The colour purple

Shalom.

It must puzzle the Jewish hotel staff what it is that binds this bunch of 1300+ people together for we are clearly visually very different.

There is no mistaking the 2 categories of dress: the vibrant African fabrics and frills contrasts with the very plain western dress. And this trend includes the men.

If the African men are not in their clergy garb, which mostly means utilizing vibrant purple or even fluorescent indigo, then next off the coat-hanger seems to be the African robes of lively fabrics. I have even seen some African men wearing jackets of fabric commissioned by Mother’s Union bearing the huge M.U. logo in bright blue and silver. 

In contrast it is unlikely you will see our Sydney men in their clergy shirts, let alone anything that may have a hint of the colour purple. Rather, all the western folk seems to insignificantly move around in their plains and neutrals. 

However, an official GAFCON Mount of Olives photo shoot of all the attending GAFCON bishops leveled the fashion field today, even if it was only for a few minutes.

The moment the shutter clicked its final click the Sydney bishops seemed to lead the way for some in whipping the formal layers off.

And who would blame them for the temperature on the mount was well into the 30’s.

Marcelle Rodgers, part of the ministry team at the Sydney Anglican Church in Newtown, will be providing providing readers with a lay person’s view the ‘sights and sounds’ of GAFCON

Photo: Joy Gwaltney

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