By JACK PALMER
palmer@crescent-news.com

Dressing up in one's "Sunday best" is no longer a formality across northwest Ohio.

"Very definitely there has been a change in how people dress for church," said Rev. Dale Kern of St. John Lutheran Church, rural Stryker. "It's not just in our area, it's true in many other parts of the country."

Rare is the Bible-toting woman wearing a pastel or print dress with hat and crocheted gloves. Ditto a man wearing a perfectly pressed suit.

Casual dress is much more common, especially during the summer months.

"Whether people wear a tie or not is not important from my standpoint," said Father Dan Borgelt of St. Augustine Catholic Church in Napoleon. "The important part is that they are here."

A growing number of churches are "loosening their ties" in an effort to reach people outside the typical church setting. Their evangelism playbook often includes replacing hymns with a live praise band and instilling a relaxed, "come as you are" worship atmosphere. Some pastors preach in blue jeans.

"I think casual dress in church is more inviting to people," said Rev. Patricia Meeks of Poplar Ridge Church of the Brethren, rural Defiance. "It presents a more welcoming image for people who are unsure what to wear. If visitors are more comfortable, they are more likely to come back."

Meeks said she doesn't see nearly as many ties and suit coats in church compared to when she was a young girl.

"Even some of the older people are starting to dress more casually," she stated. "They wear dress slacks and khakis and they look fine. There are limits, but most people exercise good discretion."

The unofficial dress code still varies among congregations. Jeans, sandals, sneakers, walking shorts, sweatshirts, or plain T-shirts are more acceptable in some churches than others.

The Catholic Diocese of Toledo hasn't issued any formal statements on church dress, according to Borgelt.

"It is important to realize that older generations wore their 'Sunday best' as a sign of respect," he said. "It was a sign that going to church was important. Dress in church is more casual now, but their faith shouldn't be more casual. People need to take their faith just as seriously (as their ancestors)."

Kern admitted he's not a huge fan of the more casual church dress, but he's learned to "roll with the punches."

"Showing reverence to God, that's what Sunday is," he said. "You used to hear church bells ring on Saturday night in preparation for the next day. When I started in ministry (over 30 years ago) people dressed more formally than they do now. So did the ushers, communion helpers and lay readers.

"There are always changes in churches, which reflect changes in society," he continued. "The most important fact is that the gospel never changes."

At St. Paul Lutheran Church in Defiance, one tradition is still flourishing. It has some of the sharpest-looking ushers in northwest Ohio.

"I've been a member at St. Paul for 30 years and we were doing it back then," said Al King, chairman of the ushers. "We wear dark suits and usually white shirts with bow or string ties. It does make us look more formal and that's why we do it. Everybody in the congregation seems to like it."

King said he has four eight-man usher crews who work two consecutive Sundays and are off until their rotation comes up again.

"We discussed stopping the practice or just wearing shirts and not the jackets, but everybody wanted to keep it," he said. "We just like the way we look."

One church's ushers notwithstanding, casual dress may be here to stay across the six-county area.

"I think it's a good trend," concluded Meeks. "I figure God doesn't much care what we are wearing."