Converting a collared shirt into a clergy shirt

I have been making some shirts I found at Goodwill into clergy shirts for my spouse, and I had lots of people ask how to do it and it's not really my knowledge to keep to myself, so I figured if I can help clergy folx save some money, then I better do it! We've been blessed by "hacks" like this in various capacities, so here it goes! If it feels like there's a step missing somewhere or you have any questions, comment below and I will fix it. I don't have the technology to do a tutorial video that would be helpful right now.

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What you’ll need: 

Fabric scissors 

Straight pins

Sewing machine 

Thread that matches the stitching of the shirt

Collar tab of choice (some are thicker or thinner than others) 

Step 1: Find the right shirt to convert

We want a shirt that has a malleable collar, but not one that is too flimsy. I have found that the ones without fancy collar tabs and reinforced collars (you can feel the cardboard-like reinforcement when you bend the collar) work best. But you'll likely want a higher quality than a regular button up shirt from American Eagle. If your shirt is "button down" (it has tiny buttons to button the collar to the shirt), that is okay too, but you'll have to cut the tiny buttons off.

My spouse exclusively wears long sleeve clergy shirts, but there is no reason this couldn't work with short sleeve shirts as well. I have found that Nautica and Dockers brand shirts work well (you can let them know they owe me money for the endorsement).

Note: If you're shopping without the person who will be wearing the shirt, be sure to get their neck measurements. The top button will have to be buttoned, so you don't want to get one that's too tight!

Step 2: Cut the collar

Unbutton the top two buttons of the shirt. We aren't making the collar opening much bigger than it already is, we are just sewing it straight down in the style of a clergy collar, so we don't have to cut too much. I usually cut right past the stitch that is already there. Cut as close to the neck as possible so there is no extra fabric. This is why *fabric* scissors are so important (remember the special ones your mom didn't let you use when you were younger? Get you a pair of those!). Repeat on the other side.

Step 3: Fold the collar under and pin

We want the collar to be straight down, so we won't fold the collar over evenly. There will likely be more excess fabric on the top than on the bottom (the opposite of what is pictured below, actually). Do this on both collars. Pin it securely on both sides, button the top two buttons of the shirt, and place the tab collar in the opening to make sure it looks correct and even on both sides. Once it looks to your satisfaction, take the tab out, unbutton the top two buttons, and lay the collar out flat to sew.

Note: sometimes it's easier to get this just right if you put it on the person who will be wearing the shirt. That way you can see exactly how it is going to lay once it's on. If that's not possible, just remember that the shirt collar will be straight across when worn with the tab, instead of a "v" like when you wear a normal button up shirt without the top button closed.

Step 4: Sew the collar

Sew from the edge you cut (closest to the neck) to the finished edge. Use a thread that matches the existing stitching of the shirt. The closest you get to the rest of the shirt's style and color, the more finished it will look. Be sure to back stitch and forward stitch twice to secure the stitch on both ends. Repeat on both sides.

Step 5: Fold the excess fabric under and pin

This is the most finicky part, but the more malleable the shirt collar, the easier it will be. Fold the excess bottom fabric (the pointy part) under the collar and pin. Make sure you don't pin it too tight or the tab won't fit. You can use the tab as a guide as you fold it under. You'll see that it is pinned a bit at an angle so that your new stitch will eventually run right into the existing stitch on the bottom of the collar.

Step 6: Sew the collar down

Starting at the open end, sew along the edge of the collar to secure it to the shirt. You will sew right into the existing stitch of the collar. Be sure to back stitch and forward stitch twice to secure the stitch on both ends. Repeat on both sides and make sure the tab fits!

You can see in the picture above that it's not *perfect* but it only took me about ten minutes while the baby ate breakfast. Plus, it only cost me $5 for the shirt! You can't really beat that. My favorite thing is that you can take your favorite brand and the right fit and convert it easily, so there's no need to be uncomfortable in a collar!

I haven't tried to convert any of my shirts into clergy shirts because I mostly wear my janey, so I don't know the complications that might occur with that (perhaps the collar is too thin to fold under?), but if you try it and run into issues (or if it works really well), comment below and let me know!

Lost & Found - Redeemer Episcopal Church

Luke 15:1-10

Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. ²And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.” ³So he told them this parable: ⁴“Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? ⁵When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. ⁶And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ ⁷Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. ⁸“Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? ⁹When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ ¹⁰Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

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The following sermon was preached by me, Rev. Sarah Locke, on Sept 15, 2019 at Redeemer Episcopal Church. You can read the sermon below or listen to it (with infusions from the Spirit) at this link. 

God of joy and love, return us to you each time that we stray and remind us of our call to go out into the world and be with those who are lost. Amen. 

Losing and finding things is a very normal ritual in my family. I would venture to say that not a day goes by that I don’t get into the car, turn it on, jump out, and frantically go search the entire house for my cell phone. Or my wallet. Or that receipt I needed. Or my computer charger. 

I try to blame it on having a child or inanimate objects sprouting legs, but I know that that is not the case. I just lose things. A lot.

And it is so frustrating to me every time I do this. My husband Daniel will regularly watch me wandering around the house with my hands up in the air in frustration, mumbling to myself, going, “where did I put it?!” 

And instead of being grateful once I have found my lost things, I am embarrassed and annoyed and frustrated with myself. 

That does not sounds like our story this morning, does it? No, in both stories, Jesus describes people who are so overwhelmed with joy when they find their lost things. The shepherd and the woman are so excited to have found their sheep and coin that they invite all of their friends and family over to have a party in celebration.

The Pharisees and scribes are not delighted by these parables because they are people of rules, structure, and laws. I get that. It is comforting to many people, including the Pharisees and scribes, to know the rules, follow the rules, and understand the results of those actions. And for them, it is their way of life. And it is also how they relate to God. They understand their relationship with God to be a bit transactional— you abide by the rules and laws that have been given, and you get God’s favor and blessing in return. This is pretty much why the scribes and Pharisees existed— to be sure that the laws were passed down and to be sure people were abiding by them.

So I think we can understand why the scribes and Pharisees were a bit upset when Jesus seemed to be changing the rules on them. They understood God to be predictable and fit within a box, and Jesus was teaching hundreds and thousands that God is actually pretty unpredictable and reckless— at least when it comes to joy, love, and grace. 

Ultimately, that is what this story is about. 

Wherever we put ourselves when we listen to these parables of Jesus, we know that we have been lost in the sin of the world and found in baptism. It is impossible for us to be truly lost because we have the seal and sign of God’s everlasting and ever-present grace marked on our foreheads forever. Really, no matter how far you stray, you will never be truly lost. 

But we do wander, don’t we? We wander and we stray too far from God, we deny God’s image in our neighbors, we sometimes forget that creation is meant to be cared for instead of used. Sometimes we forget how precious a gift life and relationships are to us. And we stray away from our God who wants to keep us close. 

But God comes after us. God is searching after us with all of God’s intimate knowledge of us and true love for us. This is the constant work of God, to bring people back into the fold. 

And when God’s precious creatures are found, when we are brought back into relationship with God, when we choose to love our neighbors, when we deny the sting of death and look toward hope, when we work toward reconciliation, when we swing open our doors and welcome people in and dine with sinners and tax collectors, God is so filled with joy, that God just wants to shout it from the heavens and invite everyone to a feast in our honor. 

Think about these two parables: a man loses a sheep and when he finds it, he throws a party. A party. It’s ridiculous. Jesus knows it’s ridiculous, and he says it nonchalantly, “who wouldn’t do this?” And if this seems odd, Jesus tells a second story and doubles down on his claim. A woman loses one of her ten coins and when she finds it, she throws a party and invites all of her friends and family. For a woman with only ten coins, it doesn’t make any sense that she would host an extravagant party for such a mundane reason. It’s ridiculous and reckless even— we might think it a waste or irresponsible. 

That, Jesus says, is how God is with God’s grace for God’s people. Ridiculous, reckless even. There is be MORE joy in heaven, than even these two silly party-throwing people. God is wild and crazy about us. So much so, that God will celebrate us with reckless abandon. Seriously. I know that seems like a weird thing to preach about this morning, but I think we tend to forget it. We forget so quickly how much God adores us. 

It is so easy to believe that God is a God of wrath and fear and anger— I mean look at the Old Testament reading for today. But that is not what God is about. God is love, and God is all about abundance, and joy, and grace. When God’s lost creatures come back or are found, God isn’t embarrassed or frustrated or angry. God is reckless with joy and gratitude. God overflows with love. 

And out of that love comes our capacity to love. Out of the waters of baptism comes our ability, our privilege, and our call to proclaim God’s love to everyone else. As lost and found ones, we are called to go into the world and help in the searching and truly rejoice in the finding. 

And I believe that the only way we can truly take up this work is to remember our lost-ness and our found-ness. It is only when we truly recognize the grace that God has offered to us that we are able to proclaim it and offer it to others. 

So that is what I want us to remember this morning. God not only longs after you, spends hours searching and yearning after you, but God is overwhelmed with joy when you are found.

And when those who have been lost are found, when people turn back toward one another and toward God, God rejoices. Because God loves us and cares more about our relationships than about rules and regulations and laws. When all those whom God loves are found, God throws a big huge party— a little like this one we will have today at this table— and rejoices until the end of time. Amen. 

God of Over-Abundant Grace - Redeemer Episcopal Church

Luke 14:1-14

On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely. 

⁷When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable. ⁸“When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; ⁹and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, ‘Give this person your place,’ and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. ¹⁰But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. ¹¹For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” 

¹²He said also to the one who had invited him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. ¹³But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. ¹⁴And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

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This sermon was originally preached by me, Rev. Sarah Locke, on Sept 1, 2019 at Redeemer Episcopal Church. You can read the sermon below, or listen to it here. 

God of over-abundant grace, we come before you with our hands outstretched, wanting to learn how to be in true relationship with you and with one another. Amen. 

One thing that I have enjoyed observing in college ministry over the last several years, is relationships. As human beings, we are constantly being pushed and pulled and called into relationship with one another, but each relationship is not the same.

I remember in elementary school, I was friends with particular people because of what they brought to school for lunch every day. Some kids had really nice lunches. I became friends with the kids who had the fantastic lunch treats so that we could trade. My pudding cup for your fruit roll up. It was a bit transactional, even in third grade. 

In college, things seem to stay largely the same. I spend every Wednesday on campus with students during Market Days. During that time, all the clubs and different shops are out trying to recruit students and get them engaged. Or, of course, sell them something. One of the keys of campus ministry is getting on students’ radars, so many different clubs will get the email addresses of the students in exchange for something— a free t-shirt, a water bottle, a snack. Anything for an email address. So when I’m out there with my students, that is often the threshold— give us your email address and we will give you a bumper stickers or a cup of coffee. 

This is what people are used to in Jesus’ time— especially when it comes to relationships. Mentors and mentees had a transactional type of relationship. Marriages were almost always for the advantage of the families involved, not about love or relationship. The families weighed the advantages of a marriage and determined whether or not they would be worth joining the two people together. 

Even children had a sort of transactional relationship with their parents— we can see that from stories like Jacob and Esau vying for the blessing of their father. It seemed that there weren’t many stories of people being in relationship simply because they craved relationship or simply because they liked the other person. 

That’s not to say that this transactional type of relationship was bad in those times, it was how they secured their legacies and built up their wealth. Having connections and power was one of the only ways to guarantee a person’s safety in the time of the Roman Empire especially. 

That’s why it seems so counter-cultural to do the opposite— to reach out despite an unequal exchange of good. 

One of my favorite things we do on campus is on particularly hot or dreary days, we sit out on Wednesday afternoons and just hand out popsicles or snacks. 

Those are my favorite days and it also breaks my heart because it confuses students so much. They’ll approach our outstretched arms, holding chips and rice krispie treats and pop-tarts. “Would you like a snack?” We ask. “Uh… sure… for what?” They say hesitantly. “Nothing, just take whatever you want,” we say. “For free?” “yes, of course, for free. We are practicing hospitality. Have a great day!” And we wave them off and get ready for the next group of students to walk by. 

They don’t understand because students are so used to transactional relationships with clubs, society, and even campus ministries, that they can’t even wrap their heads around being given something for free— no strings attached. 

We do that too, don’t we? I often find myself hesitating when something seems too good to be true and I ask, “what’s the catch?” I find myself sometimes even hesitating in relationships, wondering what is in it for them, or worse, what is in it for me?

That is the kind of thinking Jesus encounters when he is invited to this important dinner party. Instead of dealing in transactional terms, Jesus invites people to something new, something more like the Kingdom of God. 

Jesus, of course, was already very good at these kinds of relationships. Jesus was regularly reaching out to those who could do nothing for him in return.

He healed many of the lowliest people in the community, those who society would say could never properly repay him. 

He fed thousands with no expectation of a return on his hefty investment. 

He regularly squandered opportunities to work with the most powerful— the religious elite— in favor of the poor, sinner, and hungry. 

He was turning society’s norms upside down and saying, “in the Kingdom of God, there is no quid pro quo. There are only gifts, only grace.”

And thank God for that. Because it is never a truly equal exchange when it comes to our relationship with God, is it? 

Imagine if we had to somehow repay God’s gift to us in Christ Jesus. It would be impossible. We would spend our entire lives striving to do something that we could never ever do. What if we spent out entire lives fearing that God would stop wanting to have a relationship with us simply because we can never repay God for God’s love. If we were judged by our actions and even our own love for God, we would never be able to make that exchange — we would always fall short.

Jesus shows us that God is uninterested in the kind of love and relationship built on exchanging goods and status. God desires a relationship with us, God’s children. 

We want the Kingdom of God to be present here on earth, and indeed it is, when we reach out to those in need, when we are more generous than society tells us we should. When we do not hesitate to show hospitality to strangers. When we remember those who are in prison. When we devote ourselves to being in right relationship with one another, when we are free from the love of money, when we are content with what we have. Then we have the chance to get a glimpse of the Kingdom of God. 

When we have the chance to sit at the banquet table, when we are the ones writing the invitations, Jesus encourages us to invite those who wouldn’t normally get a seat at the table, those who don’t always have enough food. The poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. 

After all, we all come to this table, hands outstretched, all one and all the same in God’s eyes. And we all ask for the same body and blood of Christ, the only thing that sustains us in this life. And despite our wealth, power, and status, God feeds us. God feeds us-- the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. 

Amen.