgical calendar enables adherents to constantly root themselves in the life of Jesus, and hopefully not miss out on any aspect of that. On a church-level, it also means that even those who have not been part of the church community for a while (for whatever reason), are able to slip back into a liturgical rhythm and back into the life of Christ and His Church. It is a way of including people, and also something that bonds Christians from all over the world, as we celebrate Jesus and his life all year around.