Stoles

As a future pastor, I cannot help but think about stoles, which is seen as the sign of the office of a Pastor.  Because of that, I like many of my classmates have spent time designing a set of stoles with the hope of maybe one day having the chance to put them together.  These stoles have taken on a life of their own.  Each are an attempt to use the color of the season and symbols of the church for the benefit of the proclamation of the Gospel.

Red - The Cross as the Key to Heaven

The Red Stole is intended to make the viewer think about the Holy Spirit at pentacost.  Blue is the coming of christ and where we meet him at Baptism. Purple has the sackcloth road to Jerusalem.  Green is growing things and Christ being the tree of life.  Black is stark with only the outline of a cross to remind us of the despair of the cross.  White has gold on it to remind us of the kingship of Christ.  Each stole has a unique cross to symbolize what Christ has done.

Each Stole has the same cross on the back though, with the nails and symbols of the lords supper and baptism in it, to remind us that it is through Christ suffering that we have the Means of Grace.