The Stole
At First Baptist Church Regina our ministers wear both a preaching robe and a stole. The stole is a piece of cloth which goes around the neck and down the front of the preaching robe.
Representation
The stole is an ancient Christian garment representing the towel which Jesus took to wash the feet of his disciples (John 13.1-15) as an example of what true greatness meant — service to others. (In fact the word “minister” actually means “servant”).
Church Calendar Colours
The colour of the stole worn depends on the season of the church calendar. (The church has its own calendar, different from the civil calendar. It helps us remember that our values as Christians, and what we think is important differs from our wider society.)
Purple is a solemn colour and as such is used for times of solemn preparation like Advent (the 4 Sundays before Christmas) and Lent (the 40 days of preparation before we celebrate Easter). It is also a “royal” colour and even today the robes of royalty often are purple. Purple is therefore appropriate in those times when we are being called to be prepared for the coming of the King of Kings, Jesus Christ!
Stole Decorations
A fuller description of the Church Calendar and Colours is given here.